News

CONFERS Members in the News

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Building in Space: Using Maxar’s Robotics to Enable Sustainable Space Operations

by Al Tadros, Vice President, Space Infrastructure and Civil Space, Maxar Technologies

Combining Maxar’s capabilities in robotics, spacecraft and space systems operations creates the opportunity to deploy and maintain revolutionary new space architectures.

Maxar to sell Canadian unit for $765 million

– 30 December 2019

SANTA FE, N.M. – Maxar Technologies announced Dec. 30 it would sell its Canadian subsidiary to private equity firms, turning it into a standalone company while providing Maxar with much-needed debt relief.

#SpaceWatchGL Op’ed: My 2019 in a Review – by Joerg Kreisel

December 2019 – SpaceWatch.Global asked its staff and contributors to review 2019 and provide an outlook into 2020. These personal reviews are being published during the holiday season. This is Joerg Kreisel, CEO at JKIC.

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How Robot Arms Could Make Big Satellites So Much Cheaper

Elizabeth Howell, November 28, 2019 – The Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station only exist in their current form due to robotic technology powered by MDA, a Canadian subsidiary of Colorado space giant Maxar. Robot arms maintained or built these essential cosmos facilities, and soon could go much further.

Earth's atmospheric glow, the stars of the Milky Way and an experiment facility at the tip of Japan's Kibo lab module are seen in this night time photograph taken during Expedition 49.

Eleven Scientist-Astronaut Candidates Graduate In PoSSUM Class 1802

– 27 November 2019

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Project PoSSUM, a non-profit research program devoted to the study of Earth’s upper atmosphere, announced that it has graduated eleven new Scientist-Astronaut Candidates as part of PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Class 1802. Additionally, PoSSUM graduated fifteen students as part of the Advanced PoSSUM Academy, a preparatory program designed for undergraduate students.

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Smart satellites to the rescue of broken satellites

by Staff Writers, Cincinnati OH, November 27, 2019 – When satellites break, which is surprisingly often, there isn’t much you can do about them.

OneWeb and OneWeb Satellites bolster commitment to Responsible Space with advanced grappling technology from Altius Space Machines

London, December 10, 2019 – OneWeb, whose goal is to connect everyone everywhere, and OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb are coming together to advance the OneWeb Responsible Space program with a commitment to implement an advanced-technology grappling fixture, developed by Altius Space Machines, on OneWeb’s satellites.

Astroscale pursuing military customers for in-orbit services, debris removal

– 7 December 2019

Ron Lopez, president of Astroscale U.S.: ‘The Air Force is talking about safety, congestion and how that affects resilience’

Next-Gen SMC Launch Study Target Satellite Maneuver

– 28 October 2019

On-orbit transfer and maneuvering capabilities also could potentially enable future national security satellites to avoid debris or anti-satellite weapons, or underpin space weapons development. 

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Space Standards and Architecture Short Course

Interested in Standardization for Space?  Or just confused? The Space Infrastructure Foundation Space Standards and Architectures course is designed for you. Find us at a space conference or contact us to schedule a presentation at your facility. This is an AIAA Standards Executive Council approved course. Private, more focused versions of this class, as well as flexibility on location, are also available. This material is clear of any ITAR or EAR constraints.

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Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) Program Solicitation 

– 18 May 2019

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released solicitation seeking Other Transaction (OT) proposals under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2371b for a U.S. space industry builder-owner-operator team that will partner with DARPA to jointly develop and demonstrate a robotic servicing vehicle (RSV) in GEO. DARPA has established the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program within the Tactical Technology Office (TTO). Please check FBO.gov for more info.

DARPA expects this team to have the ability to manufacture a GEO-qualified spacecraft bus, integrate a Government-provided payload onto that bus, launch the RSV, provide ground communications across the GEO belt, and operate the vehicle commercially for many years after successful completion of DARPA-specified demonstrations on-orbit. It is anticipated that the RSV owner will benefit from revenues derived from servicing operations provided to both commercial and Government operators of GEO satellites.

The objective of the RSGS program is to create a dexterous robotic operational capability in Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) that can both provide increased resilience for the current U.S. space infrastructure and be the first concrete step toward a transformed space architecture with revolutionary capabilities. The long-term vision of the RSGS program is to enable persistent robotic servicing capabilities in GEO, beginning with the robotic servicer developed under the RSGS program and operated by a commercial entity, with the goal of achieving an enduring, reliable, cost effective GEO satellite servicing presence.

On-Orbit Servicing: Inspection, Repair, Refuel, Upgrade, and Assembly of Satellites In Space

– April 2019

Satellite Servicing Becomes an Actual Market

– March 2019

Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) Commercial Partnership Survey

– 06 February 2019

A special notice requesting information from potential partners for the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) Commercial Partnership Survey has been posted to FedBizOps.

Earth's atmospheric glow, the stars of the Milky Way and an experiment facility at the tip of Japan's Kibo lab module are seen in this night time photograph taken during Expedition 49.

Investment Perspectives: Conferring on On-Orbit Satellite Servicing

– 15 November 2018

Today’s Tidbits: November 8, 2018

– 9 November 2018

Coming Together … Secure World Foundation and Partners Establish Consortium for Satellite Servicing Standards

– 18 June 2018

DARPA working group begins addressing concerns related to proximity operations and satellite servicing

– 23 May 2018

On-orbit satellite servicing: The next big thing in space?

– 17 Nov. 2017