Payload

Polaris Dawn, the first of three crewed missions purchased by payments from entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, is expected to launch on a SpaceX Dragon at 3:38 am ET tomorrow. https://lnkd.in/eEEsaF6n

After months of analysis, NASA officials decided that the two astronauts who piloted the Boeing Starliner on a test flight to the ISS will return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon. https://lnkd.in/emaWQ2xY

Dawn Aerospace, a New Zealand space transportation company, will fly sensors for US firm Scout Space to prove out a space domain awareness capability for ultra-low flying satellites, the two companies announced Thursday. https://lnkd.in/e5hdhpVh

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Outpost, an LA-based Earth return startup, won a $33.2M STRATFI contract from the Air Force to develop its technology for hypersonic testing and reentry missions, the company announced yesterday. https://lnkd.in/eQmWfer5

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Terran Orbital has become a de facto extension of Lockheed Martin over the past few years. Now, the $450M deal which includes retiring existing debt, will officially consolidate the relationship. https://lnkd.in/encfnk5R

CA-based startup Auriga Space won a $1.25M Direct-to-Phase II AFWERX contract to support the development of a new hypersonic lab accelerator—named Prometheus and slated to be operational next year— the company announced Wednesday. https://lnkd.in/ekPHWKTA

AstroForge, a startup plotting to harvest platinum-group metals from asteroids, raised a $40M Series A in the midst of preparing its second spacecraft for a year-end launch. https://lnkd.in/eFe7BvDa

TrustPoint, a CA-based company building a GPS alternative, won two SpaceWERX contracts to demonstrate its take on the next generation of the technology, the company announced today. https://lnkd.in/eCBbPTyi