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Tag: Satellite

  • iPhone feature saved skiers from deadly avalanche—how you can turn it on

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    An iPhone safety feature is drawing renewed attention after six skiers were rescued during California’s deadliest recorded avalanche, with survivors using satellite messaging to stay in contact with emergency responders when traditional cell service failed.

    The avalanche struck near Lake Tahoe, killing eight people and leaving one missing, while six others were located and rescued after hours in severe winter conditions.

    The skiers were able to communicate with authorities using Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature when they found themselves outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

    Remote Areas

    Apple introduced Emergency SOS via satellite with the iPhone 14 lineup. The feature is available on supported models running iOS 16.1 or later and is designed for use in remote areas where cellular signals are not accessible.

    The satellite tool, available on newer iPhone models, allows users to text emergency services directly when traditional networks are unavailable. As interest in the feature grows, Apple users have been discussing how it works—and whether it should remain free.

    In the Lake Tahoe rescue, communication between the stranded group and emergency personnel proved critical.

    Rescuers ultimately found the group roughly 11 hours after the avalanche began, according to reports from Inc.

    Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon described the strength of the slide, saying: “A two would bury a person. A three would bury a house and it’s right in the middle of those two.”

    ‘Life saving’

    Reddit contributors reacting to the story said the feature justified the cost of newer iPhones.

    “This is probably the best feature the iPhone has ever added, possibly only behind fall detection in Apple Watches,” a fan declared on Reddit.

    Another agreed that, “This is the kind of feature that justifies the premium. Most people will never need it, but for the ones who do, it’s literally life-saving.”

    Some critics, however, raised concerns about reports that the feature may not remain free indefinitely.

    “The only worry is that it’s still planned to be a paid feature… which I think is completely wrong,” one remarked.

    Apple advises users to first attempt calling 911 or local emergency services, even if their regular carrier shows no service.

    If the call fails, iPhones will display an option to use Emergency Text via Satellite. Users can tap “Report Emergency” and follow on-screen prompts while keeping the phone held naturally with a clear line of sight to the sky.

    Once connected, the iPhone shares critical information with responders, including the user’s location, elevation, Medical ID (if set up), emergency contacts, responses to an emergency questionnaire and the device’s battery level.

    Risks Posed

    Apple also recommends trying the built-in demo under Settings > Emergency SOS before traveling to remote areas. The demo does not contact emergency services, but walks users through the satellite connection process.

    Emergency SOS via satellite is not available in all countries and regions and works only on supported models.

    As extreme weather and backcountry travel continue to pose risks, the Lake Tahoe rescue has prompted renewed attention on how smartphones can function as a lifeline when traditional networks fail.

    Newsweek has reached out to Apple for comment via email.

    To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.

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  • New Text to 911 service allows you to reach help without cell reception. Here’s how it works

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    Have you ever been in or traveling through an area where there is no or low traditional cell service and thought, “What if I had an emergency and needed to call 911?”Now, because of a well-known cell service provider’s connection to a popular network of satellites, there’s a solution when you have an emergency and are off the grid and out of reach of a terrestrial cell tower’s signal.Related video above: A different new piece of technology helps guide rescuers to woman stuck in swampThe service is called Text to 911, and its availability is all thanks to T-Mobile’s new T-Satellite with Starlink, a service that, according to a recent release from the mobile carrier, was rolled out in July and connects compatible phones to an array of Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth.But if you’re not a T-Mobile customer, don’t fret. You don’t need to be a subscriber of the provider to use Text to 911. The service is available to anyone in the U.S. who has a compatible, satellite-capable iPhone or Android phone, and is designed to work anywhere in the 500,000 square miles of the U.S. not reached by traditional cell towers.That means even customers of providers like AT&T and Verizon can sign up for Text to 911.How to sign up for and use Text to 911While the service is free to use, non-T-Mobile customers are required to sign up in advance to use Text to 911. That can be done on the company’s website. The company said T-Mobile customers can add the service under “Manage Data & Add-Ons’” in their account or in T-Life. You don’t need to take any special action to use Text to 911. The mobile provider says that all you need is a view of the sky, and that using the service is just like sending a normal text message. All you need to do is enter a message on your phone’s native messaging app and enter 911 in the number field. From there, all you’ll need to do is hit “send.”While some areas around the U.S. already have the ability to text 911, this new service allows users to do so even when they can’t get reception from a traditional cell tower. If that’s the case, Text to 911 finds you a signal from a satellite up in space.The company said it “was a no-brainer” to make Text to 911 available and free for any person who enrolls and has a compatible phone.“There’s a good chance you’ve had that moment in your life at some point. Badly rolled ankle deep into a backcountry hike. Stuck in a tree well while skiing. Flat tire on a backcountry road. Or a million other situations that require access to emergency services in a place without cell service. It’s an absolutely terrifying feeling that we don’t want anyone to have ever again,” Mike Katz, president of marketing, strategy and products for T-Mobile, said in announcing the availability of Text to 911 on Nov. 5.

    Have you ever been in or traveling through an area where there is no or low traditional cell service and thought, “What if I had an emergency and needed to call 911?”

    Now, because of a well-known cell service provider’s connection to a popular network of satellites, there’s a solution when you have an emergency and are off the grid and out of reach of a terrestrial cell tower’s signal.

    Related video above: A different new piece of technology helps guide rescuers to woman stuck in swamp

    The service is called Text to 911, and its availability is all thanks to T-Mobile’s new T-Satellite with Starlink, a service that, according to a recent release from the mobile carrier, was rolled out in July and connects compatible phones to an array of Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth.

    But if you’re not a T-Mobile customer, don’t fret. You don’t need to be a subscriber of the provider to use Text to 911.

    The service is available to anyone in the U.S. who has a compatible, satellite-capable iPhone or Android phone, and is designed to work anywhere in the 500,000 square miles of the U.S. not reached by traditional cell towers.

    That means even customers of providers like AT&T and Verizon can sign up for Text to 911.

    How to sign up for and use Text to 911

    While the service is free to use, non-T-Mobile customers are required to sign up in advance to use Text to 911. That can be done on the company’s website. The company said T-Mobile customers can add the service under “Manage Data & Add-Ons’” in their account or in T-Life.

    You don’t need to take any special action to use Text to 911. The mobile provider says that all you need is a view of the sky, and that using the service is just like sending a normal text message. All you need to do is enter a message on your phone’s native messaging app and enter 911 in the number field. From there, all you’ll need to do is hit “send.”

    While some areas around the U.S. already have the ability to text 911, this new service allows users to do so even when they can’t get reception from a traditional cell tower. If that’s the case, Text to 911 finds you a signal from a satellite up in space.

    The company said it “was a no-brainer” to make Text to 911 available and free for any person who enrolls and has a compatible phone.

    “There’s a good chance you’ve had that moment in your life at some point. Badly rolled ankle deep into a backcountry hike. Stuck in a tree well while skiing. Flat tire on a backcountry road. Or a million other situations that require access to emergency services in a place without cell service. It’s an absolutely terrifying feeling that we don’t want anyone to have ever again,” Mike Katz, president of marketing, strategy and products for T-Mobile, said in announcing the availability of Text to 911 on Nov. 5.

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  • The Sky Isn’t Falling, but Starlink Satellites Are

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    The western part of North America has been treated to an unofficial light show over the last week or so. People in California and Canada have spotted what look like meteorites falling from the sky, but it’s not a space rock that is burning up in the atmosphere—it’s just a sign someone is going to have a slightly slower internet connection. The fiery trails spotted in the sky belong to falling Starlink satellites, and a report from EarthSky suggests we could be seeing them a lot more frequently in the near future.

    Currently, about one to two Starlink satellites are falling back to Earth every day from their place in the thermosphere. That’s according to retired Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, the author of Jonathan’s Space Report, which keeps track of what is going up into orbit and what is coming down. McDowell maintains a graph that tracks the reentries of Starlink satellites over time, and the frequency of the satellites falling back to Earth is trending up.

    In fact, McDowell told EarthSky that he expects the number of satellites burning up in the night’s sky to continue to climb, estimating that there will soon be as many as five per day. That is attributed in no small part to the growing number of satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

    And it’s not just Starlink up there—though it’s certainly one of the most prolific satellite purveyors, with more than 8,500 currently in orbit, per McDowell’s detailed records. The astrophysicist told EarthSky that when you add in Amazon Kuiper and other satellite clusters from the US, there will soon be more than 30,000 LEO satellites in operation. That figure nearly doubles once you add in Chinese systems, which McDowell estimates will hit 20,000 satellites soon.

    Those LEO satellites typically have a five-year replacement cycle. That means once we hit McDowell’s estimates for these large clusters, the expectation is that about five per day will “retire” from operation and fall from the sky as their lifespan comes to an end. There are conditions that may accelerate that, though. A recent study found that Starlink satellites have been reentering the atmosphere sooner than expected during periods of heightened solar activity. McDowell also warned of the potential for more satellites in the sky to lead to Kessler syndrome, which happens when the density of LEO objects gets so high that collisions become more common, and those collisions produce debris that is likely to cause even more collisions.

    Most of those satellites will fall back to earth harmlessly, but it isn’t guaranteed that they all will—especially when their reentry is less controlled. The Federal Aviation Administration released a report warning that by 2035, it expects that every two years, a person will be injured or killed by falling debris. So keep your eyes on the sky, and maybe invest in a helmet.

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    AJ Dellinger

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  • Satellite photos show activity at Iran nuclear site after US bombing

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    New Satellite photos reveal that Iran has begun removing critical cooling equipment from its Natanz uranium enrichment facility after U.S. airstrikes in late June damaged the site’s power systems and forced operations offline.

    The images, posted on X by David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington think tank, show the relocation of nearly two dozen large chillers once used to regulate centrifuge operations.

    Newsweek has reached out the U.S. State Department and Iran’s Foreign Ministry for comment.

    Why It Matters

    The dispersal of equipment underscores Iran’s immediate effort to shield its nuclear program from further attacks. The U.S. strikes—carried out at the end of the 12-day Iran–Israel war—were hailed by President Donald Trump as a “spectacular military success,” although U.S. intelligence later said the bombing would set back Iran’s program by up to two years, rather than indefinitely.

    With Natanz still without external power and centrifuges idle, the relocation of chillers signals Tehran’s determination to preserve enrichment capability, a step that could harden its bargaining position and increase the risk of renewed confrontation across the Middle East.

    In this image made from April 17, 2021, video released by the Islamic Republic Iran Broadcasting, IRIB, state-run TV, various centrifuge machines line the hall damaged on Sunday, April 11, 2021, at the Natanz Uranium…


    IRIB/AP Photo

    What To Know

    Albright’s satellite imagery showed that 19 of the 24 chillers previously housed in two heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) buildings at Natanz had been moved to locations across the site—including helicopter pads and near water facilities—to make them harder to target.

    He wrote: “The removal and dispersal appears to be a tactic to make the chillers less vulnerable to future aerial bombardment.”

    Albright said Natanz still lacked external power and centrifuge cascades remained offline. He interpreted the chiller relocation as a clear move by Iran to protect essential hardware during the downtime and amid anticipated threats.

    Scope of U.S. Bombing

    The U.S. bombing campaign struck three nuclear sites: Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. While imagery confirmed significant surface destruction, particularly at Natanz, U.S. intelligence assessments circulated after the fact determined that underground sections of the Fordow site had not been destroyed.

    The Pentagon concluded that Iran’s nuclear program was set back by several months, but not eliminated, contradicting Trump’s assertion that the program had been “obliterated.”

    Mission details of a strike on Iran
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine discusses the mission details of a strike on Iran during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia….


    Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    Diplomatic Reactions

    Tehran has sought to counter pressure internationally. Alongside Russia and China, Iran issued a joint letter denouncing European efforts to reimpose United Nations snapback sanctions. On X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the European move as illegal and politically destructive, emphasizing that the U.S. was the first to breach the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) under Trump.

    Urainum Enrichment

    Iran has long exceeded the uranium production limits set under the JCPOA, citing Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement as justification, while maintaining that its nuclear program is intended solely for civilian purposes.

    With the deal set to expire in October, the snapback mechanism could reinstate sanctions that had been lifted. Following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in mid-June, Iran and Britain, France and Germany (E3) held talks in Geneva aimed at a new agreement, but the E3 concluded that Iran had not shown sufficient readiness to reach a deal.

    What People Are Saying

    David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security: “The movement of this equipment shows Iran appears worried about a new attack destroying even more centrifuge–related equipment.”

    Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister: “Our joint letter with my colleagues, the foreign ministers of China and Russia, signed in Tianjin, reflects the firm position that the European attempt to invoke snapback is legally baseless and politically destructive”

    What Happens Next

    Natanz remains without power, centrifuges are inactive, and chillers essential to enrichment have been scattered across the facility. Whether the U.S. or Israel decides to strike again will determine if Iran can reconstitute its nuclear program or if the latest confrontation escalates into a broader conflict.

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  • SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink mission finally launches after failed attempts

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    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched on Thursday, carrying another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.

    The SpaceX Starlink 6-77 mission, which deployed 23 satellites, lifted off at 3:19 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This marked the third flight for the Falcon 9 booster, having previously supported one Starlink mission and a NASA Crew-9 launch to the International Space Station.

    The launch came after a series of delays that had pushed the mission back from its initial target of November 3. On Sunday, the launch was scrubbed just two minutes before liftoff due to a helium leak on the rocket’s first stage.

    Another attempt on Wednesday was also called off, reportedly due to unfavorable weather conditions.

    “Hold, hold, hold. Standing down for helium, stage one,” a SpaceX team member could be heard saying during the live broadcast of the planned Sunday launch on X (formerly Twitter).

    Thursday’s liftoff was pushed back by six minutes, but SpaceX did not provide an official reason for the delay. Approximately eight minutes after launch, the Falcon 9 booster landed safely on the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, just west of the Bahamas.

    SpaceX confirmed the successful deployment of the Starlink satellites in a post on X, saying: “Deployment of 23 @Starlink satellites confirmed.”

    A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Expedition 72 astronauts lifts off from launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sept. 28, 2024. The same booster was used on Thursday to…


    GREGG NEWTON/Getty

    What is Starlink?

    Starlink is SpaceX’s ambitious project to build a global satellite internet network. The constellation currently has over 7,170 satellites in orbit, with plans to eventually launch in excess of 40,000.

    These satellites orbit much closer to Earth, at around 340 miles, compared to traditional satellite internet providers.

    Where is SpaceX Located?

    While SpaceX’s headquarters are located in California, the company has a testing facility in Texas and launch complexes in Florida, California, and Texas.

    The Starlink 6-77 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, marking the 96th booster landing for the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship and the 362nd booster landing to date for SpaceX.

    In addition to its launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX has several other sites around the country where it conducts its rocket launches.

    The company’s headquarters and primary manufacturing facility are located in Hawthorne, California, but it also has a testing facility in McGregor, Texas.

    SpaceX’s other active launch sites include Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and its own privately-owned Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

    The Starbase location is where SpaceX develops, manufactures, tests, and launches its Starship spacecraft, which are the next-generation launch vehicles the company is building to enable crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

    Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about SpaceX? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

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  • Iran says it successfully launched a satellite into orbit

    Iran says it successfully launched a satellite into orbit

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    Iran launched a satellite into space Saturday with a rocket built by the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported, the latest for a program the West fears helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program.Related video above: Boeing Starliner test pilot Suni Williams to become ISS commander on unexpectedly long stay Iran described the launch as a success, which would be the second such launch to put a satellite into orbit with the rocket. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch’s success, nor did Iranian authorities immediately provide footage or other details.The launch comes amid heightened tensions gripping the wider Middle East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, during which Tehran launched an unprecedented direct missile-and-drone attack on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran continues to enrich uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, raising concerns among nonproliferation experts about Tehran’s program.Iran identified the satellite-carrying rocket as the Qaem-100, which the Guard used in January for another successful launch. Qaem means “upright” in Iran’s Farsi language. The solid-fuel rocket put the Chamran-1 satellite, weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), into a 550-kilometer (340-mile) orbit, state media reported.The U.S. State Department and the American military did not immediately respond to requests for comment over the Iranian launch.The United States had previously said Iran’s satellite launches defy a U.N. Security Council resolution and called on Tehran to undertake no activity involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. U.N. sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired last October.Under Iran’s relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Republic slowed its space program for fear of raising tensions with the West. Hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who came to power in 2021, has pushed the program forward. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.It’s unclear what Iran’s new president, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, wants for the program as he was silent on the issue while campaigning.The U.S. intelligence community’s worldwide threat assessment this year said Iran’s development of satellite launch vehicles “would shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technology.Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Iran is now producing uranium close to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran has enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear weapons, if it chooses to produce them, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly has warned.Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program up until 2003.The launch also came ahead of the second anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests against Iran’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab, law and the country’s Shiite theocracy.___Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    TEHRAN, Iran (AP) —

    Iran launched a satellite into space Saturday with a rocket built by the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported, the latest for a program the West fears helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program.

    Related video above: Boeing Starliner test pilot Suni Williams to become ISS commander on unexpectedly long stay

    Iran described the launch as a success, which would be the second such launch to put a satellite into orbit with the rocket. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch’s success, nor did Iranian authorities immediately provide footage or other details.

    The launch comes amid heightened tensions gripping the wider Middle East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, during which Tehran launched an unprecedented direct missile-and-drone attack on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran continues to enrich uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, raising concerns among nonproliferation experts about Tehran’s program.

    Iran identified the satellite-carrying rocket as the Qaem-100, which the Guard used in January for another successful launch. Qaem means “upright” in Iran’s Farsi language. The solid-fuel rocket put the Chamran-1 satellite, weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), into a 550-kilometer (340-mile) orbit, state media reported.

    The U.S. State Department and the American military did not immediately respond to requests for comment over the Iranian launch.

    The United States had previously said Iran’s satellite launches defy a U.N. Security Council resolution and called on Tehran to undertake no activity involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. U.N. sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired last October.

    Under Iran’s relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Republic slowed its space program for fear of raising tensions with the West. Hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who came to power in 2021, has pushed the program forward. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

    It’s unclear what Iran’s new president, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, wants for the program as he was silent on the issue while campaigning.

    The U.S. intelligence community’s worldwide threat assessment this year said Iran’s development of satellite launch vehicles “would shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technology.

    Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Iran is now producing uranium close to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran has enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear weapons, if it chooses to produce them, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly has warned.

    Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program up until 2003.

    The launch also came ahead of the second anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests against Iran’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab, law and the country’s Shiite theocracy.

    ___

    Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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  • World’s first wooden satellite built by Japanese researchers

    World’s first wooden satellite built by Japanese researchers

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    5/28: CBS Evening News

    18:17

    Tokyo — The world’s first wooden satellite has been built by Japanese researchers who said their tiny cuboid craft is scheduled to be carried into space off on a SpaceX rocket in September.

    Each side of the experimental satellite developed by scientists at Kyoto University and logging company Sumitomo Forestry measures four inches.

    The creators expect the wooden material will burn up completely when the device re-enters the atmosphere — potentially providing a way to avoid the creation of metal particles when a retired satellite returns to Earth.

    The metal particles could have a negative impact on the environment and telecommunications, the developers said as they announced the satellite’s completion on Tuesday.

    JAPAN-SPACE-ENVIRONMENT-MATERIALS
    The world’s first wooden satellite, named LignoSat, developed by scientists at Kyoto University and logging company Sumitomo Forestry, is shown during a press conference at Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan on May 28, 2024. 

    STR/JIJI PRESS / AFP via Getty Images


    “Satellites that are not made of metal should become mainstream,” Takao Doi, an astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University, told a press conference.

    The developers plan to hand the satellite, made from magnolia wood and named LignoSat, to space agency JAXA next week.

    It will be sent into space on a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in September, bound for the International Space Station (ISS), they said.

    From there, the satellite will be released from the Japanese ISS experiment module to test its strength and durability.

    “Data will be sent from the satellite to researchers who can check for signs of strain and whether the satellite can withstand huge changes in temperature,” a Sumitomo Forestry spokeswoman told AFP on Wednesday.

    Also on Tuesday, a rocket carrying a separate sophisticated satellite — a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and JAXA — blasted off from California on a mission to investigate the role clouds could play in the fight against climate change.

    The EarthCARE satellite will orbit nearly 250 miles above Earth for three years. 

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  • NASA PREFIRE mission launches to study Earth’s polar regions

    NASA PREFIRE mission launches to study Earth’s polar regions

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    NASA has launched the first of two research satellites to measure how much heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica.Related video above: NASA announces new launch date of Starliner’s first crewed mission following ‘indefinite’ delayThe shoebox-size satellite lifted off Saturday at 7:42 p.m. local time (3:42 a.m. ET) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s launch complex in Mahia, New Zealand. The climate science mission, known as Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, or PREFIRE, aims to improve scientists’ understanding of how water vapor, clouds and other elements of Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and keep it from radiating into space.The data gathered will inform climate models and hopefully lead to better predictions of how the climate crisis will affect sea levels, weather, snow and ice cover, NASA said.Earth absorbs a lot of energy from the sun in the tropics regions. Weather and ocean currents move that heat energy toward the poles, where the heat radiates upward into space. Much of that heat is in far-infrared wavelengths and has never been systematically measured before, NASA added.PREFIRE is composed of two CubeSats fitted with specialized miniature heat sensors. The launch date for the second satellite will be announced shortly after the launch of the first satellite, NASA said.Once they’re both launched, the two satellites will be in asynchronous near-polar orbits — passing over a specific spot at different times, looking at the same area within hours of each other.Doing so should allow the satellites to collect data about phenomena that take place on a short time scale and require frequent measurements — such as how the amount of cloud cover affects the temperature on Earth beneath it.

    NASA has launched the first of two research satellites to measure how much heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica.

    Related video above: NASA announces new launch date of Starliner’s first crewed mission following ‘indefinite’ delay

    The shoebox-size satellite lifted off Saturday at 7:42 p.m. local time (3:42 a.m. ET) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s launch complex in Mahia, New Zealand.

    The climate science mission, known as Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, or PREFIRE, aims to improve scientists’ understanding of how water vapor, clouds and other elements of Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and keep it from radiating into space.

    The data gathered will inform climate models and hopefully lead to better predictions of how the climate crisis will affect sea levels, weather, snow and ice cover, NASA said.

    Earth absorbs a lot of energy from the sun in the tropics regions. Weather and ocean currents move that heat energy toward the poles, where the heat radiates upward into space. Much of that heat is in far-infrared wavelengths and has never been systematically measured before, NASA added.

    PREFIRE is composed of two CubeSats fitted with specialized miniature heat sensors. The launch date for the second satellite will be announced shortly after the launch of the first satellite, NASA said.

    Once they’re both launched, the two satellites will be in asynchronous near-polar orbits — passing over a specific spot at different times, looking at the same area within hours of each other.

    Doing so should allow the satellites to collect data about phenomena that take place on a short time scale and require frequent measurements — such as how the amount of cloud cover affects the temperature on Earth beneath it.

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  • NASA PREFIRE mission launches to study Earth’s polar regions

    NASA PREFIRE mission launches to study Earth’s polar regions

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    NASA has launched the first of two research satellites to measure how much heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica.Related video above: NASA announces new launch date of Starliner’s first crewed mission following ‘indefinite’ delayThe shoebox-size satellite lifted off Saturday at 7:42 p.m. local time (3:42 a.m. ET) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s launch complex in Mahia, New Zealand. The climate science mission, known as Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, or PREFIRE, aims to improve scientists’ understanding of how water vapor, clouds and other elements of Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and keep it from radiating into space.The data gathered will inform climate models and hopefully lead to better predictions of how the climate crisis will affect sea levels, weather, snow and ice cover, NASA said.Earth absorbs a lot of energy from the sun in the tropics regions. Weather and ocean currents move that heat energy toward the poles, where the heat radiates upward into space. Much of that heat is in far-infrared wavelengths and has never been systematically measured before, NASA added.PREFIRE is composed of two CubeSats fitted with specialized miniature heat sensors. The launch date for the second satellite will be announced shortly after the launch of the first satellite, NASA said.Once they’re both launched, the two satellites will be in asynchronous near-polar orbits — passing over a specific spot at different times, looking at the same area within hours of each other.Doing so should allow the satellites to collect data about phenomena that take place on a short time scale and require frequent measurements — such as how the amount of cloud cover affects the temperature on Earth beneath it.

    NASA has launched the first of two research satellites to measure how much heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica.

    Related video above: NASA announces new launch date of Starliner’s first crewed mission following ‘indefinite’ delay

    The shoebox-size satellite lifted off Saturday at 7:42 p.m. local time (3:42 a.m. ET) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s launch complex in Mahia, New Zealand.

    The climate science mission, known as Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, or PREFIRE, aims to improve scientists’ understanding of how water vapor, clouds and other elements of Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and keep it from radiating into space.

    The data gathered will inform climate models and hopefully lead to better predictions of how the climate crisis will affect sea levels, weather, snow and ice cover, NASA said.

    Earth absorbs a lot of energy from the sun in the tropics regions. Weather and ocean currents move that heat energy toward the poles, where the heat radiates upward into space. Much of that heat is in far-infrared wavelengths and has never been systematically measured before, NASA added.

    PREFIRE is composed of two CubeSats fitted with specialized miniature heat sensors. The launch date for the second satellite will be announced shortly after the launch of the first satellite, NASA said.

    Once they’re both launched, the two satellites will be in asynchronous near-polar orbits — passing over a specific spot at different times, looking at the same area within hours of each other.

    Doing so should allow the satellites to collect data about phenomena that take place on a short time scale and require frequent measurements — such as how the amount of cloud cover affects the temperature on Earth beneath it.

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  • Artel, LLC Demonstrates Resilient GEO and LEO Service

    Artel, LLC Demonstrates Resilient GEO and LEO Service

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    HERNDON, Va., March 19, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    – Artel, LLC, a leading supplier of secure government connectivity, both satellite and terrestrial, demonstrated multi-orbit and multi-band connectivity solutions to customers and other industry participants at multiple events.

    The initial demonstration was conducted late 2023 at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub in St. Petersburg, FL. Government and industry customer attendees witnessed video calls, video streaming, VoIP, system failover, and file transfer applications. Jamming and Radio Interference were also introduced during the demonstration. The resilient network immediately moved the applications to the other networks.   

    As a follow-on to this demonstration, one of the participants, U.S. Department of State (DOS), requested an opportunity for further evaluation in support of the Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Program Office (DTS-PO) telecommunications requirements. Artel led a week of activities in late January 2024 at the DTS-PO facility in Chantilly, VA. The primary objectives were to further brief on the technical capabilities and integrate and test performance of the DTS-PO’s services, while also integrating DTS-PO equipment.   

    Both demos were successful and well received with continuing interest for additional end-user site demos. According to Paul Domorski, Artel Chief Executive Officer, “We want to thank our Partners, Eutelsat, OneWeb Technologies and Aurora Borealis Networks for supporting the highly successful tests.” 

    “Artel is very pleased with the performance of the network, it seamlessly switched the applications and remained up and running as it was designed to do,” said Ed Spitler, Head of SATCOM for Artel.

    About Artel
    Artel is a communications, engineering and services leader specializing in solving challenges in the defense, intelligence, diplomatic, and homeland security markets. The company enables highly secure service levels approaching 5 nines around the world. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Artel has been supporting the mission for 35 years. For more information about Artel, visit artelllc.com, or email us at communications@artelllc.com.

    Source: Artel LLC

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  • Artel, LLC Delivered the Final Pathfinder 2 Milestone, Initial on-Orbit Test

    Artel, LLC Delivered the Final Pathfinder 2 Milestone, Initial on-Orbit Test

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    HERNDON, Va., March 18, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    It has now been a year since Artel, LLC launched its Pathfinder 2 program, which has now completed its first six months of on-orbit operations for the United Space. Pathfinder 2 originally completed its final contractual milestone, the Initial on-orbit Test (IoT) in September 2023, which the U.S. Government accepted, completing all program requirements. This included the design, test, launch, and operation of the satellite and transponder, as well as to provide commercial communications Ku-band bandwidth for 15 years. 

    Pathfinder 2 is an initiative between Congress and the United States Space Force (USSF), formally the US Air Force’s Space Command, to move from short-term lease agreements towards long-term investment opportunities for commercial satellite communications (SATCOM). The vision was to host a government owned transponder onboard a commercially owned and operated satellite. Artel was awarded the $19 Million contract on 9 November 2017 to embed the Pathfinder 2 mission on Hispasat’s Amazonas Nexus high throughput satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space. The Pathfinder 2 mission launched in February 2023. This new satellite has coverage over the entire American continent and the North Atlantic corridor (an area with major aerial and maritime traffic). 

    A unique objective was to ensure greater satellite services and introduce cost savings as compared to the traditional short-term space capacity leasing model of the commercial satellites in orbit. For the Pathfinder 2 mission, the Government purchased commercial capacity for 2023-2038 including management of the capacity with no annual sustainment costs. The long-term spend, as an alternative to short-term leasing options, was key to the substantial 70% cost savings. 

    The U.S. Government owns this capacity for the lifespan of the satellite, which is typically 15 years. This capacity can be used for the DoD or any Federal agency, at the U.S. Government’s discretion. Since completing IoT, the Space Force’s Space Delta 8 SATCOM Office at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado has been responsible for planning mission support and managing the Pathfinder 2 capacity for a full array of DoD users. Remarkably, demand for this capacity has been so strong, as of February 2024 it is almost fully utilized.   

    “This mission demonstrates the high degree of partnership between military and commercial acquisition. Pathfinder 2 satisfies warfighter requirements by procuring commercially provided pre-launch transponders and securing bandwidth at a lower total ownership cost,” said Ms. Charlotte Gerhart, Senior Materiel Leader, Acquisition Delta – Tactical SATCOM, Space Systems Command.

    Pathfinder 2 resulted in immediate savings to the government, when on 26 September 2023 at 1600Z, General Atomic’s MQ-1C transitioned to Pathfinder 2 after 20 years of leasing SATCOM capacity one year at a time—or less. Joint Task Force-North (JTF-N) was procuring SATCOM for its mission at an annualized cost of $1.8 million. As a result of Pathfinder 2, their new cost for SATCOM is $0.0. Additionally, Pathfinder 2 also enables industry collaboration between commercial SATCOM capabilities with military SATCOM (MILSATCOM) operations. 

    “The Pathfinder 2 Program is a prime example of Government and Industry collaboration to not only deliver leading-edge technologies, but also through a purchase model saving substantial taxpayer dollars,” stated Ed Spitler, Head of SATCOM Programs for Artel, LLC. Artel, and its partners, were able to overcome several unforeseen challenges during these past five years related to events from the global pandemic to the war in Ukraine. While the world was experiencing supply chain interruptions, product shortages, and facility shut-downs, Artel led the way to persevere and deliver. Pathfinder 2 represents a departure from traditional segregation of military and commercial SATCOM management processes, placing both under the management of the USSF.

    EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Space Systems Command (SSC) 

    About Space Systems Command

    Space Systems Command (SSC) is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient war fighting capabilities to protect our nation’s strategic advantage in and from space. SSC manages an $15 billion space acquisition budget for the Department of Defense and works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, academic and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and outpace emerging threats. Our actions today are making the world a better space for tomorrow.

    -30-

    Media representatives can submit questions for response regarding this topic by sending an 

    e-mail to sscpa.media@spaceforce.mil

    About Artel

    Since 1986, Artel has served as a trusted provider of secure IT and network solutions to the U.S. Government. Our telecommunications offerings ensure reliable, secure connectivity worldwide to support our customers’ mission-critical requirements. An International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015 certified network systems integrator, Artel provides cost-effective, on-time delivery of global terrestrial and satellite network communication services, cyber security, risk management, and technology support services. Please visit www.artelllc.com for additional information. If you would like more information about this topic, please e-mail espitler@artelllc.com. 

    Source: Artel LLC

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  • SpaceX Working on Hundreds of Swarming Spy Satellites for U.S. Intelligence Agency

    SpaceX Working on Hundreds of Swarming Spy Satellites for U.S. Intelligence Agency

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    SpaceX is working with the National Reconnaissance Office to build a classified system of swarming spy satellites, according to a report published by Reuters. And while the $1.8 billion contract was reportedly signed in 2021, news of the program’s ties to NRO just leaked on Saturday—a great reminder that it’s entirely possible for some tech companies to do highly classified work for years without the public learning about it.

    Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their View

    The new satellite spy network is being built under SpaceX’s Starshield unit, which also manages Starlink satellite internet. The program is described by Reuters as consisting of, “hundreds of satellites bearing Earth-imaging capabilities that can operate as a swarm in low orbits.”

    The five sources of information on the new program aren’t named in the new Reuters article, though one anonymous source is quoted as saying that “no one can hide” from the new satellite system.

    From Reuters:

    The satellites can track targets on the ground and share that data with U.S. intelligence and military officials, the sources said. In principle, that would enable the U.S. government to quickly capture continuous imagery of activities on the ground nearly anywhere on the globe, aiding intelligence and military operations, they added.

    […]

    The Starshield network is part of intensifying competition between the U.S. and its rivals to become the dominant military power in space, in part by expanding spy satellite systems away from bulky, expensive spacecraft at higher orbits. Instead a vast, low-orbiting network can provide quicker and near-constant imaging of the Earth.

    The Wall Street Journal first reported on the existence of a new satellite program being developed by SpaceX in February, but Reuters was the first to provide new information about the customer for what sounds like an incredibly powerful new spy system.

    SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk have received criticism over the past two years as the billionaire has expressed skepticism that the U.S. should be involved in helping Ukraine during its fight against Russia’s invasion. The war started in Feb. 2022 and has killed tens of thousands on both sides, but Musk has become vocally opposed against the U.S. continuing to help its ally with intelligence and weapons. That would appear to be a big problem for the U.S. military establishment, since Ukraine is so dependent on Starlink satellite internet for command and control in the battlefield.

    Musk infamously denied Ukraine use of Starlink to mount a counterattack of Russian forces in Crimea, a story told by his biographer Walter Isaacson, that was awkwardly walked back at Musk’s insistence after the book was published. But whatever actually happened in Crimea, there appears to be nervousness within the Pentagon about how reliant the U.S. military has become on Musk. And the leak of this latest contract between SpaceX and NRO proves the public probably doesn’t know the half of it.

    As Reuters explained in the new report on Saturday:

    The network is also intended to greatly expand the U.S. government’s remote-sensing capabilities and will consist of large satellites with imaging sensors, as well as a greater number of relay satellites that pass the imaging data and other communications across the network using inter-satellite lasers, two of the sources said.

    NRO was formed in 1960 on the heels of some major failures by the U.S. Air Force to get a military satellite program up and running. The shoot down and capture of U-2 pilot Gary Powers by the Soviet Union in May 1960 was a highly embarrassing international incident for Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, which made it obvious the U.S. needed to get some proper mechanical eyes in the sky that couldn’t be shot down by adversaries.

    The establishment of NRO in 1960 was an attempt to make the nation’s spy satellites an independent agency that could service U.S. military customers and U.S. intelligence agencies without causing turf wars. Giving an agency like CIA, for example, sole control of spy satellites could lead to unnecessary internal competition with other agencies. At least that’s the way Eisenhower’s science advisors thought about it at the time.

    While a system of swarming satellites deployed by U.S. intelligence may sound futuristic, it’s important to remember U.S. imaging capabilities are already incredibly advanced and frankly make the 1998 surveillance thriller Enemy of the State look like a documentary. As just one example, the existence of ARGUS-IS, a 1.8 gigapixel camera developed by Darpa and BAE Systems, was revealed in a January 2013 episode of the PBS documentary “Rise of the Drones.”

    The ARGUS-IS could provide images of an entire U.S. city, while allowing users to zoom in on any part and see enough detail to capture someone waving their arms. And it’s a pretty safe bet that the realities of U.S. spying capabilities in 2013 were much more advanced than what the public was allowed to see on PBS. The mind boggles to think what kind of resolution America’s eyes in the sky can get a decade later, to say nothing of how SpaceX’s swarming satellites might change the game in low Earth orbit.

    The new report from Reuters says roughly a dozen prototypes for this new swarming system have been launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets alongside other satellites presumably with civilian purposes. But that kind of thing is far from new. As Gizmodo reported back in 2017, NRO was intimately involved in the design of NASA’s Space Shuttle, even if we still don’t know many details about the payloads NRO was hitching a ride to get into space. Same as it ever was, it seems.

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    Matt Novak

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  • Before-after images show the scale of flooding across SoCal

    Before-after images show the scale of flooding across SoCal

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    Parts of Southern California have seen record rainfall in the past week after two atmospheric rivers pelted the region.

    As the clouds began to lift, new projections from a modeling company were providing a visual representation of the scale of the flooding.

    The projections, from Floodbase, show dramatic differences in accumulated water between late January and this week.

    Below is greater Los Angeles on Jan. 28 (left) and Feb. 6 (right). On Jan. 28, much of the water is dark blue, indicating permanent water.

    On Feb. 6, light blue floodwater surrounds waterways like the L.A. River and can be seen accumulating at the base of the Santa Monica and Verdugo mountains.

    Public satellites haven’t yet flown over the areas hit by the storm, and private satellites have only targeted a few areas, said Floodbase co-founder Bessie Schwarz.

    The Floodbase data is “simulating what the satellites would have seen,” she said.

    Floodbase uses an AI model trained on decades of satellite images, along with physical models from hydrologic, land surface and hydraulic data to predict what a satellite would see through the clouds.

    According to the images, the flooding was at its peak around Los Angeles on Feb. 6, whereas in Santa Barbara County, it was most significant the previous day.

    The image below uses the same methodology to show flooding in Santa Barbara County on Jan. 28 (left) and again on Feb. 5 (right).

    On Jan. 28, the data show modest flooding near Lompoc and some water in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

    By Feb. 6, dry riverbeds passing through Lompoc and Santa Maria were heavily flooded. The mountains above Santa Barbara were also flooded.

    The atmospheric river storms of the past week killed at least nine people and caused significant flooding and property damage along the California coast.

    After four days of rain, the skies were clearing Wednesday morning, leaving officials and property owners to sift through damage from nearly 500 landslides in Los Angeles County alone. Several locations got more than a foot of rain in a few days. One more dollop of rain was expected Wednesday night.

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    Terry Castleman

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  • Sierra Space joins defense primes in landing massive military satellite contract | TechCrunch

    Sierra Space joins defense primes in landing massive military satellite contract | TechCrunch

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    Sierra Space is joining Rocket Lab as a current or formerly VC-backed space company to land a major satellite deal with the military.

    The Space Development Agency (SDA) selected Sierra, along with Lockheed Martin and L3Harris, to build 54 satellites in deals collectively worth $2.5 billion. The news, announced today, follows news from last week that Rocket Lab landed a similar contract for up to $515 million.

    The award, as well as Rocket Lab’s, shows that more and more companies are looking to take a slice of a market that until now had been the exclusive domain of defense primes: military satellites. Most recently, Sierra closed a $290 million Series B round that skyrocketed its valuation to $5.3 billion.

    The 54 satellites will form part of the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a massive missile detection and tracking constellation in low Earth orbit that’s being built and launched in “tranches.” The trio of contracts announced today is for 18 satellites each in the Tranche 2 Tracking Layer: L3Harris’s award is worth $919 million; Lockheed Martin, $890 million; and Sierra Space, $740 million.

    “We’re pleased to welcome Sierra Space, a new entrant as a prime vendor on Team SDA, as we continue working with L3Harris and Lockheed Martin on Tranche 2,” SDA director Derek Tournear said in a statement. “The marketplace is responding to the demand signals for our spiral development model. The agile response across the space industry is critically important as we deliver to the warfighter this no-fail mission capability of missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defence.”

    The 54 satellites will consist of 48 dedicated to missile detection and tracking and 6 to missile defense. All will be equipped with infrared sensors, though the sensors on the six birds dedicated to missile defense will be capable of generating what the SDA calls “fire control-quality tracks,” which are sensitive enough to guide an interceptor to bring down an aggressor’s missile.

    While Lockheed and L3Harris have an established track record winning satellite manufacturing contracts with the SDA, this is the first award of this kind for Sierra Space. The latter company is best known for its Dream Chaser spaceplane and Orbital Reef private space station project, rather than satellite manufacturing at scale.

    The satellites are expected to launch no later than April 2027.

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    Aria Alamalhodaei

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  • A NASA Satellite Will Crash Into Earth Tonight | Entrepreneur

    A NASA Satellite Will Crash Into Earth Tonight | Entrepreneur

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    The spacecraft is expected to burn up as it reenters the atmosphere.

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    Jonathan Small

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  • Winegard Adds Flat High-Performance Starlink to Its Offerings for RVs, Providing High-Speed, Low-Latency Internet on the Go

    Winegard Adds Flat High-Performance Starlink to Its Offerings for RVs, Providing High-Speed, Low-Latency Internet on the Go

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    Press Release
    –

    Oct 25, 2022


    BURLINGTON, Iowa, October 25, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Winegard, the company dedicated to bringing the greatest range of connectivity solutions to the world, announces the addition of the flat high-performance Starlink to its product offerings. This new product provides high-speed, low-latency internet while in motion, is designed for permanent installation, and is more resilient to extreme environments.

    The flat high-performance Starlink features a 140-degree field of view, allowing for consistent connectivity to Starlink’s satellites in low Earth orbit while in motion. This feature, along with enhanced GPS capabilities, makes the flat high-performance Starlink the ideal choice for connectivity on the go. Additionally, the Starlink is designed for permanent installation on the roof of an RV or other vehicle, eliminating setup time for users who frequently change locations.

    “We’re excited to bring the latest iteration of Starlink technology, providing high-speed, low-latency internet while in motion on land, to Winegard’s customers,” said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Business Operations Chad Gibbs. “From enhancing entertainment to providing critical safety applications, the new flat high-performance Starlink is a must for travelers and those who live a mobile lifestyle.”

    Winegard is an authorized retailer of the flat high-performance Starlink. Winegard is partnering with dealers and installers to provide high-quality installations for customers from coast to coast within the United States. The flat high-performance Starlink can be purchased directly from Winegard.com or Winegard authorized dealers for professional installation throughout the country.

    “The flat high-performance Starlink delivers the connected experience that RVers command while camping or in motion, and we look forward to making it available through OEMs, Dealer Partners and by offering to consumers directly,” said Winegard’s Director of Business Development and Sales Aaron Luttenegger.

    About Winegard

    Winegard is an American technology company that powers connectivity and enables independence. For 65 years, Winegard Company pioneered wireless solutions for people’s evolving needs. We worked with NASA on the Apollo 11 mission when the first humans explored the moon. We continue to explore new and exciting frontiers on the ground and in space. Today, we provide leading technology and foster harmony by erasing the lines between technology and the human experience. Winegard’s high-performance, essential technology solutions are designed and developed for where people live, work and play. Headquartered in Burlington, Iowa, Winegard has locations in Illinois, Indiana, Idaho, and Oregon. www.winegard.com 

    Source: Winegard Company

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  • Vaya Space Awarded Satellite Launch Contract From All2Space

    Vaya Space Awarded Satellite Launch Contract From All2Space

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    Press Release
    –

    Jul 15, 2022


    COCOA, Fla., July 15, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Vaya Space, Inc. the vortex-hybrid engine rocket company and emerging leader in sustainable space access, today announced that All2Space has signed an exclusive contract to launch their satellite constellation with Vaya Space. 

    All2Space is CubeSat developer and launch aggregator with Brazilian Space Agency heritage focused on Latin American operations, with plans to develop and manage their own constellation. The signing of agreement between Vaya Space and All2Space will initially focus on the Latin American market, and this contract will further enhance Vaya’s first-mover advantage in the Latin American space industry.

    Vaya Space successfully conducted its inaugural launch earlier this year. The Company also recently announced multiple agreements with NASA to share technology and demonstrate the company’s industry-leading engine performance at both the Stennis Space Center and at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Vaya is expanding commercial operations in Florida and Brazil, leveraging their industry low-cost position and reliability.

    In addition to providing launch services for All2Space, Vaya will work with All2Space affiliated Ideia Space to launch a satellite built by students in Brazil as part of their industry-specific education. Building on work with the Michaelis Foundation for Global Education and multiple US universities, such as Athens State University’s STEM-SAT1 Project, this contract will further extend Vaya’s impact supporting global STEM education.

    “The satellite launch sector of the space industry is expected to grow to over $1 trillion over the next decade. It represents a significant opportunity for those companies who can support this demand, and we believe we have the differentiated technology and low-cost position that will enable Vaya to gain its fair share of the market,” said Vaya Space’s new Chief Executive Officer Brent Willis. “Being selected by Brazilian tech company All2Space to secure their supply chain for low earth orbit launch is a testament to what Vaya Space has already achieved, and we expect significant additional SmallSat customers to be making similar decisions in the near future.”    

    About Vaya Space, Inc.

    Vaya Space is a privately-owned, vortex-hybrid rocket company based on the Space Coast of Florida with subsidiary operations in Brazil. Vaya Space has developed breakthrough and patented technologies that transform access to space. Vaya was created in 2017 by Sid Gutierrez, former Space Shuttle Commander and NASA’s first US-born Hispanic astronaut. Launch Command’s final words to Sid at liftoff were “Vaya con Dios” vs. their traditional “Godspeed,” and shortly after this inspiration, Vaya was born.  

    Vaya is a purpose driven, sustainability focused, and environmentally conscious enterprise dedicated to making a difference for humankind. Vaya Space competes in the estimated $1 trillion small satellite launch sector. Vaya’s unique vortex-hybrid rockets utilize the equivalent of 2 million recycled water bottles per launch and overcome the costs and other issues associated with traditional liquid bi-propellant rockets to transform the safety and affordability of the industry.

    Additional information can be found at vayaspace.com  

    For investment inquiries please contact:

    Vaya Space Investor Relations
    Kevin Lowdermilk
    +1 703 346-6826
    Kevin.Lowdermilk@VayaSpace.com

    For press inquiries please contact:

    Vaya Space Media Relations  
    Mary Baldino
    +1 321 270-1478
    Mary.Baldino@VayaSpace.com

    Source: Vaya Space

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  • FMC GlobalSat Acquires 100% of Santander Teleport in Spain

    FMC GlobalSat Acquires 100% of Santander Teleport in Spain

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    FMC GlobalSat (“FMC”), a global provider of best-in-class satellite and wireless connectivity solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of 100% of Santander Teleport “ST” from Erzia Group.

    Press Release
    –

    Jun 21, 2022


    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 21, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    FMC GlobalSat (“FMC”), a global provider of best-in-class satellite and wireless connectivity solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of 100% of Santander Teleport “ST” from Erzia Group. 

    Founded as a joint venture of ERZIA and MTN Satellite Communications (now the Anuvu maritime division), ST has been ranked by the World Teleport Association (WTA) as one of the top 10 Teleport Operators in the world since inception 10 years ago, and in 2019 it was awarded the internationally prestigious “Independent Teleport of the Year” title. 

    Domiciled in Spain, ST boasts nearly 30 antennas ranging from 3 to 15 meters enabling Ku, Ka, X and C band reception and transmission within its expansive 100,000 square feet premises, including a Tier 3 (soon to be Tier 4 in Q3 2022) facility with data centers hosting capabilities with hundreds of sqm2 of rack space and with multiple fiber lines of 100GB. 

    FMC, with Santander Teleport’s best-in-class infrastructure and facilities, including both ISO9001 and ISO27001 certifications, is well-equipped to actively provide Data Center hosting and telecommunication services to prime operators while addressing the significant growth in global data consumption and expand network convergence over 5G wireless, terrestrial fiber and GEO, MEO, LEO (Low Earth Orbit) broadband satellite networks.

    This acquisition solidifies FMC’s vision of implementing telecommunication hubs, data centers and hosting services and achieving network convergence between Satellite and terrestrial networks, while increasing its presence in Europe, Africa and Middle East. 

    Emmanuel Cotrel, Chief Executive Officer of FMC, commented: “We are proud to welcome Santander Teleport, and its talented employees, within the FMC organization. We are optimistic about the opportunity to accelerate Santander Teleport’s growth, and its capability to innovate and remain at the forefront of delivering excellent service to our discerning customers, particularly in light of the LEO satellite deployment and associated growing demand for data center hosting services“. 

    Advisors 

    FMC: Investment Bank – Capital Insight LLC & Legal – Clifford Chance SLP 

    ERZIA: Legal – Garrigues

    About FMC GlobalSat 

    Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida – USA, FMC GlobalSat is a global provider of best-in-class satellite and wireless solutions to businesses that require reliable, secure, and cost-effective Broadband and M2M connectivity solutions.

    FMC GlobalSat has pioneered the delivery of converged connectivity solutions on a global scale by partnering with major wireless carriers and satellite communications providers that incorporates 5G wireless solutions across CDMA, GSM, and LTE networks and high-throughput satellite (HTS) communications. Our networks incorporate Tier 1 carriers, and satellite infrastructure that includes dozens of satellites, teleports and a 24/7 enterprise-grade global technical support organization which enable us to provide SD-Wan, direct VPN, MPLS, SCPC and other network tunnels while optimizing data traffic routes. For more information about FMC GlobalSat, please visit www.FMCGlobalSat.com.

    About ERZIA Group 

    ERZIA was founded nearly 20 years ago engineering and building an array of unique RF and microwave amplifiers, as well as sub-system integrated assemblies. Focused on high reliability and state-of-the-art performance, ERZIA expanded over the years to become one of the world’s leading suppliers in the space, electronic warfare, and telecommunications segments. ERZIA founded the Santander Teleport in 2010 and started providing satellite communications to vessels sailing around the world through ERZIA Maritime in 2012. Today, the ERZIA Group serves renowned customers around the world through its different divisions, and more recently ERZIA Maritime has been rebranded as VIDA by ERZIA. For more information about ERZIA, please visit www.erzia.com

    Contact

    Doug Cameron – dcameron@fmcglobalsat.com – +1-954-678-0697

    Source: FMC GlobalSat

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  • a.i. solutions® Named 2021 NASA Agency Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year

    a.i. solutions® Named 2021 NASA Agency Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year

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    Press Release
    –

    Jun 2, 2022


    LANHAM, Md., June 2, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    a.i. solutions® has been named the Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the Agency’s 2021 Small Business Industry Awards (SBIA) program. 

    This award recognizes the high quality of the company’s ongoing work at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), where a.i. solutions’ engineers and technicians provide support to NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP). It is one of four awards given annually in contractor categories among companies nominated by each of NASA’s individual flight centers and research labs. The other three Agency award categories are Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year, Small Business Subcontractor of the Year, and Mentor-Protégé Agreement of the Year. The award marks the second receipt of the accolade for a.i. solutions, who had previously been a recipient of the award in 2018, as well as a recipient of the 2018 NASA KSC Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year, and in recent history, was the recipient of the 2014 NASA Agency Small Business Prime Contractor Award for its work at NASA KSC and the 2010 NASA Agency Small Business Prime Contractor Award for its work at Goddard Space Flight Center.

    “It is a remarkable honor to receive this award from NASA for the challenging and innovative work our team is performing,” said Robert Sperling, a.i. solutions’ President and CEO. “At a.i. solutions, our dedication to fostering an engaged workforce and a culture where our team members can thrive is truly exemplified in moments such as these.”

    The SBIA program, managed by NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs, recognizes outstanding contractors that support NASA in achieving its mission. The awards acknowledge exceptional performances on NASA contracts, responsiveness to customer requirements, and innovative solutions to challenging problems.

    About a.i. solutions

    Founded in 1996, a.i. solutions provides an engaged workforce that delivers innovative products and services that enable access to space and ensure national security. a.i. solutions’ services and products span mission engineering and technology, mission systems assurance, launch services, FreeFlyer® astrodynamics software, and other customizable space software applications. For additional information, please visit ai-solutions.com and check out @ai_sol on Twitter.

    Press Contact

    Doug Stewart

    Appleton Creative, Inc.

    Ph: (407) 246-0092 Ext. 1

    Email: doug@appletoncreative.com

    Source: a.i. solutions

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  • a.i. solutions® Awarded $217 Million Prototype Operations I (POPS-I) Contract to Support U.S. Space Force

    a.i. solutions® Awarded $217 Million Prototype Operations I (POPS-I) Contract to Support U.S. Space Force

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    Space mission engineering services provider and space software applications developer will support U.S. Space Force over a 5-year contract.

    Press Release
    –

    May 31, 2022


    LANHAM, Md., May 31, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    a.i. solutions® announces that it has been awarded a Small Business Set-Aside Prime Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Cost-Plus-Award-Fee (CPAF) with a value of $217 million to provide on-console satellite operations support for the U.S. Space Force, Space Systems Command’s Innovation and Prototyping Delta (SSC/SZI).

    The Prototype Operations I (POPS-I) is a procurement for research and development satellite operations and support services for SSC/SZI. The goal of the Innovation and Prototyping Delta is to accelerate mission design and integration, launch operations, and ground system test support to provide reliable, low-cost access to space. 

    The contract awarded under the Department of Defense, U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command has a performance period of five (5) years with two (2) additional one-year options. POPS-I will provide on-console and technical support for concept development, readiness, launch, on-orbit testing and evaluation, operations, and analysis activities for research and experimental satellites.

    “Winning this prime contract, our first with the Space Force, is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our team,” said Robert Sperling, a.i. solutions’ President and CEO. “We are excited to bring our 25 years’ experience of successfully supporting space missions to deliver satellite operations expertise and proven innovation technologies while ensuring uninterrupted, ongoing mission support.”

    The a.i. solutions team, which includes Actalent, Boecore, Parsons, KBR, and LinQuest, will perform the work at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM and at Schriever Space Force Base, CO.

    About a.i. solutions

    Founded in 1996, a.i. solutions provides an engaged workforce that delivers innovative products and services that enable access to space and ensure national security. a.i. solutions’ services and products span mission engineering and technology, mission systems assurance, launch services, FreeFlyer® astrodynamics software, and other customizable space software applications. For additional information, please visit ai-solutions.com and check out @ai_sol on Twitter.

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    Press Contact

    Doug Stewart

    Appleton Creative, Inc.

    Ph: (407) 246-0092 Ext. 1

    Email: doug@appletoncreative.com

    Source: a.i. solutions

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