Latest news with #ThalesAleniaSpace
CNBC
01-08-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Investing in Space: You're in or you're out
There's an air of 'been there, done that' about the Moon these days. Increasingly, the great minds of the space industry seem to be thinking bigger — and, since the start of the year, redder. If you had doubts the Moon's being eclipsed of late, they might be dismissed by the recent announcement that aerospace group Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency will develop the first human lunar habitat, in a key update for the NASA-led Artemis program. "Artemis' purpose is to ensure a sustainable human presence on the Moon as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars," the press release says. "Stepping stone" inevitably stands out. China and India have only landed spacecrafts on lunar soil since the late 2010s, with commercial companies achieving the feat since the start of last year. Yet Moon ventures have gradually come to be seen as a pitstop, rather than a standalone final destination — with attention pivoting to the bigger, juicier endgame of setting boots on Mars. Just check out U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk's effusive enthusiasm for colonizing the red planet: the rhetoric's shifted, even though lunar activity is set to dominate NASA's social calendar through the Artemis initiative over the next few years. After debuting with an uncrewed test assignment back in 2022, the next three missions under the Artemis program's umbrella target a manned flight around April next year, a South Pole human expedition in mid-2027 and delivering astronauts to live and work in the Gateway station — a NASA-led multi-agency venture — at some point in 2028. At the same time, the American space agency is still pressing ahead with its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program (CLPS, colloquially called 'Clips'), capitalizing on the lower costs of the private sector to deliver science and tech payloads to the Moon. NASA previously said it's earmarked a combined maximum of $2.6 billion for contracts between the program's premiere in 2024 through 2028. Just two missions took place last year, with four due in 2025, and a handful more scheduled over the next few years. The original space race kicked off in the 1950s as a largely two-nation exhibit of national pride, tech prowess and military firepower. It was the spiritual successor of the nuclear race between Russia and the U.S. during the Cold War — and began to wind down after Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon in 1969. The chase to reach Mars first is drawing a slightly bigger crowd. China's put down establishing a research base on Mars on its wish list by 2038 and has previously said it plans to send a manned mission to the red planet five years prior. The European Space Agency is setting sights on robotic exploration and sample returns off Mars in the short term and two years ago said it plans to send Europeans to the planet by 2040. Russia, meanwhile, has been more guarded about disclosing its Mars plans. It has signaled intentions to work toward such missions alone after the 2022 suspension of the joint 1 billion euro ExoMars mission with the European Space Agency, in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The appeal of Mars is inevitable, once you shrug off any Hollywood heebie-jeebies about the hostility of the possible alien life. It's got more "Earth-like" environmental conditions than the Moon and decent potential for sustained hospitality (though some have made the case for one of Saturn's moons, Titan). But it'll be interesting to see whether national space agencies shift gears toward Mars — leaving Moon projects to increasingly become the province of private space companies that have been flocking to fill the gap. One of them has been making this past week's headlines: building on the successful, upright landing of its Blue Ghost rover back in March, Northrop Grumman-backed Firefly Aerospace has now set sights on financial light-off and seeks a $5.5 billion valuation for its upcoming initial public offering. It boasts a backlog of roughly $1.1 billion and a sixfold jump in revenue to $55.9 million at the end of March. But it competes in a landscape of increasingly more advanced and cheaply-made satellites, orbital congestion and high developmental costs — with titan rivals ranging from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to SpaceX and national governments. Fitting to our theme, it's just been awarded its fifth CLPS contract worth $176.7 million to deliver five NASA-sponsored payloads to the Moon's South Pole in 2029. NASA and Roscosmos chiefs to hold talks — Sean Duffy, the interim head of NASA, and Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov will hold discussions this week, when the SpaceX Crew-11 departs for the International Space Station. It will be the first meeting at the agencies' bosses level since 2018. — Reuters The U.S. Space Command's prep work for satellite combat — The Economist investigates the U.S. Space Command's operations to make ready for satellite-to-satellite engagements. — The Economist China launches new cluster of Guowang satellites — Beijing has launched the sixth group of satellites for the Guowang megaconstellation, which it began to build in December 2024. — Space News How figuring out food for space can improve delivering it on Earth — Nature looks at food sourcing and storage problems rampant both in space and on Earth, including optimizing nutrition and figuring out alternative protein supplies. — Nature UK must protect its space interests, space commander says — Britain must 'control space' and position itself more assertively in the industry amid competition from other nations, Major General Paul Tedman said. — Orbital Today Russia seeks to develop reusable rocket within two years — Moscow is looking to develop a reusable rocket for more cost-effective launches within 18-24 months, after technical specifications were approved in June, according to national space agency Roscosmos. — The Moscow Times U.S. Space Force to launch 8th X-37B mission — The U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Raid Capabilities Office will carry out the eighth X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission in late August aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. These demos typically feature next-gen tech such as laser communications and quantum inertial sensors. — U.S. Space Force NASA says 20% of workforce to leave — Around 3,870 employees — or roughly 20% of the existing staff — are set to depart NASA, an agency spokesperson said, leaving a remaining workforce of around 14,000 people.— Reuters First Australia-made rocket crashes after take-off — The privately developed Australia-made Eris rocket failed to reach orbit amid engine failures during its test flight from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland. — Ars Technica Firefly Aerospace seeks $5.5 billion valuation for upcoming IPO — Texas-based Firefly Aerospace has set a range of $35 to $39 per share for its upcoming listing, in which it plans to sell roughly 16.2 million stock. — CNBC U.S. selects five firms for anti-jam satellite comms — The U.S. Space Force picked Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Intelsat, Viasat and Astranis a combined $37 million to develop communication satellites that defend against enemy jamming. — Defense News Thales Alenia Space and ASI to develop first lunar outpost — Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency inked a contract to develop the first human habitat on the Moon, in a key step for NASA's Artemis program. — Thales Alenia Space Aug. 3 — Amazon's Blue Origin to take off on a crewed suborbital flight out of Texas Aug. 4 — SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches with Starlink satellites out of Florida Aug. 4 — China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's Long March 12 to depart with SatNet communication satellites out of Wenchang Aug. 7 — SpaceX's Falcon 9 to launch with Starlink satellites out of Florida
Broadcast Pro
28-07-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
SES and Luxembourg Government to develop second satellite for GovSat
Built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000B2 platform, the new satellite will expand connectivity services for government clients by offering broader coverage. SES and the Luxembourg Government have announced their plan for development of a second satellite for GovSat (LuxGovSat S.A.), the public-private partnership and 50/50 joint venture between SES and the Luxembourg Government that provides secure, reliable and accessible satellite communication services for governments. GovSat-2 will be positioned over the European satellite arc. It will join GovSat-1 in augmenting reliable connectivity services for government customers over the region. The satellite will be built by Thales Alenia Space on its Spacebus 4000B2 platform. Since launching in 2018, the joint ventures first defence satellite, GovSat-1, operated by GovSat from a secure mission operations centre in Luxembourg, has supported the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, EU and NATO nations, the U.S. Department of Defence, and other governmental users. The state-of-the-art GovSat-2 satellite will extend the coverage and scale of GovSat, and is designed to address the needs of defence users at the highest Security and Service Assurance Level. The satellite will add new ultra-high frequency (UHF) channels, X- and military Ka-band and will include other security features such as dedicated hardening, an advanced anti-jamming system and embedded geolocation. The investment in GovSat-2 is in line with SES's stated financial policy criteria, and also in line with prior combined company CAPEX guidance. The satellite will be co-funded by SES and the Luxembourg Government, subject to approval of the corresponding draft law by Parliament. Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg, said: 'The procurement of GovSat-2 underscores the success of the GovSat public-private partnership to provide Luxembourg, our allies and partners with secure military satellite communications that supplement their national systems and support a wide range of critical military, defence and civilian security applications. With GovSat-2, Luxembourg will once again demonstrate its significant impact in the field of Space.' Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, added: 'With geopolitical shifts and an increased need for scalable national security and defence capabilities, we are seeing growing demand for secure, reliable geostationary (GEO) connectivity with comprehensive coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas. As governments across Europe look to bolster their sovereign satellite communications for defence and intelligence needs, GovSat-2 gives GovSat additional MILSATCOM capacity to address this strategic area of growth.' Patrick Biewer, CEO of GovSat, stated: 'GovSat-2 reflects the growing demand in military satcom, allowing our GovSat public-private venture to scale and broaden the services we have been providing since 2018. For this brand new satellite, we are adding more frequency bands along with innovative functionalities for it to be well-positioned to address the future connectivity challenges the NATO and partner nations face.'
CNA
25-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Thales Alenia Space and Italian Space Agency to develop first human outpost on the moon
Aerospace group Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and Italian Space Agency ASI said on Friday they have signed a contract to develop the first human lunar outpost, an important step in the NASA-led Artemis moon exploration programme. The Artemis project views the lunar surface as a testing ground for later missions to Mars. It has grown into a multi-nation effort involving dozens of private companies - among them Elon Musk's SpaceX - at the forefront of an emerging global space race. TAS - a joint venture between French aerospace company Thales and Italy's Leonardo - said the so-called Multi-Purpose Habitation module, a crucial element for a future permanent human presence on the moon, will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2033. "The future lunar module is part of a long-term investment vision that Italy has implemented, enabling (the country) to play an increasingly leading role in the new space race," ASI President Teodoro Valente said in a statement. The module will deliver "a secure, comfortable and multifunctional habitat module for astronauts, fully compatible with other systems and components", the statement added. Even when a human crew is not present, the module will be able to conduct scientific research experiments and have the capability to move on the moon's surface. It will be designed for a minimum lifespan of 10 years, with the first development phase focusing on technologies that will be subjected to the moon's harsh environmental conditions, high radiation levels, reduced gravity and pervasive dust. Under the two-year agreement, TAS will be the prime contractor, working with aerospace logistics and technology group ALTEC, which it owns with ASI, as well as other Italian industries.
Reuters
25-07-2025
- Science
- Reuters
Thales Alenia Space and Italian Space Agency to develop first human outpost on the moon
July 25 (Reuters) - Aerospace group Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and Italian Space Agency ASI said on Friday they have signed a contract to develop the first human lunar outpost, an important step in the NASA-led Artemis moon exploration programme. The Artemis project views the lunar surface as a testing ground for later missions to Mars. It has grown into a multi-nation effort involving dozens of private companies - among them Elon Musk's SpaceX - at the forefront of an emerging global space race. TAS - a joint venture between French aerospace company Thales ( opens new tab and Italy's Leonardo ( opens new tab - said the so-called Multi-Purpose Habitation module, a crucial element for a future permanent human presence on the moon, will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 2033. "The future lunar module is part of a long-term investment vision that Italy has implemented, enabling (the country) to play an increasingly leading role in the new space race," ASI President Teodoro Valente said in a statement. The module will deliver "a secure, comfortable and multifunctional habitat module for astronauts, fully compatible with other systems and components", the statement added. Even when a human crew is not present, the module will be able to conduct scientific research experiments and have the capability to move on the moon's surface. It will be designed for a minimum lifespan of 10 years, with the first development phase focusing on technologies that will be subjected to the moon's harsh environmental conditions, high radiation levels, reduced gravity and pervasive dust. Under the two-year agreement, TAS will be the prime contractor, working with aerospace logistics and technology group ALTEC, which it owns with ASI, as well as other Italian industries.
National Post
24-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
SES and the Luxembourg Government to Develop and Launch New Defence Satellite for GovSat
Article content GovSat-2 is aimed at meeting growing demand for highly secure, flexible MILSATCOM services Article content LUXEMBOURG — SES and the Luxembourg Government today announced their plan for development of a second satellite for GovSat (LuxGovSat S.A.), the public-private partnership and 50/50 joint venture between SES and the Luxembourg Government that provides secure, reliable and accessible satellite communication services for governments. Article content GovSat-2 will be positioned over the European satellite arc. It will join GovSat-1 in augmenting reliable connectivity services for government customers over the region. The satellite will be built by Thales Alenia Space on its Spacebus 4000B2 platform. Article content Since launching in 2018, the joint venture's first defence satellite, GovSat-1, operated by GovSat from a secure missions operations centre in Luxembourg, has supported the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, EU and NATO nations, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other governmental users. It has been providing connectivity for theatres of operation, interconnection of institutional as well as defence sites, border control, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, and various other types of communications for air, land and maritime missions. Article content The state-of-the-art GovSat-2 satellite will extend the coverage and scale of GovSat, and is designed to address the needs of defence users at the highest Security and Service Assurance Level. The satellite will add new ultra-high frequency (UHF) channels, X- and military Ka-band, and will include other security features such as dedicated hardening, an advanced anti-jamming system, and embedded geolocation. Article content The investment in GovSat-2 is in line with SES's stated financial policy criteria, and also in line with prior combined company CAPEX guidance. The satellite will be co-funded by SES and the Luxembourg Government, subject to approval of the corresponding draft law by Parliament. Article content 'The procurement of GovSat-2 underscores the success of the GovSat public-private partnership to provide Luxembourg, our allies and partners with secure military satellite communications that supplement their national systems and support a wide range of critical military, defence and civilian security applications,' said Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg. 'With GovSat-2, Luxembourg will once again demonstrate its significant impact in the field of Space.' Article content 'With geopolitical shifts and an increased need for scalable national security and defence capabilities, we are seeing growing demand for secure, reliable geostationary (GEO) connectivity with comprehensive coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas,' said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. 'As governments across Europe look to bolster their sovereign satellite communications for defence and intelligence needs, GovSat-2 gives GovSat additional MILSATCOM capacity to address this strategic area of growth.' Article content 'GovSat-2 reflects the growing demand in military satcom, allowing our GovSat public-private venture to scale and broaden the services we have been providing since 2018. For this brand new satellite, we are adding more frequency bands along with innovative functionalities for it to be well-positioned to address the future connectivity challenges the NATO and partner nations face,' said Patrick Biewer, CEO of GovSat. Article content Twitter Article content | Article content Facebook Article content | Article content YouTube Article content | Article content LinkedIn Article content | Article content Instagram Article content Read our Blogs > Article content Visit the Media Gallery > Article content About SES Article content At SES, we believe that space has the power to make a difference. That's why we design space solutions that help governments protect, businesses grow, and people stay connected—no matter where they are. With integrated multi-orbit satellites and our global terrestrial network, we deliver resilient, seamless connectivity and the highest quality video content to those shaping what's next. Following our Intelsat acquisition, we now offer more than 100 years of combined global industry leadership—backed by a track record of bringing innovation 'firsts' to market. As a trusted partner to customers and the global space ecosystem, SES is driving impact that goes far beyond coverage. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content
