IMAGING

YellowScan teams up with Argosdyne

YellowScan has announced a collaboration with Argosdyne, whose latest UAV has officially received the C2 Class certification. The C2 Class certification permits closer operation to bystanders and in densely populated areas, meeting stringent European safety requirements. www.yellowscan.com

ESA and Japan expand collaboration in space exploration

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have signed a new joint statement to deepen their partnership across asteroid, lunar, and planetary exploration. Signed on November 20 by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and JAXA President Yamakawa Hiroshi in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, the agreement builds on decades of successful collaboration.

The two agencies share a history of joint missions, including BepiColombo’s journey to Mercury and EarthCARE’s study of Earth’s climate. ESA and JAXA astronauts have also worked together aboard the International Space Station, forging a strong foundation for future endeavors.Under the latest agreement, ESA and JAXA will accelerate collaborative studies for the Ramses mission to the asteroid Apophis, which will pass Earth in 2029. Potential contributions from JAXA include thermal infrared imaging, solar array technology, and launch services.

The partnership extends to lunar exploration, where the two agencies are working within the framework of the Artemis program. ESA’s Argonaut lunar cargo lander and JAXA’s pressurized lunar rover are central components of this effort. Additionally, ESA’s recently inaugurated lunar analogue facility may serve as a testing ground for JAXA’s lunar technologies. Collaborative efforts could also involve small commercially provided lunar rovers, the lunar polar exploration mission, and the Moonlight program to establish a lunar communications and navigation satellite network.

ESA and JAXA are also advancing discussions on Mars exploration, aiming to leverage technologies such as electric propulsion and descent systems to send small landers to the Red Planet. www.spacedaily.com

China tested its first inflatable space module in orbit

China tested out a small expandable module in orbit during the recent Shijian-19 mission, an update more than a month after the spacecraft’s landing reveals. The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), which manufactured both Shijian-19 and the test module, revealed that the “inflatable flexible sealed module” completed an on-orbit test in a Nov.

The module is described by CAST as a multifunctional sealed structure made from flexible composite materials. The mission was deemed a complete success by CAST, a key division of China’s state-owned contractor CASC, which also developed modules for the Tiangong space station. spacenews.com

Joint venture by Space42 and ICEYE

Space42, UAE and ICEYE recently announced the creation of a joint venture to manufacture SAR satellites in the UAE, building on their successful cooperation, which includes the recent launch of the UAE’s first SAR satellite, Foresight-1, in August 2024.

This joint venture will directly advance the UAE’s Earth Observation (EO) Program, which was created to build national satellite remote sensing and EO capabilities. space42.ai

ESA awards development contract for NanoMagSat

The ESA awarded a contract to Open Cosmos to design, build, launch and commission the NanoMagSat Scout satellites. This new mission will uphold Europe’s leadership in monitoring Earth’s magnetic field and contribute to applications such as space weather hazard assessment, navigation, directional drilling, and more.

The Scouts are small satellites that deliver value-added science, either by miniaturising existing space technologies or by demonstrating innovative observing techniques. Notably, the Scout missions embody the principles of New Space, leveraging an agile and cost-effective development process to achieve their goals efficiently. www.esa.int

ISRO & ASA sign Implementing Arrangement for Gaganyaan

An Implementation Agreement (IA) was signed between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Australian Space Agency (ASA) on November 20, 2024 for further strengthening cooperation in space activities between Australia and India. The IA enables cooperation between both space agencies on crew and crew module recovery for Gaganyaan missions. The IA was signed by Shri DK Singh, Director, HSFC on ISRO side at Bengaluru and Shri Jarrod Powell, General Manager, Space Capability Branch, on ASA side at Canberra.

ISRO has embarked on the Human Spaceflight (“Gaganyaan”) programme with an objective of demonstrating human space flight capability to Low Earth Orbit in an Indian Crew Module with up to three crew members for up to three days and safely recovering them after the mission. The IA enables the Australian authorities to work with Indian authorities to ensure support for search and rescue of crew and recovery of crew module as part of contingency planning for ascent phase aborts near Australian waters.

India and Australia are enduring strategic partners and both space agencies are working closely and are committed to explore current and future collaboration activities. The signing of the IA is another step forward in the cooperation between Indian and Australian space agencies. www.isro.gov.in