Peter B. de Selding
@pbdes
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Co-Founder, Editor, Space Intel Report
Joined March 2009
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Airbus Space chief
@JeanMarc_Nasr
on co's $551M contract w/
@ESA
for Mars sample return's Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), to launch 2026: 'Mr Musk will still be looking at the Red Planet when we'll be returning from it.'
@SpaceX
254
268
4K
Here's the head of France's Space Command, Maj. Gen. Michel Friedling, on
@SpaceX
and Elon Musk during a Sept 22 parliamentary hearing:
@Armee_de_lair
@DGA
.
13
87
806
.
@ViasatInc
's Viasat-3 Americas satellite launched May 1 suffers major antenna-deployment anomaly. After more than a month of effort, it's still not fixed. Possible $420M insurance claim and a serious blow to Viasat's near-term growth plans.
27
84
479
.
@OneWeb
contracts 2 launches w/
@isro
commercial arm
@NSIL_India
, at least 1 w/ heavy-lift GSLV. First to occur this yr. OneWeb looking to replace 5-6
@Arianespace
Russian Soyuz launches now cancelled. Already booked 1 w/
@SpaceX
.
8
49
259
.
@RuagSpace
fairing-separation anomaly has grounded
#Ariane5
since Aug 2020, also impacted
@ulalaunch
Atlas 5 operations.
@ESA
@Arianespace
say root cause found; Swiss govt injects cash; Ariane 5 flights could resume in June.
@SBFI_CH
@ArianeGroup
.
7
33
232
.
@rivadaspace
signs firm contract w/
@SpaceX
for 12 Falcon 9 launches, from
@SLDelta30
, of 300 500-kg
@TyvakNanoSat
@TerranOrbital
B2B broadband sats over 14 months starting April 2025.
@ITUradiocomms
to decide yes/no late this month.
5
43
232
SpaceX President Shotwell: We anticipate return to flight in November, meaning down for three months. Next flight from CCAFS, then to VAFB.
9
148
184
German launcher startup
@isaraerospace
raises $75M, brings total to $180M;
@Porsche
@HV_Capital
#Vsquaredventures
@lombardodier
are new investors; just 1 week after French-German deal confirming micro launchers' right to compete for
@esa
@defis_eu
business.
2
30
188
Europe's Ariane 6 managers becoming more forthright, saying that competing with
@SpaceX
no longer has much relevance to them.
@esa
@cnes
@ArianeGroup
@Arianespace
now in
@JAXA_en
@isro
position.
27
20
188
SpaceX: Reused stage to fly, likely on commercial mission, by end of year. We've been approached by couple of customers who want to be 1st.
4
90
137
SpaceX issues new price list for Falcon 9 & Heavy, showing prices & performance for reusable & expendable versions.
8
122
117
.
@NASA
: Nov 12 explosion of China CZ6A rocket's 5,800-kg upper stage produced 533 catalogued fragments as of Jan 31 at 300-1,600km in altitude, w/ concentrations at 600-1,000km. Likely 100s of thousands more pieces too small to be detected. Now classed as 6th-worst breakup ever.
2
29
116
.
@Thales_Alenia_S
is doubling production capacity of pressurized modules at Turin, Italy, plant w/ 2nd friction stir welding facility, to meet orders from
@ESA
(3 Lunar Gateway modules)
@northropgrumman
(Cygnus
#ISS
resupply) & commercial space station startup
@Axiom_Space
.
2
32
114
Launch of 3
@SES_Networks
#O3bmPower
sats on
@SpaceX
slips to early 2022 for final tests at
@BoeingSpace
. SES: Mid-2022 service start still good. 2nd 3-sat Falcon 9 in 2022 is expendable, drops sats closer to destination. All 6 to arrive at ~ same time.
2
20
109
SpaceX Falcon 9 return to flight set Dec 16 from Vandenberg AFP carrying 10 IRDM Next low-orbit mobile comms sats pending FAA OK to SpaceX.
3
62
112
.
@OneWeb
satellite fails in 1,200-km orbit, battery dead; co says engaging
@astroscale_HQ
& others for debris-removal mission, will follow French, UK responsible-space rules.
@OneWebSatellit1
@beisgovuk
@airtelindia
@CNES
@spacegovuk
@Eutelsat_SA
@ESA
.
5
35
110
Shotwell
@spacex
: 2018 is the first year when we will be waiting for our customers (and not other way around).
#satshow2018
3
27
100
SpaceX explosion didnt involve intentional ignition - E Musk said occurred during 2d stage fueling - & isn't covered by launch insurance.
9
132
100
France's space agency
@CNES
turns over to
@ESA
the
@Ariane6
launch pad after 8 yrs & >$700M; 2 yrs late & over budget, but on track relative to ESA's updated plan a yr ago. Goal now: Launch in Q3 2022.
@ArianeGroup
@Arianespace
.
4
18
100
Falcon 9 1st stage returns to port after drone ship landing(1): SpaceX says to be test fired 10 times to assure OK.
1
68
90
.
@ESA
chief
@AschbacherJosef
, at
#SpaceSymposium
today, said history shows heavy-lift rockets have 47% chance of major anomaly on their inaugural flights. Something to think about as
#Ariane6
moves to its 1st flight in June-July.
8
15
88
.
@SpaceX
@Starlink
COO Gywnne Shotwell: We'll become merchant provider of satellite lasercom terminals, commercializing for other sat systems. "Plug&Plaser" to fly first on Dragon capsule this summer. Unclear if SpaceX will now join
@SemperCitiusSDA
interoperability program.
2
14
87
SpaceX to OECD today: 1st launch w/ reused 1st stage to be early 2017 on commercial mission. Return to flight still TBD, aiming for this yr.
2
68
83
SpaceX's Shotwell: Nov return to flight is our best hope. We still haven't isolated the cause or whether its origin was rocket or ground.
7
83
82
.
@sling_shot_aero
raises $40.85M in oversubscribed Series A-2 round, 9 months after raising $25M A-1, to expand global telescope network for space monitoring and sustainability. Lead investor
@swayventures
joined by
@ATXVenture
@drapervc
@LockheedMartin
Ventures.
1
10
76
.
@ViasatInc
's Inmarsat-6 F2 sat, launched Feb, suffers power failure on way to orbital station; total loss feared; insured for $350M; Viasat's 2d major sat anomaly this year; 1st failure in
@InmarsatGlobal
's 40-year history; a rare
@AirbusSpace
blemish.
2
28
82
The
@EchoStar
/
@HughesNet
EchoStar 24/Jupiter 3 Ka-band broadband sat, whose launch w/
@SpaceX
has slipped to early 2023, will weigh 9,200 kg at launch, according to prime contractor
@Maxar
. Stunning.
1
19
77
.
@Arianespace
,
@OneWeb
reach agreement on compensation for six Russian Soyuz launches that were prepaid but will not occur.
@isro
@SpaceX
@BeyondGravity_S
.
2
20
78
Multi-function smallsat constellation operator
@SpireGlobal
signs multi-launch agreement with
@VirginOrbit
; launches start in 2023. Spire says it prefers dedicated launch to 'waiting for secondary rideshares to provide the orbits we want on timelines that we have to work with.'
2
8
74
.
@AST_SpaceMobile
: All good aboard BlueWalker3 satellite & its deployed 64.4m2 antenna. Test licenses received from 7 nations, inc. US Japan Indonesia Kenya Nigeria. 4G/LTE & 5G connectivity testing of direct sat-to-smartphone links to start Q1 2023 with MNO partners.
2
17
76
Builder
@Thales_Alenia_S
confirms in-orbit health of Bangabandhu-1 w/ signals and solar panel deploy. Mission success for 1st launch of
@SpaceX
Falcon 9 Block 5 upgrade. Bangladesh now joins list of nations w/ own telecom sat.
1
30
71
.
@ESA
body nominates Josef Aschbacher, head of agency's Earth observation, as next ESA director-general, succeeding
@janwoerner
. Ratification vote set for mid-Dec.
@astro_duque
of Spain,
@CHHanssen
of Norway were the other 2 finalists.
6
31
76
Planned, but still surprising, in-person keynote at
@SmallSatBiz
conference:
@spacex
vp/ build & flight reliability, Hans Koenigsmann. Says co now has >$12B in backlog.
3
20
69
5th
@SpaceX
launch for
@IridiumComm
- 10 2d-gen sats to LEO -- set for March 18 from Vandenberg AFB, Iridium says.
2
22
65
Owner
@SES_Satellites
confirms signal acquisition for SES-12. Successful Falcon 9 mission for
@SpaceX
. Sat will be moved to 95degE and will deploy its eight antennas.
1
16
65
SES-14 owner
@SES_Satellites
: Off-target dropoff from
@ArianeGroup
@Arianespace
Ariane 5 means all-electric propulsion to take 4 weeks longer than planned to get to GEO. Sat in good health, no other issues. Still awaiting word from
@OrbitalATK
&
@yahsatofficial
on Al Yah 3.
6
46
63
Good to hear. We could use an update on the status of the modified Ariane 5 fairing as well.
Our payload fairing for the
@ulalaunch
#VulcanCentaur
rocket 🚀successfully passed acoustic testing in California in Feb. The fairing was equipped with microphones & placed into a special acoustic chamber - with a noise level of approx. 1,000 Boeing 747 jetliners on full throttle
6
30
264
0
2
64
30-nation
@Eumetsat
, citing 'exceptional circumstances,' moves MTG-S1 sat off
@Arianespace
Ariane 6 to
@SpaceX
in 2025. The timing, at Eumetsat's Council, may have been unavoidable but the optics are lousy - 13 days before A6 inaugural flight.
@CNES
.
4
11
65
Spacecom insured Amos-6 for $285M in marine cargo market, not space insurance market. Launch +1 yr policy would kick in at rocket ignition.
6
72
62
.
@RocketLab
: To compete with
@SpaceX
@Starlink
, we must copy its business model: rockets, satellites, services all in-house.
@amazon_policy
@ProjectKuiper
@blueorigin
.
3
15
62
Spanish govt Paz civil/military radar sat, built by
@AirbusSpace
, is readied for airlift from Spain to Calif/VAFB for Jan 30
@SpaceX
mission. 1,400-kg Paz to launch w/ 2 SpaceX microsats that will demo future broadband constellation & provide ITU registration (BIU).
2
24
61
.
@gk_launch
, operator of commercial Soyuz, announces new pricing: For full Soyuz-2.1 w/ Fregat upper stage: $48.5 million; Soyuz-2.1 w/o Fregat: $35M. For Soyuz-2, cubesat pricing is $20,000-$30,000 per kg.
2
35
59
Image showing the deviation in trajectory of Ariane 6 upper stage following premature shutdown of Auxiliary Power Unit, whose final thrust was needed for rocket's deorbit burn/release of 2 reentry capsults.
3
9
61
Test firing anomaly likely pushes Vega-C return to fight into 2024;
@esa
says costs of nearly 3-year delay in Ariane 6 rocket will be paid by industry.
@ArianeGroup
@OHB_SE
@CNES
@Avio_Group
.
2
15
60
30-nation
@eumetsat
moves
#Meteosat8
GEO orbit sat to graveyard 247km+ above GEO arc, slows spinning (it's spin-stabilized design), empties propellant tanks, turns off electrical power to reduce debris risk.
@Thales_Alenia_S
-built sat designed for 7.5 years, lasted 20 years.
0
19
59
SpaceX: We'll be meeting w/ insurance underwriters in coming weeks to walk them through our reusable-stage certification process.
0
40
58
Sweden(1): Liberal Party asks govt to quit Ariane 6 program unless it's made reusable, saying rocket cant compete w/ SpaceX otherwise.
2
55
58
.
@OneWeb
to file for U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as search for investors, already a struggle, runs into a Covid-19-degraded market.
@AirbusSpace
@Airbus
@OneWebSatellit1
.
7
44
57
SpaceX's Shotwell: Falcon Heavy wont launch this year, likely Q1 next year. Could be from Pad 39A or from VAFB, not sure.
1
57
54
Europe's
@ArianeGroup
says 1st test firing of Ariane 6 main stage Vulcain 2.1 engine concluded successfully in Lampoldshausen, Germany. Test lasted 650 seconds.
0
24
53
SES(6): CFO says SES-10 tentatively set for January launch on SpaceX Falcon 9. (This mission will inaugurate reuse of Falcon 9 1st stage.)
1
29
51
Competitors with benefits
We are pleased to announce that we have entered into a launch agreement with
@SpaceX
that will enable OneWeb to resume satellite launches.
The first launch with SpaceX is anticipated later this year.
Find out more about the announcement at:
201
638
5K
4
4
55
Geospatial analytics provider
@Satellogic
selects
@SpaceX
for multiple ride-share LEO missions, starting w/ 4 sats in June. Deal covers SSO & mid-inclination orbits carrying
@SpaceXStarlink
sats. Like SpaceX, Satellogic is vertically integrated. Wants >300 sats by 2025.
1
19
55
For
@IridiumComm
@IridiumBoss
, liftoff of
@spacex
means we can start moving our sats into the VAFB facility starting tomorrow.
1
9
48
CNES: We just got full orbital parameters for SpaceX Falcon 9 injection of Jason 3: W/in 1 km of bull's eye. Bravo SpaceX.
1
38
54
Indications are
@SpaceX
launch prep of
@SES_Satellites
SES-16/GovSat-1 proceeding as planned; suggests SpaceX sees fairing deploy/Zuma separation as on target, whatever Zuma's fate.
3
19
53
.
@SpaceflightInc
President on why launches like coming
@SpaceX
SSO-A mission won't be common despite ostensibly lower cost-per-kg to orbit for owners: It's just too complicated, so smaller rockets will take the business.
1
25
53
SpaceX confirms successful Falcon 9 Upgrade 2d stage reignition after Orbcomm sats released - key for GTO telecom missions, where $$ lie.
0
29
53
SES: SpaceX launch precision means we get SES-9 to GEO 45 days before we would have without depletion burn.
0
31
53
SpaceX President Shotwell(1): 'We do anticipate being back in flight this yr w/ a couple of flights.'
2
26
51
.
@Avio_Group
, after Nov 16
#Vega
failure, asks investors to take the long view re rocket performance. Vega is now 2 failures in first 17 launches since 2012.
@SpaceX
@Arianespace
@ILSLaunch
@ulalaunch
@isro
@RocketLab
.
24
15
53
.
@CNES
president
@JY_LeGall
: 'Each year, NASA's budget rises by a sum equivalent to the entire CNES budget (~ $3.3B). Each year, the # of people working at CNSA (China National Space Admin) increases by the total # of CNES employees (2,400).'
1
12
52
Here's picture of Falcon 9 with Spacecom's Amos-6 telecommunications satellite on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
7
42
49
SpaceX's Shotwell downplays Falcon 9 sabotage worry, talks price discounts for reused stages and satellite Internet.
2
77
50
SpaceX policy begun this yr of putting sats on rocket for static tests to trim a day frm launch campaign caused insurer upset, but not alot.
8
58
47
.
@Telesat
bids for
@OneWeb
assets to defend its LEO project, finds itself competing uncomfortably with UK government OneWeb bid. Auction on July 2.
@AirbusSpace
@defis_eu
@Thales_Alenia_S
@Bpifrance
.
1
29
49
New
@ArianeGroup
CEO: Europe's launch sector is traversing a bad patch, but its business model is not the cause.
@CNES
@esa
@DLR_de
@ASI_spazio
@Avio_Group
@Arianespace
@amazon_policy
@Eutelsat_SA
@SpaceX
.
21
4
48
A curious absence from this list and the 60-sec film that goes with it, but 2022 for Ariane 6 does look to be in doubt:
.
@ESA_Webb
1st images,
@ESAGaia
data,
@ESASolarOrbiter
images,
@ESA_ExoMars
,
@AstroSamantha
, a new class of
@esa
astronauts to rally behind,
#VegaC
,
#Artemis
, 3rd gen
#Meteosat
, Council Ministerial '22.
As DG I can't pick favourites😉but what are you most looking forward to?
3
12
82
2
5
46
Al Yah 3 owner
@yahsatofficial
says satellite is making its way to GEO orbit, but co is silent on orbital position & fuel budget.
@OrbitalATK
sat uses chemical propellant to get to GEO, then electric prop for stationkeeping during 15-yr life.
2
31
42
UK
@DefenceHQ
's Skynet 6A satellite will be launched into GEO orbit in 2025 by a
@SpaceXFalcon
9 rocket, UK MoD said at
@SMi_Group
@GlobalMilSatCom
. Decision based on value for money & schedule credibility, prime contractor
@AirbusSpace
said.
5
12
46
.
@ESA
chief
@AschbacherJosef
: New estimate of inaugural flight of
#Ariane6
is Q4 2023. But many tests to come.
7
12
47
To
@SpaceX
,
@fcc
says: You must launch, on average, 41 of your broadband sats per month, for 9 yrs -- starting now.
#OneWeb
,
@ViasatInc
@Hughes_Corp
@SES_Satellites
@TelesatCanada
@SoftBank
.
2
33
46
Owner
#hisdesat
Spain:
@SpaceX
sets Jan 30 VAFB launch of 1400-kg
@AirbusDefence
-built Paz high-res SAR Earth obs sat to 514-km polar orbit.
1
31
45
While waiting for Falcon 9 2d stage restart & deployment of 10 IRDM sats, here's art on what the constellation coverage looks like
6
40
47
.
@Thales_Alenia_S
to build 6 SAR observation sats & 1 optical sat, each~170kg, for Italy's
@ASI_spazio
IRIDE constellation. SAR sat contract EUR 112M ($120.5M), + EUR 75M option for 4 more. Optical sat is EUR 30M, plus option for 1 more at EUR 19M.
@esa
has IRIDE management role.
2
17
47
.
@CNES
President on Europe's astronaut options post-
#ISS
and the 'complicated, difficult' debate over small launchers in Europe, 'not a good fit for NewSpace.'
@esa
@DLR_de
@ASI_spazio
@defis_eu
@spacegovuk
.
1
3
43
SpaceX's Shotwell: We have been told that the Sept. 1 anomaly will not affect Falcon 9's insurance rates. So we expect no impact.
0
38
42
French satellite-IoT startup
@KineisIoT
, which raised $110M in 2020 for 25-sat constellation, says 1st of its 5
@RocketLab
Electron launches from New Zealand is scheduled for 10 June to 9 July.
0
15
46
.
@ArianeGroup
: All in on reusable rocket family - light/medium/heavy - by ~2030, starting w/ small Maia rocket in 2026 to obviate need for other
@ESA
@defis_eu
small-launcher startups.
@CNES
@DLR_de
@PLD_Space
@orbexspace
@rfa_space
@isaraerospace
@Avio
.
4
21
43
.
@Satellogic
CEO on its rough de-SPAC IPO landing, revised satellite deployment plan and trimmed revenue outlook.
@cantorfitzgerld
@planet
@Maxar
@BlackSky_Inc
@SpireGlobal
@AirbusSpace
.
2
11
44
.
@SpaceX
launch of 11
@SES_Satellites
O3b mPower MEO-orbit sats slips & reshuffles to 5 launches, not 4. Was: 2 launches, each 3 sats, in Q2 2022, another 3-sat late 2022 & final 2 sats 2024. Now: 3 launches, each w/ 2 sats, in Q3, then 3-sat launch Q4 & final 2 sats in 2024.
0
14
42
Shotwell(4): First Falcon Heavy should fly by mid- next year. We'll need at least one more landing pad.
2
23
43
.
@defis_eu
Commission selects a 2nd New Space consortium, called UN:IO & led by
@mynaric
@isaraerospace
@reflexaerospace
, for EUR 1.4M, 6-month contract to design future secure comms/brdbnd constellation.
@UnseenLabs
@Euroconsult
-led consortium working on identical contract.
0
14
44
.
@AirbusSpace
signs MoU w/
@Firefly_Space
for 'several launches' of Airbus customers aboard Firefly Alpha rocket for 'flexible launches to specific orbits on short notice' as part of integrated market offering to be developed. Airbus
@OneWeb
-based ARROW satellite bus is eyed.
0
18
43
Iridium CFO Sept 8 on post-SpaceX failure. IRDM's full 2d-gen constellation is on SpaceX - 70 sats, 10 Falcon 9s.
1
25
44
Space insurers to Elon Musk: No Elon,
@SpaceX
Falcon 9 does not get better rates
@Arianespace
Ariane 5 or
@ulalaunch
Atlas 5.
6
17
44
Commercial radarsat operator
@iceyefi
says 2020 contracts valued at $50M, 10x increase from 2019; co will increase 2021 launches, to 10, as a result. Current constellation is 10 sats. Recent hires from
@MDA_space
&
@Tesla
. Strategic partnership w/
@SwissRe
.
0
15
41
New Glenn rocket from
@blueorigin
will have 7-meter fairing from the start; aiming at constellations.
4
32
42
Arianespace confirms all 4 Galileo sats in correct orbit, healthy; sending telemetry; solar panels deployed. 75th straight Ariane 5 success.
0
25
44