CONTEC’s Post

#DisruptiveTech 🔵 The UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) have announced that six innovators have shared £1.6 million in funding to develop technologies for the space domain. The funding was achieved as a result of Space to Innovate Campaign – Charlie Drop which invited innovators to submit their innovative technologies and solutions to help overcome the following challenge areas: Challenge Area 1: Novel ways to achieve fine resolution collection for intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR) Challenge Area 2: Technologies and techniques to alert, protect and defend satellites Challenge Area 3: Satellite and ground segment technologies for future Defence and Security operations The six projects that have been awarded Space to Innovate Campaign – Charlie Drop funding are: Nottingham Scientific Ltd - GMV NSL Limited This project aims to develop an automated system for the identification of unattributed radio transmission and for the prediction of the orbit of their source. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) This project aims to develop a fully deployable telescope for high resolution Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) from Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). Spectra Defence Ltd This project aims to develop an innovation that allows for high resolution remote imaging and characterisation of unknown objects approaching high value satellites in Geostationary orbits. SuperSharp Space Systems Ltd This project aims to develop a control system to enable the self-alignment of large space telescopes. University of Liverpool This project aims to develop large area antenna systems that can be stowed via origami folding and a novel deployment mechanism for utilisation in low-Earth orbit (LEO). QinetiQ Ltd Farnborough This project aims to dramatically improve the ability to sense small objects that are largely invisible to our current sensing capability and yet pose a significant threat to the operation of space assets. #isr #space #satellites #Defence Campaign Catapult, Pravo Consulting

[Space Tech Expo Report!] Bram Victor D. participated in the Space Tech Expo Europe and took the stage titled, “Accelerating Multi-orbit Connectivity and Downlinks to Provide Larger Data Transmission and Faster Communications” together with Francisco García-de-Quirós, Belen Andres, PhD, Ashesh Mishra, Anagnostis Paraskevopoulos, and moderator, Torsten Kriening. The discussion focused on interoperability between different orbits and protocols, as some operators are deploying relay satellites in LEO, MEO, and GEO to deploy data relay services. Please find the details in the article below! https://lnkd.in/gnVDDnpA

The history of NEC's space development activities began in the 1950s, more than half a century ago. 🛰 Tokyo’s hosting of the international sport event in 1964 became a major step forward in NEC’s challenge into space following the development of its first product launched into space—the telemetry transmitter and receiver. For the first time in the world, footage of the competition was transmitted via communications satellite, bringing NEC's space technology into the spotlight for its contribution to this pioneering achievement. In 1970, NEC successfully launched its first artificial satellite, ''Osumi.'' Since then, NEC has developed and manufactured more than 80 satellites. NEC currently operates two Earth observation satellites, which are used in various fields, such as disaster prevention, environmental monitoring, and support for agriculture and fishery. 👉 Click here for a glimpse of NEC's continued efforts to contribute to the advancement of space development 📺 https://lnkd.in/dz8XtmwJ #NEC #NECglobal #NEC_SpaceOdyssey

We won the Small Satellite Competition by DLR and secured a complementary launch to space! 💥 Last Friday, accompanied by other top innovators from the Space industry, we attended the award ceremony in Berlin and were honored for our team’s hard work. 🛰️ As a winner in this competition, we’ll be launching a fleet of eight satellites to low Earth orbit on a European-developed launch vehicle. Our unique fleet of thermal sensors aims to enhance wildfire situational awareness and offer valuable thermal-infrared data to both the geospatial industry and the EU Copernicus program. Why are small satellites so awesome? 👉 They play a big role in shaping the future of space activities, especially when it comes to commercialization. Meaning, they can be produced in larger quantities and therefore more cost-effectively and rapidly than conventional satellites, opening up a wide range of new opportunities for commercial services and science. And we love seeing the government strengthen the space industry and support innovative solutions! Thank you, German Aerospace Center (DLR). https://lnkd.in/eQ7vJ6JE Anna Christmann Thomas Grübler Martin Langer Rupert Amann Walther Pelzer   #thermaldata #spacetech #dlr #innovation

Evolution of the Space Industry: Spotlight on Space 2.0   Space 1.0 came about with spacefaring nations engaging in a space race that led to the first man, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, in space in April 1961 and the Apollo moon landing in July 1969.   Space 2.0 brings a new energy to the space industry led by private companies that offer services such as small satellites, transportation and access to space, and satellite communications. While governments and large sub-contractors remain as the main end-customers, Space 2.0 marks the transition to a more collaborative and commercially-oriented phase. This era began in the late 20th century and continues to the present day. The International Space Station, assembled over 13 years starting in the mid-1980s, is an example of Space 2.0 collaboration. Intelsat and Inmarsat, founded to provide global satellite communications services to fixed and mobile users, were formed as Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs), further exemplifying the collaborative nature of this era.   Universities have played a crucial role in legitimizing Space 2.0 technologies. Prof. Sir Martin Sweeting, who led the University of Surrey's small satellite experiments, contributed to the formation of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in 1985. This demonstrated that start-ups could manufacture small satellites using off-the-shelf components quickly and affordably for government customers. The involvement of academic institutions helped bridge the gap between research and commercial applications in the space industry.   Challenges remained, however. While Space 2.0 was more collaborative, governments remained primary customers. There is also the risk of larger established former Space 1.0 companies absorbing smaller innovators. In 2009, Airbus bought the majority shareholding of SSTL from the University of Surrey. In this case, it helped SSTL grow; between 2010 and 2020, they manufactured and delivered 34 navigation payloads for the deployment phase of Galileo, Europe's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).   Despite governments remaining the primary customers, Space 2.0 represented a significant change with the private sector's ability to build faster and cheaper, making the government-based traditional Space 1.0 approach look outdated. Space 3.0 is the next paradigm shift, and the topic of my next post, with companies requiring less start-up capital and where customers are increasingly commercial companies rather than primarily governments. Image Credit: University of Surrey - UoSAT-1 Launched in 1981   #SpaceInnovation  #SpaceCollaboration

The application of ISAM technology will revolutionize national security as we transition from on-orbit demos to operational use. Imagine updating existing satellites in GEO on an operationally-relevant timeline, without the schedule or cost impact of deploying new space vehicles. Katalyst Space Technologies first upgrade product brings sophisticated sensors and enhanced space domain awareness directly into orbit. We'll be at the National Space Symposium this week if you want to meet up and discuss. #isam #spaceeconomy #spacetech #spaceinnovation #upgradeeconomy

An important step into future optical networks in space, like ESAs HydRON project taking shape as we speak!! ESA’s ScyLight programme delivered again on the growth of Optical and Quantum Communication capabilities in Europe and Canada.

UK's Leap Towards Enhanced Space Domain Awareness The United Kingdom is contemplating a forward-thinking policy that mandates the inclusion of sensors in British satellites to augment space domain awareness (SDA). Commodore David Moody, the head of UK Space Command, made it clear that payloads in orbit are essentially futile if they lack the capability to comprehend their domain. The UK government has already set the wheels in motion, allocating a substantial £1.4 billion for the development of emerging sensor technology. For more details on this game-changing development, click the link below to read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dcmWvpYm #SpaceTech #UKSpace #Satellites #Innovation #SpaceDomainAwareness

Last week, we hosted the first In-Space Operations and Services (#ISOS) workshop. This event brought together industry experts and policymakers to discuss the current landscape and future potential of ISOS in Europe. Key topics included in-space services, assembly, manufacturing, and logistics, highlighting the innovative progress being made in these areas. Guillaume de La Brosse emphasised the strategic importance of ISOS for Europe's sovereignty in space. He highlighted how capabilities in this domain can enhance Europe's security and resilience by enabling the monitoring, upgrading, repair and reconfiguration of satellites. The discussions revealed significant challenges hindering the development of the ISOS market in Europe, mainly due to the lack of a harmonised regulatory framework and the absence of a clear definition of the scope of ISOS activities. Despite these challenges, the EU Space industry is ready to harness the significant potential of ISOS, from satellite life extension and payload upgrades to critical initiatives such as Active Debris Removal (ADR), which is essential to address the growing problem of space debris, especially in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need for a unified European vision and strategy to advance ISOS technology. It was agreed that regular dialogue with ISOS providers, end-users and institutional stakeholders is a crucial next step. More at https://lnkd.in/edDCNMvi #EUSpace 🇪🇺🛰️  #SpaceInnovation #SpaceIndustry #SpaceTechnology

Yesterday Massimo Comparini, Deputy CEO of Thales Alenia Space and CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Italy, joined the opening event of the "Galileo and Satellite Navigation" exhibition, organized by Permanent Representation of Italy to the International Organisations and on display until 28 June in the "La Passerelle" gallery of the prestigious "Pierre et Marie Curie" Science Campus of the Sorbonne Université in #Paris. #Galileo is a flagship program of the European Union, managed and funded by the European Commission. Since the program’s inception, European Space Agency - ESA is leading the design, development and qualification of the space and ground systems, as well as procuring launches. Thales Alenia Space was involved in every development phase of the first-generation Galileo system, in charge of system support, the Galileo Mission Segment and the Galileo Security Facility. In 2021, our company was selected by ESA, acting for the European Commission, to build six of the 12 new satellites for the Galileo Second Generation sovereign constellation. In July 2023, we signed contracts with ESA and the Commission to design and build the Galileo Second Generation mission ground segment and to provide technical support for systems engineering with our European partners. On March 2024 we also signed a contract with European Space Agency to deliver an end to end solution for the LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning Navigation and Timing) orbit demonstrator. Adding a LEO-PNT constellation layer to the Galileo GNSS, combined with improved user receivers, will unlock new applications and economic growth while bringing essential environment benefits reducing CO2 emissions through fuel saving and a more efficient energy network. #spaceforlife #galileo