Space

India’s first private rocket, built by startup Skyroot, makes successful launch • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 18, 2022Posted in india, isro, Skyroot, SpaceNo Comments

India’s space agency has successfully launched the Vikram-S after much anticipation and years-long work in a boost to the private sector of the nation’s space industry. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) kicked off the suborbital rocket at 11.30 a.m. local time Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India’s east coast. The Vikram-S, developed by four-year-old startup Skyroot, is a single-stage, spin-stabilized solid propellant rocket with a mass of around 550 kilograms. It carries three customer payloads, including one from a customer outside India. Made of all-carbon fibre core structure, the 6-meter-long rocket was developed in two years. Image Credits: Skyroot The demonstration mission, named Prarambh (“the beginning” in Sanskrit), is the first by Hyderabad-based Skyroot. The startup is building a series of launch vehicles named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space program. In June 2020, the Indian government passed the space sector reforms and established the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) to allow private companies to use ISRO’s infrastructure. New Delhi also set up NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) as the space agency’s commercial arm to work closely with private companies and startups to bolster space developments in the South Asian country. Founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot successfully tested fire India’s privately-made solid rocket stage in December 2020. It was also the country’s first startup in 2021 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the ISRO to launch its rockets. The startup has raised $68 million in total, including $51 million in a Series B round led by Singapore-based GIC in September, and has a valuation of $165 million. According to the data shared by Indian Space Association (ISpA) with ZebethMedia, Indian space startups have raised over $245.35 million, where $108.52 million were infused in 2022 alone. The association counts Skyroot as one of its members, alongside private companies including Bharti Airtel and OneWeb as founding members. The government is currently working on a new space policy to increase private participation and encourage investment in the country’s space sector. In a recent interview with ZebethMedia, ISpA Director General Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt said the space policy would address some issues raised by the industry players, including a single sanction window and spectrum allocation for satellite-based communication services through the Department of Telecommunications. The industry players have also requested the government to open foreign direct investment policy and incentives on taxes, import duties and domestic manufacturing of space equipment that are yet to be addressed.

Dept. of the Air Force’s Frank Calvelli talks startups and the military at TC Sessions: Space • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in Space, TC Sessions: Space 2022No Comments

The success of the commercial space sector, in both significantly reducing the cost of technology and massively increasing its capabilities, has captured the attention of the U.S. military. That attention translates into growing interest in startups and how they might secure the space domain for the U.S. and its allies. Frank Calvelli, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions and Integration, is charged with bridging the gap between commercial and defense space operations. We are thrilled to announce that Cavelli will join us onstage for a one-on-one conversation at TC Sessions: Space on December 6 in Los Angeles. The U.S. military has signaled that it intends to deepen its relationships with the startup sector — in the space domain in particular. Just one example of projects integrating private space startups and the military is the Air Force’s Rocket Cargo project, which explores using commercial space rocket technology to provide fast, low-cost deliveries for the military. While an Air Force C-17 aircraft can transport 100 tons of cargo across the planet, it can take days, whereas a rocket can do it in 90 minutes. It’s worth noting that the Air Force included $47.9 million for rocket cargo research alone in its fiscal 2022 budget. We’re interested in learning how Cavelli defines the ideal relationship between the U.S. defense apparatus and the startups and private vendors it taps. We’ll also ask him what problems they want their commercial partners to solve, how startups can apply for funding, and the best way to work with the Air Force acquisitions engine he oversees. We reckon this is an essential conversation for startups eager to learn more about collaborative opportunities within the growing commercial-military space sector. Frank Calvelli is responsible for all architecture and integration with respect to acquisition of space systems and programs in the armed forces. He chairs the Space Acquisition Council, where he oversees and directs the space acquisition centers in the Department of the Air Force. He also serves as the DAF service acquisition executive for Space Systems and Programs. Calvelli has more than 34 years of experience in national security space acquisitions, operations and leadership in the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the Central Intelligence Agency. Prior to joining the Department of the Air Force, Calvelli served for eight years as the principal deputy director of the NRO, where he managed the day-to-day operations of the more than 3,500 people. TC Sessions: Space takes place on December 6 in Los Angeles. Buy your pass today, join us to learn about the latest trends in commercial-military space collaboration, see cutting-edge technology, and network for opportunities to help you build a better, stronger startup. Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Space? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Gravitics raises $20M to make the essential units for living and working in space • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in gravitics, Hardware, Space, space station, Startups, type one venturesNo Comments

The space industry is on the cusp of a revolution. The cost of launch, which has dramatically decreased over the past five years, will continue to drop as heavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship and Relativity’s Terran R become operational. Parallel to these developments, multiple private companies have introduced plans to build commercial space stations for science, manufacturing and even tourism. If space stations are the next phase of business in orbit, they’re going to need standard parts — and Gravitics aims to be the one making them. The startup is headed by space industry veteran Colin Doughan, who surveyed these currents and saw a gap in the market. Doughan’s career spans a nearly 20-year tenure at Lockheed Martin, where he worked as a senior finance manager dealing with large satellite constellations for government customers. He also co-founded Altius Space Machines, which was eventually purchased by Voyager Space in 2019. Private station operators “are going to need an easy LEGO brick to build in space,” he told ZebethMedia in a recent interview: versatile, modular hardware to let humanity build in space at scale. Gravitics, which emerged from stealth today following the announcement of a $20 million seed round, is calling the building block “StarMax.” (Doughan also refers to it as an SUV — a “Space Utility Vehicle.”) Notably, StarMax modules are huge: the model listed on the company’s website has a diameter of nearly 8 meters and an internal usable volume of 400 cubic meters, nearly half that of the International Space Station. Gravitics wants to position these modules as the essential base unit for living and working in space. The initiative has caught investor attention in a major way, as the seed round illustrates — further proof that space station and in-space habitat plays are getting hotter. The funding was led by Type One Ventures, with additional participation from Tim Draper from Draper Associates, FJ Labs, The Venture Collective, Helios Capital, Chicago-based Giant Step Capital, Gaingels, Spectre, Manhattan West and Mana Ventures. From an investor standpoint, Type One founding partner and Gravitics board member Tarek Waked said his firm noticed multiple underlying trends that support the company’s vision of the future. “We’re betting on launch costs coming down. We’re betting on Starship revolutionizing the industry,” he said. It’s not just Starship’s cargo capacity that excites the Gravitics team. It’s the potential for the rocket to send up many more humans into space — people who, at present, would have nowhere to stay. “There’s no infrastructure for those people to go [to], and even if we built that infrastructure today, there’s no modular or cost-effective way to get that much infrastructure up to orbit,” Waked said. “And that’s where I think Gravitics plays.” StarMax at scale. Image Credits: Gravitics Supplying the stations of the future The specific play that Gravitics is making is emphatically not as a space station operator. Blue Origin and Sierra Space’s Orbital Reef, Voyager and Lockheed’s Starlab, and a third project headed by Northrop Grumman have already received major funding from NASA under the agency’s Commercial low Earth orbit Destinations (CLD) program. Rather than compete with these companies, Gravitics wants to be their core supplier. Doughan said he anticipates a glut of demand for the product in the second half of the decade, as operators commence their initial build out. Beyond that, Gravitics is aiming to fulfill the ongoing needs of these stations once they are operational, plus meeting organic demand that the company is betting will emerge as costs for launching cargo and crew drop. StarMax will have power and propulsion onboard for delivery and docking (and indeed, the company landed Virgin Orbit’s former senior director of propulsion, Scott Macklin, as its director of engineering). “What we’re guessing is going to happen is that station demand is going to grow,” Doughan said. “They’re going to need scalability over time.” A rendering of an office on StarMax. Image Credits: Gravitics What the economy in low Earth orbit will ultimately look like is anyone’s guess, however, and from the outside it seems that StarMax’s emphasis on scalability in the design (the module has docking ports on either end) is also a hedge against the space industry’s notoriously uncertain timelines. But it also makes sense from a market perspective: Gravitics is prepared to sell the StarMax module to entities that may want to use it in a free-flyer capacity, or an operator that wants flexibility on offering short-term stays or long-term attachments to the stations; but StarMaxes can also be daisy-chained to form even larger in-space platforms as more and more people spend time in space. (opens in a new window) “Of or pertaining to gravity” For all the talk of Starship, the company isn’t putting all its eggs in that one, Musk-y basket. The suite of StarMax modules under development are being designed to be compatible on other next-gen launch vehicles, like United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan and Blue Origin’s New Glenn. While Gravitics is staying tight-lipped on how much a single StarMax might cost, Doughan said it would be competitive with a recent deal between Axiom Space and Thales Alenia for two station modules, a contract valued at €110 million ($108 million), or $54 million each. The company recently opened a 42,000-square-foot facility just north of Seattle where it has already begun constructing prototypes and preparing for early module pressure tests early next year. Gravitics is also in talks with development groups in Florida about building a larger production and integration facility right next to their customer base at Kennedy Space Center. In addition to these physical spaces, the company will also use the funds from this seed round to continue growing its team. It has already attracted notable talent, like the aforementioned Macklin and Bill Tandy, former mission architect and chief engineer for Orbital Reef. The pressure tests in the first quarter of next year are the initial step toward testing a StarMax in orbit, though Doughan declined to offer any details on that timeline. But it’s

Students — Shoot for the stars at TC Sessions: Space • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 16, 2022Posted in Space, tc sessions space, TC Sessions: Space 2022No Comments

Space technology — it’s incredibly complex, challenging and expensive on an epic scale. It will also impact humanity in ways we both can and can’t yet imagine. It’s the ultimate cutting-edge technology, and it requires a deep bench of brilliant thinkers and makers. If you’re a student with your head in the stars — whether you want to build the tech or fund those who do — TC Sessions: Space, which takes place on December 6 in Los Angeles, will help you move closer to your dream. It’s vital to support the next generation, so we’re offering a deeply discounted price exclusively for students. Buy a pass for just $45 (a $450 savings) to hear from and connect with the most influential people in the space industry, across public, private and defense sectors. Like who? Well, for starters, you’ll hear from Dr. Carolyn Mercer, chief technologist for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Among other things, she’ll discuss the agency’s tech and science ambitions and priorities in the Artemis era. We’re also hosting Peter Beck, CEO and founder of Rocket Lab; Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions; Amela Wilson, CEO of Nanoracks; and many more. Whether you’re searching for an internship, a mentor, a post-doc gig or a potential co-founder, you won’t find a better atmosphere for networking with hundreds of engineers, founders, students, investors, executives, and military and government officials in the house. Use our event app to find people you want to connect with, schedule 1:1 meetings, and start exploring the many potential opportunities. TC Sessions: Space takes place on December 6 in Los Angeles. Students looking to work in this challenging, rapidly evolving industry — across public, private or defense domains — buy your $45 pass today, join us in L.A., and get your career track flying at warp speed. Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Space? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

NASA’s Space Launch System makes inaugural journey in historic launch • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 16, 2022Posted in Artemis, NASA, SLS, Space, Space Launch SystemNo Comments

After years of preparation and two false starts, NASA’s heavy-lift Space Launch System has finally taken off and entered orbit. It’s a big win for the space agency — even as it assigns tasks once meant for the SLS to SpaceX instead. Some pre-launch jitters threatened to scrub the launch, but a “red crew” went out to the hot pad to tighten something, and a bad Ethernet switch of all things later also needed to be replaced. But everything came together about 40 minutes after the original T-0, and the rocket had a clean (and impressive-looking) ascent with no hiccups to speak of. It reached orbit and as of 13 minutes after launch the various stages, separations, and cut-offs were green across the board. The SLS is a key part of NASA’s Artemis program, intended to bring humanity back to the Moon “to stay,” as they often emphasize. That means bringing a lot of gear up there, stuff that might take years of ferrying with smaller launch vehicles like the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Rocket Lab Electron. The SLS was built with this kind of heavy duty mission in mind, but setbacks and delays have dogged the program, and now there is considerable speculation that commercial heavy-lift vehicles may soon offer more bang for the buck. But it is also clearly important to the U.S. government to have an option they own top to bottom. Now that the enormous “Mega Moon Rocket” has shown it can get to space, NASA can at least plan on putting the model to work, though that will mean building a fresh one every time — unlike some launch vehicles, this one isn’t reusable. You can watch the final countdown and takeoff here: The mission ahead The main goal of the Artemis I mission is to test the Orion spacecraft and its critical components, like the heat shield upon reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and the communications systems, before the capsule eventually carries humans later this decade. The capsule will spend around 10 weeks going from orbit to the Moon and back before splashing back down to Earth in the Pacific Ocean, where it will be recovered by a U.S. Navy ship. NASA of course has a more detailed but easy to understand mission plan, and the diagram below shows it quite succinctly: This was NASA’s third attempt to launch the Space Launch System rocket. The first, which took place in August, was called off due to a hydrogen bleed line issue with one of the rocket’s four core stage engines; the second attempt a few days later was scrubbed for the same reason. It seems third time was the charm after all. This mission will have many more crucial and historic moments, so stay tuned for more as the Orion capsule makes its way moonward.

NASA taps SpaceX for second crewed Starship demonstration mission to the moon • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 15, 2022Posted in SpaceNo Comments

NASA tapped SpaceX to provide a second crewed demonstration landing on the Moon as part of its Artemis lunar exploration program, a huge win for SpaceX and a possible gesture at the relative lack of existing competition for such services. The award is a modification to an existing Human Landing System (HLS) contract between the two entities, which established the agreement for the first lunar demonstration landing. That landing, which will use the Starship human landing system, will be the main goal of the Artemis III mission. (Artemis I, the uncrewed demonstration mission, could happen as early as tomorrow morning.) This second landing mission is for the following launch, Artemis IV, which is currently on the books for 2027. SpaceX’s big win of the original HLS generated a huge amount of controversy and backlash when it was awarded back in April 2021. The controversy was due mainly to the fact that NASA selected a single vendor (SpaceX) for the award. Histrically, for these kinds of big budget, ambitious contracts, NASA would select two vendors – to foster competition and as a kind of hedge, in case one of them failed. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin took particular umbrage to the decision, going so far as to file a protest with the Government Accountability Office over the decision and taking NASA to federal court. The company’s protests, however, were summarily quashed. This modification, also known as Option B, will help SpaceX demonstrate a Starship lunar lander for the long-term. “Continuing our collaborative efforts with SpaceX through Option B furthers our resilient plans for regular crewed transportation to the lunar surface and establishing a long-term human presence under Artemis,” Human Landing System program manager Lisa Watson-Morgan said in a statement. “This critical work will help us focus on the development of sustainable, service-based lunar landers anchored to NASA’s requirements for regularly recurring missions to the lunar surface.” The original contract was awarded for $2.9 billion; NASA did not specify the additional amount it would pay for the second mission. Developing…

Third time’s a charm? NASA will attempt to launch its mega moon rocket early tomorrow morning • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 15, 2022Posted in SpaceNo Comments

NASA is set to launch the Artemis I mission on November 16, with agency officials saying they were prepared to accept the risks from minor damage the launch system incurred from Hurricane Nicole last week. Tomorrow’s attempt, which has a two-hour launch window opening at 1:04 a.m. EST, could kick-start NASA’s ambitious Artemis lunar exploration program. It’s under that program that NASA is hoping to send the first woman and person of color to the moon before the end of the decade. NASA’s hyping the launch with the hashtag #wearegoing and one certainly hopes, after technical snafus, two separate hurricane landfalls, cost overruns and a nearly two-decades-long development timeline that this is the case tomorrow. This mission, dubbed Artemis I, is chiefly a test of the Orion spacecraft rather than the 32-story-tall Space Launch System (which is expendable — there is no “testing” it, per se). Orion, which is uncrewed for this launch, will take a 25-day journey around the moon before returning to Earth and splashing down in the ocean. NASA wants to understand how its heat shield fares during the grueling atmospheric reentry process and get valuable data on its flight through lunar orbit. Both the rocket and the spacecraft incurred minor damage after the most recent brush with a hurricane last week. As NASA manager explained in a media briefing on November 14, technicians had to change out a component of an electrical connector and also examined the potential risks related to some material that had stripped away from the Orion spacecraft. Overall, they said the mission management team felt the risks were at an acceptable level. “We want to take as much risk out of the system as we can, but there is risk in there and we need to be prepared for that,” Jim Free, NASA’s associate administrator for exploration systems development, said in a prelaunch briefing on Monday. NASA has attempted to launch the vehicle on two separate occasions. The first, in August, was scrubbed due to a hydrogen bleed line issue with one of the rocket’s four core stage engines; the second attempt a few days later also called off for the same reason. Should this third launch attempt not take place for whatever reason, the agency will have more opportunities on November 19 and 25. The stakes for a launch in general are very high, but the stakes for this launch in particular are not very high — which is to say, it’s very, very important to launch the SLS and it’s important it’s successful, but whether that happens tonight, or November 19, is not of huge importance. In some ways, the significance of NASA’s SLS cannot be overstated: A successful mission would vindicate the billions of dollars spent developing and building this rocket, for one thing. It would also give real energy to the agency’s Artemis program and finally, finally mark the beginning of humanity’s return to the moon. But whether that happens tomorrow, or November 19, or an even later date, is relatively immaterial to the success of the program overall. As Free said during a separate media briefing last week, “We’re never going to get to Artemis II if Artemis I isn’t successful.” You can watch the launch live by clicking the video at the top of this link. The agency will begin coverage of the mission at 10:30 PM EST.

Space in Los Angeles • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 15, 2022Posted in Space, TC Sessions: Space 2022No Comments

ZebethMedia Sessions: Space is back! Happening December 6 — our third dedicated space event. This is a live, in-person event featuring the most influential people in the space industry, across the public, private and defense sectors. This year saw the commercial space industry undergo a lot of change, including significant consolidation and new entrants in the orbital private launch category and a renewed focus on public-private partnerships in the realm of national defense. It was a year of expansion in some cases and of contraction in others, including in the realm of venture spending on the sector. We also saw dramatic changes to international relations, threatening even our long-standing cooperation with Russia on orbital science. We’re thrilled to be hosting Thomas Zurbuchen of NASA; Frank Calvelli, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions; Carolyn Mercer of NASA; and many more. In addition to the firesides and panel discussions on the main stage, the event will also include networking, startup exhibits and the chance to connect with attendees from around the world. It’s a packed day already, but we’ve got some extra surprises in store, so keep an eye on the website over the coming weeks for more great speakers and sessions we’re adding. Backing Big Bets in Uncertain Times with Jory Bell (Playground), Mark Boggett (Seraphim Capital) and Emily Henriksson (RootVC) With VC spend cool in general, and particularly when it comes to space-related startups, what are the current priorities of investors who have backed space startups in the past? If we’re settling in for a relatively long economic downturn, what should startups expect from private space capital looking ahead to 2023? Looking to Startups to Help Secure Space with Frank Calvelli (U.S. Air Force) The commercial space sector has succeeded in driving down the cost of space-based technology while massively increasing its capabilities. The U.S. defense apparatus has traditionally favored legacy industry partners, but it’s shown a growing interest in turning to startups and new space companies to secure the space domain for the U.S. and its allies, and we’ll hear why and how from Frank Calvelli, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions and Integration. Gearing Up the Next Generation of Scientists, Explorers and Robots with Carolyn Mercer, NASA As Chief Technologist of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Carolyn Mercer has her finger on the pulse of countless projects to explore and understand our planet and solar system. As priorities and methods shift in the Artemis era, Mercer can speak to how tech helps us move forward, and what NASA’s unique insights and well of talent can put it to use. ZebethMedia Space Pitch-off with Jory Bell (Playground), Mark Boggett (Seraphim Capital), Tess Hatch (Bessemer Venture Partners), Emily Henriksson (RootVC) The industry’s brightest entrepreneurs will take the stage in front of a live audience and a panel of industry experts, pitching revolutionary technologies. Space Workforce 2030: Inspiring, Preparing and Employing the Next Generation with Steve Isakowitz (The Aerospace Corporation) | Sponsored The dawning space age offers enormous opportunities to explore new frontiers, grow the economy on orbit and strengthen our security. Making the most of this momentous time calls for an innovative workforce that can leverage diverse experiences and perspectives to solve the hard problems we’ll encounter. The Space Workforce 2030 pledge is a first-of-its-kind effort launched earlier this year that is bringing together more than 30 of the country’s leading space companies to work collaboratively to increase diversity across our industry to build a vibrant workforce for the future. Hear from space leaders about the work they’re doing to inspire, prepare and employ the next generation of scientists and engineers and how you can play a part in supporting this vital mission. Asking and Answering Humanity’s Biggest Questions with Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA) After 6 years heading up NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen is a familiar face to anyone who has followed the agency’s many interplanetary and orbital missions. Now ready to move on to his next chapter, Zurbuchen will speak to how NASA, its mission, and the science it performs are changing — but more important than ever. Striking a Balance in Dual Use with Awais Ahmed (Pixxel), Pete Muend (National Reconnaissance Office), and Melanie Stricklan (Slingshot) As commercially developed space technology becomes increasingly common in government and defense operations, companies face the question of how closely to embrace that side of the industry. How can startups and growing companies better understand and navigate the complex world of dual use? Building Out Commercial Operations in Orbit with Steve Jurczyk (Quantum Space), Col. Joseph Roth (US Space Force) A new crop of companies are working on establishing permanent commercial operations in orbit and on the moon. But they likely won’t be able to do it without partnerships with government and defense. We’ll talk to leaders from Quantum Space, ispace and the United States Space Force about how these partnerships can foster a thriving orbital economy.

Max Q: Join us! • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 14, 2022Posted in Max Q, SpaceNo Comments

Hello and welcome back to Max Q. Before we get to the news, I have a pretty exciting announcement myself: We’re offering to Max Q subscribers free tickets to ZebethMedia’s in-person space event. Find out more about the event and get your free ticket by clicking here. In this issue: Layoffs come to Astra News from NASA, Starlink and more Astra, a rocket startup that went public last year, told investors Tuesday it laid off 16% of its workforce as part of a wider strategy to increase shrinking financial runway and decrease expenses. The company also said it would reduce near-term investments in space services to grow its core businesses: namely, launch and spacecraft engines. This latter segment in particular has become a growing source of revenue for Astra, with the company reporting it had 237 committed orders for its spacecraft engines to entities including Maxar, OneWeb and Astroscale. That represents an increase of 130% from last quarter. The layoffs shine an unflattering light on Astra’s quick growth: CEO Chris Kemp told investors during a call Tuesday that the company tripled in size in the space of a year, swelling to more than 400 people. Given that number, Astra reduced its headcount by at least 64 people. Image Credits: Astra Major space companies, including SpaceX and Relativity, are urging the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stick to its purview — spectrum usage — as it looks to potentially update its rules for in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) missions. There is plenty that the FCC could — and should do — to support ISAM missions that sit squarely within its regulatory bounds, the companies said. SpaceX and others, as well as startups like Orbit Fab, which wants to build refueling depots in space, and Starfish Space, which is developing a satellite servicing vehicle, submitted recommendations related to spectrum and ISAM. The commission also heard from Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance and other space companies and industry groups. Here’s SpaceX: “The Commission must handle this potentially important but still nascent industry with care, exercising caution not to unintentionally stifle innovation by stepping outside the authority expressly delegated to it by Congress.” Image Credits: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images More news from TC and beyond Apple invested $450 million in upgrades to Globalstar’s ground infrastructure and satellite network to support the rollout of Emergency SOS via satellite for iPhone 14 users. (Apple) China is reportedly scrapping plans to make the booster of the Long March 9 heavy-lift rocket expendable in favor of a fully reusable booster. (SpaceNews) NASA did not move the Space Launch System rocket back to the safety of a hangar in advance of Hurricane Nicole’s approach, so the $4.1 billion rocket rode out the storm on the launch pad. As engineers continue inspecting the rocket for damage, the agency decided to move the next launch date to November 16. (NASA) Northrop Grumman‘s Antares rocket sent a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station for cargo resupply, a successful mission despite one of the capsule’s solar arrays not deploying properly. (Northrop Grumman) Rocket Lab had tons of news this week — in addition to releasing its quarterly financial results, the company also announced it won a $14 million contract to supply separation systems for U.S. Space Force satellites. (Rocket Lab) Rocket Lab set a launch date for its first mission from U.S. soil: December 7. My personal suggestion: come to the TC Sessions: Space event on the 6th, then take a direct flight to Virginia. Just saying. (Rocket Lab) Seraphim announced the newest cohort of space startups that will participate in the Seraphim Space Accelerator and Generation Space Accelerator. (Seraphim) SpaceX will impose slower speeds on Starlink users that use large amounts of power during peak hours, in an effort to curb network congestion and increase performance. (CNBC) Starfish Space provided more details about its in-space satellite docking demonstration mission that will take place next year. (GeekWire) Virgin Orbit received a $25 million cash injection from Richard Branson’s Virgin Group as the launcher company’s cash on hand continues to decline. (Virgin Orbit) Voyager Space’s Nanoracks has a new CEO: NASA astronaut and former OneWeb Technologies president Tim Kopra. (Voyager) Max Q is brought to you by me, Aria Alamalhodaei. If you enjoy reading Max Q, consider forwarding it to a friend.

Playground, Seraphim and Root VCs talk funding trends at TC Sessions: Space • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 14, 2022Posted in Space, tc sessions space, TC Sessions: Space 2022No Comments

It’s no secret that VC spending in 2022 did not take a page from the wild funding spree that was 2021. This year’s more measured approach has had a cooling effect — particularly on space-related startups. In Q3 alone, investments in 79 space companies hit $3.4 billion — down 44% from Q3 2021. Still, some prognosticators report that while space investments continue to decline, some sectors are more resilient than others. This is why we’re thrilled that Jory Bell, general partner at Playground Global; Mark Boggett, CEO and managing partner at Seraphim Capital; and Emily Henriksson, principal at Root Venture, will join us onstage for a panel discussion at TC Sessions: Space on December 6 in Los Angeles. In a session called “Backing Big Bets in Uncertain Times,” these panelists will discuss the current mindset and priorities of investors who have previously backed space startups. We’re curious to get their take on whether sectors — like remote sensing, which provides critical information to both governments and enterprises during increasingly uncertain times — might be better insulated from macroeconomic trends like high interest rates and inflation. And, if we are in for an extended economic downturn, what should startups expect from private space capital in 2023? We have questions, and these folks should provide valuable insights during a compelling discussion. Jory Bell sourced some of Playground Global’s earliest investments, including Nervana Systems (acquired by Intel). His first three investments at the firm are now unicorns and one, Velo3D, went public last year. Bell leads the firm’s investment efforts in deep tech areas, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, computational therapeutics, energy, genomics, materials, next-gen computing, quantum and synthetic biology. His investment portfolio includes Mangata Networks, Relativity Space and Strand Therapeutics to name a few. Mark Boggett, a pioneer in space tech investment, co-founded the Seraphim Space Fund and invested in a portfolio that includes three companies that have achieved billion-dollar valuations. Previously, Boggett served as director at YFM Equity Partners, the firm behind the high-profile British Smaller Companies VCT 1 and 2. Boggett also worked at Brewin Dolphin and Williams de Broë. He completed his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance, and he received a master’s in economics and finance from the University of Leeds. Emily Henriksson is a principal at Root Ventures, a firm focused on investing in three areas: tools and infrastructure, low-cost robotics, and hardware and data science. Prior to joining Root, she worked as a propulsion engineer and designed flight hardware for the SpaceX Falcon and supervised vehicle build for schedule-critical missions. Henriksson also worked on the Model 3 battery module team at Tesla. She holds MS and BS degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard Business School. TC Sessions: Space takes place on December 6 in Los Angeles. Buy your pass today, join us to learn about the latest space investment trends, see cutting-edge technology, and network for opportunities to help you build a better, stronger startup. Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Space? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.