📄Top Stories

Today’s most significant events include SpaceX successfully launching 23 Starlink satellites, the installation of Neuraspace’s new telescope to enhance space traffic monitoring, and the unveiling of a new satellite service targeted at the defense sector by Globalstar and Parsons. These developments underscore ongoing advances in satellite infrastructure and management capabilities critical to enhancing global connectivity and security.

📰Detailed Coverage

SpaceX’s Starlink Satellites Take Another Leap

SpaceX has successfully launched 23 Starlink internet satellites, adding further to their already extensive constellation aimed at providing global internet coverage. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with 13 of these satellites featuring new Direct to Cell capabilities, enhancing direct connectivity for mobile devices.

This mission highlights the continued expansion of the Starlink network and its increasing capabilities to support diverse user needs globally. For satellite tracking enthusiasts, these frequent launches illustrate the dynamic nature of satellite orbits and the detailed tracking data available on platforms like ours.

Read the full story: Space.com

Neuraspace Expands Space Traffic Monitoring Capabilities

Neuraspace, a startup specializing in space traffic management, has installed a second optical telescope to more effectively monitor objects in low Earth orbit. This advancement enables the company to track orbital debris and satellites across both hemispheres, enhancing their ability to predict and mitigate potential space collisions.

The new telescope is a significant asset to Neuraspace’s technology suite, providing crucial data to prevent accidents that could increase space debris and threaten operational satellites. As debris management remains a pivotal challenge for the aerospace sector, facilities like ours can aid in real-time tracking and risk assessment through robust satellite monitoring solutions.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Globalstar and Parsons Target Defense with New Satellite Service

Globalstar and Parsons have jointly announced a new satellite service aimed at the defense market. Leveraging Globalstar’s low-Earth orbit satellite infrastructure alongside Parsons’ advanced signal processing technology, this service promises enhanced communication capabilities for military applications.

The collaboration is a strategic step towards addressing the evolving needs of modern defense forces, requiring secure, reliable satellite communications. As the landscape of satellite services expands, tracking such developments could provide crucial insights into orbital trends and the burgeoning defense satellite market.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

NDAA’s Impact on Commercial Spaceflight

The recently passed NDAA has important implications for the commercial spaceflight industry, extending the “learning period” for regulatory oversight and indemnification for commercial launches. This legislative move is geared towards fostering innovation in the commercial spaceflight sector by allowing more flexible development conditions.

This extension is crucial for companies planning human spaceflight missions in the rapidly evolving private space sector, influencing the regulatory landscape and operational freedoms. The policy nuances present in this legislation reflect a balancing act between safety, innovation, and growth necessary for the sector’s sustainable development.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Recommended Missions for NASA’s Heliophysics Division

The new decadal survey for heliophysics recommends two flagship NASA missions, focusing on solar and space physics research. Despite financial constraints, these missions aim to unlock critical insights into solar dynamics affecting Earth and satellite operations.

With solar activity influencing everything from satellite signal quality to space weather forecasts, the proposed missions could significantly enhance our understanding and preparedness. The science gathered from such initiatives will likely feed into better satellite design and operational strategies to mitigate solar event impacts.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

🛰️Satellite Spotlight

• Satellite Name: GLOBALSTAR M093
• NORAD ID: 39073
• Launch Date: 2013-01-05
• Mission: Part of Globalstar’s low-Earth orbit satellite constellation providing voice and data communications services.
• Orbit: Inclination 51.9783°, Period 114.0795 minutes, Eccentricity 0.0001097
• Operator: Globalstar, Inc.
• Fun Fact: The satellite is part of a series enabling improvements in Globalstar’s mobile satellite service capabilities, crucial for remote communications.

Current TLE Data:

1 39073U 13005B   24338.75033129 -.00000109  00000-0 -30803-4 0 99991
2 39073  51.9783 142.9754 0001097 113.9657 246.1325 12.62276926546087

Track this satellite in real-time on our web app: Track GLOBALSTAR M093

🚀 Upcoming Space Launches

December 12

• Galactic Energy Ceres-1:

  • Unknown Payload from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China (07:08 UTC)

• SpaceX Falcon 9:

  • Starlink Group 11-2 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA (19:33 UTC) A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for a space-based Internet communication system.

December 13

• SpaceX Falcon 9:

  • O3b mPower 7 & 8 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA (20:55 UTC) Seventh and eighth of a constellation of eleven high-throughput communications satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) built by Boeing and operated by SES.

• SpaceX Falcon 9:

  • GPS III SV10 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA (23:30 UTC) GPS-IIIA is the first stage of the third generation of the GPS satellites.

December 14

• Space One KAIROS:
  • Flight 2 from Spaceport Kii, Japan (02:00 UTC)

December 17

• Rocket Lab Electron:
  • Owl The Way Up (StriX Launch 6) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (14:00 UTC) Synthetic aperture radar satellites for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.

December 26

• Indian Space Research Organization PSLV:
  • SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India (00:00 UTC) SPADEX is an ISRO technology mission to demonstrate autonomous docking between two spacecraft in orbit.

December 29

• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Bandwagon 2 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare) from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA (00:00 UTC) Dedicated rideshare flight with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers, including the South Korean government’s 425 Project Flight 3.

December 31

• Rocket Lab Electron:
  • Kinéis 16-20 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (00:00 UTC) Fourth batch of five satellites for the French Kinéis IoT constellation designed to operate with 25 nanosatellites of 30 kg each.

Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations.