Portfolio Company News
Umbra
These Satellites See Through the Clouds to Track Flooding
Umbra is making it easier for customers to access SAR images of Earth to better monitor flooding and other natural disasters.
Xplore
Microsoft, Xplore, and NOAA demonstrate cloud-based satellite operations
NOAA performed a proof-of-concept demonstration using Xplore’s Major Tom mission control software running in Microsoft’s Azure Orbital ground station in Quincy, Washington. The demonstration allowed NOAA to obtain data downlinked from NOAA-18 to the Azure cloud. This is the first public announcement of Xplore’s acquisition of Kubos, an interesting case of one of Starbridge fund I’s portfolio companies acquiring another.
SpaceX
SpaceX doubled down on their dispute with Dish Network’s 12-gigahertz broadband use that could interfere with Starlink. They claim that Starlink users would see an interference causing outages “74% of the time” and ‘called on the FCC to investigate whether DISH and RS Access filed intentionally misleading reports.’
SpaceX is establishing a new facility near Austin, Texas.
SpaceX moves a massive rocket with 33 engines to its launch pad for tests
General Space News
House bill trims NASA budget proposal
The House Appropriations Committee released its draft bill for NASA’s fiscal year 2023 which includes $25.446B; this is $527M less than what was requested. While Congress remains hopeful that it can pass several seemingly uncontroversial spending bills before the midterm election campaigns begin in earnest, the closer the calendar gets to August the less likely that will happen.
The Department of Energy and NASA awarded Intuitive Machines and X-energy a contract to study Fission Surface Power (FSP) to deliver at least 40kWe power flight system. Intuitive Machines and X-energy are part of Cam Gaffarian’s IBX family of companies which includes Axiom Space.
S. Korea successfully launches homegrown space rocket in second attempt
South Korea successfully launched its rocket, Nuri, on June 21st. This was their 2nd attempt to launch and they also successfully deployed satellites at their target altitude of 700km and were able to confirm communication with the satellite shortly after. The first iteration of South Korea’s LSLV launch vehicles was primarily designed and built by Russia but later in the last decade switched to an entirely indigenous design, including engine development. The South Korean government has made becoming a major space hardware and service provider a national priority.
‘Get your boy Elon in line’: NASA tell-all recounts turmoil over private space race
Former NASA Deputy Administrator 2009-2013, Lori Garver, doesn’t hold back in her new book ‘Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age’ (grab a cup of tea). The memoir includes several never before revealed examples of how acidic that period was and how difficult it is for women in leadership roles at NASA. Keith Cowing, a contractor who saw some of what Lori did first hand and who now runs NASA Watch, also provides an exciting review and perspective on that period.
Other Space News
Impulse Space secures million$$ that accelerates the firm’s path toward ‘access any-orbit’ missions
SpaceX completed three launches in a little more than 36 hours this weekend.
China is proposing a Mars sample return mission that could return samples before NASA and ESA.
NASA is developing alternative schedules for Artemis missions that would stretch out the program.
Viasat shareholders have approved its proposed acquisition of Inmarsat.
A lunar cubesat mission is now scheduled for launch early next week.