Author: admin

India to witness first commercial launch satellite soon: Skyroot Aerospace signs MOU with ISRO

Posted on by admin

Skyroot Aerospace has become the the first private Indian space launch vehicle company to sign an MOU with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to access the facilities and expertise of the Agency. Talking to Financial Express Online, Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder & CEO, Skyroot Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., said, “The access to the facilities and expertise is towards the development and testing of subsystems/systems of Space Launch Vehicles.”

“In addition to the technical support from ISRO, other agencies such as IN-SPACe have accelerated support in terms of policy and regulatory issues, thereby creating a harmonious level playing field for the new space ecosystem in India,” he added.

According to Pawan Kumar Chandana, CEO, “Skyroot is winner of the ISRO’s ANIC-ARISE 1.0 programme which was announced in 2020 and has undertaken the research and development of propulsion.”

Space Diplomacy & Skyroot

The company is all set to cater to the growing demand from the global small satellite market.

Sharing details about his company’s involvement with other agencies/companies across the globe, he says that not only the Indian Government but other national governments as well are encouraging and supporting the new space ecosystem.

“Besides, Skyroot Aerospace being a private company is exploring and has received good traction globally which includes agreements with companies such as Hex20 (Australia), Innova Space (Argentina), Ride (France), ConnectSAT (France) amongst others which focus on launching their payloads to various orbits, collaborate on development of technology and contribute towards development for space and ground-based applications.”

To ensure their access to outer space is affordable, reliable and on-demand, his company is connecting with other governments and companies in Africa, South America and other regions globally. And is working closely towards the development of space capabilities in these countries.

In an earlier conversation with Financial Express Online, Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO of Skyroot had said that ISRO has offered great support and with an agreement in place the company is working closely for the launching and testing requirements.

This company has been founded by former Scientists of ISRO, with 70+ rocket engineers and their cumulative experience of 500+ years in the rocket industry. The company has been actively developing the `Vikram’ series of launch vehicles, and is the first private company to test fire multiple rocket propulsion systems. This series of launch vehicles is named after the founder of India’s space program – Dr Vikram Sarabhai. These rockets built with an all-carbon-fibre structure, have the capability to launch up to 800 kg of payloads to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). So far the three propulsion technologies in Vikram space launch vehicles are done and earlier this year, a full duration test of one of the rocket stages was tested in May. Now the company is getting ready to launch to space this year. How will this help? According to company officials, to reach the stage of a full-fledged commercial satellite launch scale, such a test will help.

Hex20 to build 3U Spacecraft for NCU Taiwan

Posted on by admin

Hex20 is delighted to announce the build of a 3U spacecraft for National Central University(NCU) Taiwan with delivery scheduled in 2023 for an IOT mission.

Mr. Lloyd Lopez, CEO of Hex20 said “the Hex20 NX-3I 3U CubeSat bus leverages the spacecraft architecture developed under the ‘INSPIRE’ consortium, of which NCU was a founding member. The NX-3I is one of the most cutting-edge 3U platforms with space heritage and competitively priced in the international market”. The spacecraft will be integrated at Hex20 facilities in Adelaide and controlled from NCU facilities in Taiwan.

Mr. Lopez added “HEX20 provides turnkey satellite mission solutions designed and delivered according to customer requirements. The modular and scalable buses can support missions for commercial and defence applications. Hex20 currently working with its partners including University of Adelaide to build up sovereign capability within South Australia”.

Prof Loren Chang from NCU stated “The Taiwan government has identified space technology as a key sector for national development. Low Earth Orbit satellites for communications and IoT being identified as national priorities”.

“The spacecraft will carry an NCU developed Automatic identification system (AIS) payload that can be used for maritime tracking, as well as data collection from scientific buoys developed and deployed by NCU for meteorological and oceanographic observations,” said Prof Chang.

NCU has a long history stemming from Taiwan’s first forays into space science following participation in the International Geophysical Year in 1957. NCU was the first university in Taiwan to establish a Department of Space Science and Engineering. The University has been working to develop a small satellite program for educational, scientific, as well as technology test platforms.

NASA’s Perseverance rover is the 1st spacecraft in years to carry fresh US plutonium. It won’t be the last.

Posted on by admin

Deep inside some of NASA’s most venerable space probes lie plutonium-filled hearts beating to warm and power the robots, which include the twin Voyager spacecraft, Cassini before its daring plunge through Saturn’s rings and New Horizons trekking through the rubble of the Kuiper Belt.

But in the wake of the Cold War, the U.S. stopped producing its own plutonium. For a while, NASA could run its missions solely off existing or imported plutonium. But thanks to a change in the space agency’s partnership with the Department of Energy, last summer, fresh American plutonium once again left Earth inside NASA’s Mars-bound Perseverance rover — and more missions will do so in years to come. And for scientists who focus on the outer solar system, that’s vital.

Nine Global Space Startups To Join Australia’s First Space Dedicated Incubator Program

Posted on by admin

About UniSA’s Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC)

Established in 2015, the Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC) is a strategic partnership between the University of South Australia and the South Australian Government and to support technology-based incubation and business growth in South Australia.

Enabled by world-class tech resources and tools, the Centre runs the Venture Catalyst program which supports enterprises from idea generation to growth and expansion stages.

The University of South Australia’s Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC) is today announcing nine startups that have been merit selected for a place in the Venture Catalyst Space program, supported by the South Australian Government’s Space Innovation Fund.

A leader in space innovation and business acceleration, the program is the first of its kind in Australia.

Startups will receive the individual support they need at the time they need it through a tailored program with all equity and intellectual property remaining with the company.

Premier Steven Marshall said the incubation program is helping ensure that leading space startups are supported in early stage operations, which is crucial to creating a space ecosystem conducive to sustained growth.

“As a state and as a nation, we must continue to support the pipeline of startup and scale-up space-related companies to build on and sustain our space economy,” he said.

“The support provided through the Venture Catalyst Space program will help position these nine startups with the capability and capacity for long-term success in the national—and global—space arena.

“It is the startups of today that will become our future leading businesses and with that said, I’m thrilled to see such strong representation from South Australian-based companies.

“South Australia currently has 31 per cent of Australia’s space industry, and my Government is committed to seeing this number grow as we push forward as the nation’s centre for space industries.”

Each company will receive funding, access to specialist business acceleration workshops, one-on-one mentoring, a modern co-working space, and technical resources and tools.

They will work with global industry experts, including Kirk Drage, (co-founder of LeapSheep), and key representatives from the space industry including former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander, Pam Melroy.

UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd says that, as the home of the Australian Space Agency and a thriving start-up community, South Australia is at the forefront of the Australian space industry.

“At UniSA, we’re giving startups and entrepreneurs with great ideas the tools and support they need to become sustainable businesses,” Prof Lloyd says.

“As Australia’s University of Enterprise, our culture of innovation is anchored around global and national links – and we are excited that our Venture Catalyst Space program is growing and supporting the State’s economy.”

Associate Director of the Innovation & Collaboration Centre, Jasmine Vreugdenburg says the program
continues to attract space startups from around the world who are interested to join the home of
space in Australia.

“By bringing new technologies and high-growth startups through our program, we are contributing to the growing space industry in Australia and putting Adelaide on the map as the centre of gravity for space activity,” she says.

“The applicants want to come here because they have seen the success of other companies that have been through the program like Lux, Astrogate Labs and Ping, which are a testament to the world class quality of the program which can only be achieved with the support of our space ecosystem partners.

The companies taking part in the program are South Australia’s Firefly Biotech, Locus Rose, Hex20, Moonlode and SPACELIS, joined by India’s 114ai & Digantara, Astroport Space Technologies (USA) and satsearch (Netherlands).

114Aai New Dehli, India SpaceWise by 114ai is an exploration toolset to visualise and analyse multiple input streams of data for advanced space command and control using cognitive AI.
Astrosport Space Technologies San Antonio, USA Astroport turns moon dust into bricks and materials for 3D construction printing of lunar infrastructure such as roads, habitats and landing facilities.
Digantara Bengaluru, India Digantara is developing a group of satellites to track orbital debris, so those sending hardware into space can avoid it.
Firefly Biotech South Australia, Australia Firefly Biotech provide tools and processes to make biology research in space accessible to researchers. Their technology allows the research biologist to cross the engineering rift and do what they do best, biology.
Locus Rose South Australia, Australia Locus Rose is designing a novel cost-effective compact, portable parabolic dish (antennae) for use in the space industry.

Founder of Texas based startup Astroport Space Technologies, Sam Ximenes says the company is looking to establish a branch office or company division in South Australia to develop its technology and find a strategic partner or company with an interest in co-developing for the Australian market and space exploration.

Founder and CEO of Indian company Digntara, Anirudh Sharma, says his company is specifically interested in the “rich networking opportunities and investor portfolios in the Venture Catalyst program.”

Find out more about the program at https://icc.unisa.edu.au/programs/venture-catalyst-space/.

Media Contact: Georgia Minarelli email: georgia.minarelli@unisa.edu.au mobile: 0413 314 726

International startups to relocate to SA for Venture Catalyst Space, Australia’s first dedicated space incubator

Posted on by admin

Nine companies have been selected for a place in the Venture Catalyst Space program to help them grow into space industry leaders.

The Venture Catalyst Space program is part of the University of South Australia’s Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC), the first of its kind in Australia and a leader in space innovation and business acceleration.

ICC associate director Jasmine Vreugdenburg said the program continues to attract space startups from around the world who want to be part of the home of space in Australia.

“By bringing new technologies and high-growth startups through our program, we are contributing to the growing space industry in Australia and putting Adelaide on the map as the centre of gravity for space activity,” Vreugdenburg said.

“The applicants want to come here because they have seen the success of other companies that have been through the program like Lux, Astrogate Labs and Ping which are a testament to the world-class quality of the program which can only be achieved with the support of our space ecosystem partners.”

Dr Giles Kirby, the founder and chief scientist of South Australia company Firefly Biotech — one of the nine startups chosen — said the program will help speed up the pace of development.

“I think having that centralised spot in the city along with the training and support, it really helps build a community,” said Kirby.

“We are moving so much faster than we would have been able to by ourselves and it feels like they are really investing in the future of Australia.

“It’s really nice to see some market growth in a market that has got a lot of potential in the next 10 years.”

Firefly Biotech develops tools and processes to make biological research in space accessible, with developments such as microgravity simulators.

“We are currently getting our tools into the hands of the people using them, developing some alpha models to get them out there, get them refined, get them used,” Kirby said.

The other companies taking part in the program are South Australia’s Locus Rose, Hex20, Moonlode and SPACELIS; India’s 114ai and Digantara; Astroport Space Technologies from the USA; and satsearch from the Netherlands.

Each of the startups will receive $10,000 in funding and support from the South Australian government, with the international companies receiving the funds once they commit to relocating to South Australia.

Now in its fourth year, the program forms part of the South Australian Government’s $4 million Space Innovation Fund, providing each company with funding, access to specialist business acceleration workshops, one-on-one mentoring, a modern co-working space, and technical resources and tools.

The startups will also receive advice and guidance from global industry experts such as Kirk Drage and his consulting company LeapSheep, as well as key representatives from the space industry including former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Pam Melroy.

South Australian company Ping Services was part of the first cohort of the Venture Catalyst Space program in 2018. Ping Services created the Ping Monitor, which measures the health of a wind turbine based on its acoustic signature and sound generated by the turbine blades as they rotate.

Ping has since liaised with most of the major wind turbine operators in Australia, Europe and the United States.

The Venture Catalyst Space program adds to South Australia’s growing space ecosystem, which is home to the Australian Space Agency, and helps cement South Australia’s position as the epicentre of the Australian space industry.

Adelaide will host the 11th Australian Space Forum on Wednesday, March 31, at the Adelaide Convention Centre, which will be the largest industry exhibition in the event’s history with 65 exhibitors.

This article was first published by The Lead South Australia. Read the original here. 

Global startups join Australia’s first dedicated space incubator program

Posted on by admin

The Venture Catalyst Space program is part of the University of South Australia’s Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC), the first of its kind in Australia and a leader in space innovation and business acceleration.

ICC Associate Director Jasmine Vreugdenburg said the program continues to attract space startups from around the world wanting to be part of the home of space in Australia.

“By bringing new technologies and high-growth startups through our program, we are contributing to the growing space industry in Australia and putting Adelaide on the map as the centre of gravity for space activity,” Vreugdenburg said.

“The applicants want to come here because they have seen the success of other companies that have been through the program like Lux, Astrogate Labs and Ping which are a testament to the world-class quality of the program which can only be achieved with the support of our space ecosystem partners.”

Dr Giles Kirby the founder and chief scientist of South Australia company Firefly Biotech, one of the nine startups chosen, said the program will help speed up the pace of development.

“I think having that centralised spot in the city along with the training and support, it really helps build a community,” said Kirby.

“We are moving so much faster than we would have been able to by ourselves and it feels like they are really investing in the future of Australia.

“It’s really nice to see some market growth in a market that has got a lot of potential in the next 10 years.”

Firefly Biotech develops tools and processes to make biological research in space accessible with tools such as microgravity simulators.

“We are currently getting our tools into the hands of the people using them, developing some alpha models to get them out there, get them refined, get them used,” Kirby said.

The other companies taking part in the program are South Australia’s Locus Rose, Hex20, Moonlode and SPACELIS, joined by India’s 114ai and Digantara, Astroport Space Technologies from the USA and satsearch from the Netherlands.

Each of the startups will receive $10,000 funding and support from the South Australian Government, with the international companies receiving the funds once they commit to relocating to South Australia.

Now in its fourth year, the program forms part of the South Australian Government’s $4 million Space Innovation Fund, providing each company with funding, access to specialist business acceleration workshops, one-on-one mentoring, a modern co-working space, and technical resources and tools.

The startups will also receive advice and guidance from global industry experts such as Kirk Drage and his consulting company LeapSheep and key representatives from the space industry including former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Pam Melroy.

South Australian company Ping Services was part of the first cohort of the Venture Catalyst Space program in 2018 and created the Ping Monitor which measures the health of a wind turbine based on its acoustic signature and sound generated by the turbine blades as they rotate.

Ping has since liaised with most of the major wind turbine operators in Australia, Europe and the United States.

The Venture Catalyst Space program adds to South Australia’s growing space ecosystem, which is home to the Australian Space Agency, and helps cement South Australia’s position as the epicentre of the Australian space industry.

Adelaide will host the 11th Australian Space Forum on Wednesday (31st March) at the Adelaide Convention Centre, which will be the largest industry exhibition in the event’s history with 65 exhibitors.

Talk to us about your new project

Send Inquiry