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https://www.luxtimes.lu/businessandfinance/airbus-hires-goldman-for-european-space-tie-up-to-rival-musk/37449244.html
Airbus hires Goldman for European space tie-up to rival Musk
Tuesday, February 4 2025
Airbus SE has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for advice on an effort to forge a new European space and satellite company that can better compete with Elon Musk’s dominant SpaceX, according to people familiar with the matter.
The talks to create a space and satellite business with French aerospace company Thales and Italy’s Leonardo SpA are at an exploratory stage and its full portfolio of services hasn’t been set, the people said, asking not to be identified because discussions are confidential.
Rome-based Leonardo has hired Bank of America Inc. for the plan, which has been dubbed Project Bromo, some of the people said.
Paris-based Thales is also speaking with advisers, the people said. The two companies already have joint ventures on products for satellites and space telecommunications.
Hiring leading M&A advisors represents a concrete step to formalise long-discussed plans for a such a venture.
The firms are weighing issues such as cost, complexity, regulatory obstacles, antitrust implications and also the possibilities for bringing various civil and military contracts under such a transaction the people said.
Representatives for Airbus, Leonardo, Goldman and BofA declined to comment. Thales reiterated that early discussions have taken place, without commenting on advisers.
The move to bring in top M&A advisory firms is further evidence of the companies’ attempt to overcome political and financial hurdles to forming a European champion.
SpaceX has established itself as the industry’s preeminent rocket-launch provider, lofting satellites, cargo and people to space for NASA, the Pentagon and commercial partners.
Its internet-from-space unit Starlink operates the largest and most advanced satellite network in low-Earth orbit. European firms including Airbus have swallowed significant losses trying to keep up.
The urgency has increased since the reelection of US President Donald Trump, who has put Musk - the SpaceX founder and Tesla Inc. chief who was the largest donor to his election effort - in charge of cutting the federal budget and modernising information technology.
European Union leaders met on Monday in Brussels for a retreat to discuss defense spending in the context of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and Trump’s demands that the bloc spend more on defense.
Airbus rose as much as 0.9% in Paris trading, while Thales advanced as much as 1.6% on Tuesday. Leonardo gained as much as 1.9%.
Details of the three-way venture are still in flux, and antitrust considerations are likely to shape the structure of any deal, the people said.
Leonardo Chief Executive Officer Roberto Cingolani said on 28 January that he met with Airbus counterpart Guillaume Faury to discuss European collaboration and that progress had been made on a new alliance on space and satellites.
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La Tribune reported in mid-2024 on early talks to create a joint space company. Since then executives have discussed creating a venture modeled on missile company MBDA.
Airbus CEO Faury said in September that European defence and space companies need consolidation to better compete with major global powers.
Europe’s aerospace and defence leaders have long called for consolidation to funnel resources on expensive projects like warplanes. Airbus itself, cobbled together decades ago from manufacturers in several countries, is a primary example of how it can work.
In space, US firms like SpaceX are disrupting competition for rocket launches and satellite communications. Meanwhile in defence, Europe has competing programs for advanced fighter jets.
Europe needs scale in both areas in order to compete with US firms, Faury said at the time.
In space, US firms like SpaceX are disrupting competition for rocket launches and satellite communications. Meanwhile in defense, Europe has competing programs for advanced fighter jets.Europe needs scale in both areas in order to compete with US firms, Faury said at the time.
Airbus in October said it would eliminate as many as 2,500 positions at its defence and space division as the European aircraft manufacturer seeks to cut costs in a business that’s consistently racked up accounting charges and suffered from stiff competition.
Faury launched a review of Airbus’s space unit in July after it racked up $1 billion (€0.97 billion) in losses in the first half of 2024.
Calls for greater collaboration in space and defence in Europe have grown over the past year.
Large system integrators such as Airbus and Thales Alenia Space SAS are losing money on large commercial satellite projects, and profitability must be re-established as a matter of urgency, Josef Aschbacher, the European Space Agency’s director general, said in May.
Thales aims to restore profitability in the space sector, Chief Financial Officer Pascal Bouchiat said in December.
The French company’s Thales Alenia venture with Leonardo had revenue of about €2.2 billion in 2023, according to the website.
They also co-own the Telespazio satellite-services venture which had €700 million in revenue in 2023. Musk’s companies are also making inroads in Europe.
Italy is in talks with SpaceX on a €1.5 billion deal for encrypted communications systems, which would be the largest such project in Europe.
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Webb investigates a dusty and dynamic disc
04/02/2025
Herbig-Haro objects are small nebulae found in star formation regions, marking the locations where gas flowing out from young stars is heated into luminescence by shockwaves.
HH 30 is an example of where this outflowing gas takes the form of a narrow jet. The source star is located on one end of the jet, hidden behind an edge-on protoplanetary disc that the star is illuminating.
HH 30 is of particular interest to astronomers. In fact, the HH 30 disc is considered the prototype of an edge-on disc, thanks to its early discovery with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Discs seen from this view are a unique laboratory to study how dust grains drift and settle.
An international team of astronomers have used Webb to investigate the target in great detail.
By combining Webb’s observations with those from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the team was able to study the multiwavelength disc appearance of the system.
The long-wavelength data from ALMA trace the location of millimetre-sized dust grains, which are found in a narrow region in the central plane of the disc.
The shorter-wavelength infrared data from Webb reveal the distribution of smaller dust grains. These grains are only one millionth of a metre across – about the size of a single bacterium.
While the large dust grains are concentrated in the densest parts of the disc, the small grains are much more widespread.
These Webb observations were taken as part of the Webb GO programme #2562 (PI F. Menard, K. Stapelfeldt), which aims to understand how dust evolves in edge-on discs like HH 30.
Combined with the keen radio-wavelength eyes of ALMA, these observations show that large dust grains must migrate within the disc and settle in a thin layer.
The creation of a narrow, dense layer of dust is an important stage in the process of planet formation. In this dense region, dust grains clump together to form pebbles and eventually planets themselves.
In addition to the behaviour of dust grains, the Webb, Hubble, and ALMA images reveal several distinct structures that are nested within one another.
A high-velocity jet of gas emerges at a 90-degree angle from the narrow central disc. The narrow jet is surrounded by a wider, cone-shaped outflow.
Enclosing the conical outflow is a wide nebula that reflects the light from the young star that is embedded within the disc.
Together, these data reveal HH 30 to be a dynamic place, where tiny dust grains and massive jets alike play a role in the formation of new planets.
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb/Webb_investigates_a_dusty_and_dynamic_disc
https://esawebb.org/images/potm2501a/
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.07523
UK scientists plan to monitor krill from space as species threatened by warming
Monday 03 February 2025 19:01 EST
British scientists are hoping to monitor Antarctic krill from space as the species faces growing threats from climate change and overfishing.
WWF, the University of Strathclyde and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have teamed up for the pioneering project, which will involve comparing light patterns, combined with satellite and remote sensing data, to better understand where populations are and how they are changing over time.
The researchers ultimately hope the work will help to inform decision-makers and safeguard these vital but often overlooked crustaceans.
The tiny creatures are only a few centimetres long but play a critical role in Antarctic marine ecosystems, sustaining penguins, seals and the world’s largest animals, including blue whales.
They also help to draw down and store vast amounts of planet-heating carbon from the atmosphere.
The project, which was launched at the UN climate conference Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November, has kicked off with Strathclyde’s Dr Cait McCarry recently returning from an Antarctic expedition where she was sampling live krill.
Rod Downie, chief polar adviser at WWF-UK, said: “Antarctic krill are the superheroes of the Southern Ocean.
These tiny, unsung heroes are the beating heart of the Southern Ocean, sustaining incredible marine life.
“They are the reason why humpback whales migrate thousands of miles every year to feed in the icy waters around Antarctica.
And they are climate heroes too, playing a critical role in drawing down carbon from the ocean surface.
“But climate change and unsustainable fishing are putting them at risk.
With sea ice declining and industrial fishing growing, we urgently need to better manage the fishery and protect krill habitats within a network of marine protected areas.
‘Krill from Space’ may give us a new tool to help monitor and safeguard this vital species.”
David McKee, reader in the department of physics at Strathclyde, said: “Ocean colour satellites have provided daily global monitoring of the world ocean since 1997.
However, it is only very recently that we have been able to identify a signal associated with the pigment that turns krill red.
“This is a ground-breaking effort to develop a new way to monitor krill swarms at the surface where they are known to occur in huge patches that are important feeding grounds for whales and other important marine species.
“In time we hope to be able to support international conservation and sustainable management of this most important Antarctic species.”
By eating and excreting phytoplankton and shedding their exoskeletons, Antarctic kill can transfer 0.3 million tonnes of carbon to the deep ocean every day, which is equivalent to the UK’s daily carbon emissions.
But rising sea temperatures are causing krill nurseries lose their protective sea ice, causing populations to shrink and shift south.
As a cornerstone to the Antarctic food web above the sea floor, scientists say that protecting the species is critical for maintaining both biodiversity and climate stability.
https://www.the-independent.com/climate-change/news/antarctic-southern-ocean-wwf-british-antarctic-survey-university-of-strathclyde-b2691583.html
Marvel fans thrilled at Fantastic Four trailer event at U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville
Updated: 10:22 AM CST February 4, 2025
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, was the site of an exciting event Tuesday as the Future Foundation hosted the official countdown to the trailer launch of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Fans gathered in anticipation of the highly anticipated trailer for the new superhero film, which has generated global buzz.
Cast members from the film, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, made special appearances at the event, adding to the excitement.
Pascal, known for his role as Reed Richards, Kirby as Sue Storm, Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, joined fans in celebrating the next big chapter in Marvel's cinematic universe.
The movie is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/marvel-fantastic-four-trailer-launch-us-space-rocket-center-huntsville-alabama/525-fc261159-0228-4fba-b5e0-7b391b323127
https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-takes-off-with-first-awe-inspiring-trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wpBrQV5Obg
BlackSky Wins EMDYN Subscription Contract to Deliver On-Demand Gen-2 Space-Based Imagery Services to International Government Customers
February 04, 2025 08:30 AM EST
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) won a multi-year contract with geospatial intelligence fusion company EMDYN (Emerging Dynamics) to deliver space-based imagery services to international customers.
The agreement gives international ministries of defense the ability to set up API-enabled automated tip-and-cue tasking and the fusing of signals and other intelligence sources to support real-time tactical operations.
“BlackSky and EMDYN’s combined services will bring space and terrestrial data together for on-demand insights at scale, while a mission is ongoing,” said Brian E. O’Toole, BlackSky CEO.
“These unique AI-driven services will reduce end-to-end latency across the entire tasking-to-dissemination process.”
“EMDYN Platform was fully developed in-house to meet the growing intelligence challenges in an increasingly unstable world,” said Tim Van Renterghem, EMDYN founder and CEO.
“Integrating BlackSky satellite imagery into EMDYN Platform adds a powerful real-time dimension that empowers analysts to derive accurate, actionable intelligence much faster.”
BlackSky achieves industry-leading speed through constellation design and a dedication to end-to-end AI-driven system automation.
With rapid, hourly revisit rates, the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics platform delivers time-diverse imagery and analytics up to 15 times per day, dawn-to-dusk, providing decision-quality data directly to those who need it most—from senior leaders to those in the field.
About BlackSky
BlackSky is a real-time, space-based intelligence company that delivers on-demand, high frequency imagery, analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world.
BlackSky owns and operates one of the industry’s most advanced, purpose-built commercial, real-time intelligence system that combines the power of the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics software platform and our proprietary low earth orbit satellite constellation.
With BlackSky, customers can see, understand and anticipate changes for a decisive strategic advantage at the tactical edge, and act not just fast, but first.
BlackSky is trusted by some of the most demanding U.S. and international government agencies, commercial businesses, and organizations around the world.
BlackSky is headquartered in Herndon, VA, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as BKSY. To learn more, visit www.blacksky.com and follow us on X (Twitter).
About EMDYN
EMDYN helps organizations to better understand the threats they face by turning data into actionable intelligence, safeguarding vital assets and supporting critical decision making.
We major in location intelligence and geospatial intelligence fusion through EMDYN Platform, integrating multi-source data in a single application to provide unparalleled insights into situations, events or patterns of movement.
We empower analysts to drive faster and smarter critical decision making, finding vital connections that might otherwise be lost.
EMDYN Platform is a modern, future-proof solution that is especially relevant to anyone working in intelligence and security services who requires up to date information to plan current operations and predict future possibilities.
Delivering reliability and speed, EMDYN Platform is built from the ground up to be future-proof, bringing together a wide variety of data sources, commercial and customer specific, plus allowing sensor data integration.
EMDYN offers modern, proven technology to help clients stay ahead of the curve, working towards a safer, more secure world. To learn more, visit www.emdyn.com.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250204743741/en/BlackSky-Wins-EMDYN-Subscription-Contract-to-Deliver-On-Demand-Gen-2-Space-Based-Imagery-Services-to-International-Government-Customers
https://www.blacksky.com/
https://www.emdyn.com/
Sheikh Hamdan announces huge new UAE space mission
February 4, 2025
Another first for the UAE…
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has just announced an agreement that will pave the way for the first Emirati Arab astronaut to enter lunar orbit.
In a post shared on social media platform X (previously, Twitter), the Crown Price stated that he attended a ‘signing of a cooperation agreement with Thales Alenia Space’ which marks a ‘major step towards realising the UAE’s space exploration goals, with Thales Alenia Space becoming a strategic partner in the country’s role in the Lunar Gateway Space Station.’
Sheikh Hamdan added that ‘the project will usher in a new era of human space exploration, paving the way for the first Emirati Arab astronaut to enter lunar orbit.’
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) will spearhead the UAE’s involvement in the project.
Sheikh Hamdan also highlighted that the partnership is a ‘vital step toward establishing humanity’s permanent presence on the Moon and enabling future planetary missions.’
He ended the social media post stating he is proud to join forces with ‘the United States, Japan, Canada, and the European Union – to push the frontiers of discovery and exploration.’
During the signing, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE were also present.
Reaching for the stars…
The UAE has made some huge leaps in the field of space exploration in the past few years. And it is showing no signs of stopping with a number of huge mega projects in the pipeline.
Earlier in January 2025, the UAE was in the news for another hugely successful mission with the launch of MBZSAT.
MBZSAT was onboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which successfully shot off to space on January 14, 2025, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 11.09pm (UAE time).
The satellite project was initially announced in 2020 by the Ruler of Dubai, named in honour of the UAE’s President, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The satellite, currently in orbit, is equipped with a high-tech ‘automated system for arranging images round-the-clock, ensuring that it provides the highest quality standards of satellite images intended for commercial use globally.’
It is operated and managed by the Mission Control Centre at MBRSC.
MBZ-SAT represents a quantum leap in the UAE’s space exploration endeavours. Well done, UAE!
https://www.msn.com/en-ae/entertainment/other/sheikh-hamdan-announces-huge-new-uae-space-mission/ar-AA1ynCau
https://whatson.ae/2025/01/mbzsat-uae/
DoD’s Former Top Space Buyer Joins True Anomaly Board
February 4, 2025
Former DoD space acquisition chief Frank Calvelli has joined the board of True Anomaly to help the startup ensure it’s well positioned to sell to national security customers.
Calvelli, who left the Pentagon last month during the switch to the new administration, said he was drawn to work with True Anomaly because of a few key factors, including the versatility of the company’s Jackal platform, the early focus on ground software, and the startup culture.
“I really like the speed the company is going at,” he told Payload. “And I really like their approach.”
Jackal’s mission: True Anomaly’s Jackal—a maneuverable spacecraft designed to conduct space domain awareness missions—is already working with the Pentagon on the military’s VICTUS HAZE demo, which will see Jackal conduct a rendezvous and proximity operations mission with another spacecraft built by Rocket Lab. The mission is expected to launch in 2025.
Calvelli said he’s a “big fan” of Jackal, in part because it can operate in many different orbits from LEO to cislunar.
Entry point: Calvelli said he sees lots of room for nontraditional commercial companies like True Anomaly to begin working with the national security and intel agencies.
“There’s a space renaissance going on right now,” he said. “The focus we had when I was in the job at the Pentagon was to build smaller systems.
When you build smaller systems, not only do you go faster, but you also are able to work with a whole other sea of companies out there….Space is in a really great time right now to get things done and take advantage of this incredible industrial base.”
What’s next: True Anomaly most recently tested Jackal in orbit in December, after it launched on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-2 rideshare flight.
Their next mission could come as early as May, Calvelli said, highlighting their quick turnaround time.
https://payloadspace.com/dods-former-top-space-buyer-joins-true-anomaly-board/
SpaceX Maxar 3 Mission
February 4, 2025 6:07 p.m. ET
SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, February 4 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Maxar 3 mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The 60-minute window opens at 6:07 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Wednesday, February 5 with a 60-minute window opening at 5:42 p.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This will be the fourth flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GOES-U and two Starlink missions.
After stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=maxar3
Tonight: Sonic boom advisory issued for SpaceX rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast
February 04, 2025 at 4:21 am EST
People in Central Florida could hear a loud boom Tuesday evening.
SpaceX crews are preparing to launch and land a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Space Coast.
The hour-long launch window will open at 6:07 p.m.
The launch was scheduled to happen Monday evening but got delayed.
SpaceX plans to send a pair of observation satellites into orbit for Maxar Technologies.
After the launch, SpaceX plans to land the rocket’s first-stage booster back at its landing site at Kenney Space Center.
Due to the landing, a sonic boom advisory has been issued.
SpaceX said there is the possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee County counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.
https://www.wftv.com/news/local/sonic-boom-advisory-issued-spacex-rocket-launch-floridas-space-coast/RFVE4LJR4RFYPHKG35PXZVLYNM/
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1886551613021589662
New record coming? 5 rockets scheduled to launch in next 24 hours
February 4, 2025
Today (Feb. 4) is slated to be a banner day for spaceflight, with a record-breaking five rocket launches scheduled over the next 24 hours.
SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and the Russian space agency Roscosmos all have missions slated for liftoff today.
They are spread across a total of about 20 hours, with several hours of waiting between each. To catch them all, you're going to have to wake up well before the sun rises, and the last launch of the day will have you up alongside your local late night news.
But FIVE launches in one day? It might be worth missing some sleep over, and depending on your own schedule today, you'll have plenty of time to squeeze naps in between engine ignitions.
You'll have to set your alarm extra early for today's first planned flight. SpaceX is scheduled to launch a batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station during a three-hour window that opens at 3:37 a.m. EST (0837 GMT).
The satellites, group 12-3, will be released in low-Earth orbit to join the growing internet constellation. SpaceX will stream that launch live through its profile on X, beginning about five minutes before liftoff.
You'll have time to catch a little sleep, or to make a pot or two of coffee, before the next launch.
Blue Origin is targeting 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) for liftoff of the company's suborbital New Shepard rocket on the NS-29 uncrewed research mission.
NS-29 was supposed to launch last week, but that attempt was scrubbed due to weather and a rocket issue.
New Shepard is carrying 30 science payloads, which will experience about two minutes of simulated moon gravity thanks to the capsule's rotation.
NS-29 will be streamed on the Space.com homepage, as well as on Blue Origin's YouTube page.
Next, Rocket Lab will launch an Electron rocket from the company's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
The "IoT 4 You and Me" mission is carrying five satellites for the French company Kinéis' planned 25-satellite constellation, which is designed for tracking and real-time alerts across the globe.
The IoT (Internet of Things) mission is scheduled for 3:43 p.m. EST (2043 GMT, 11:43 a.m. local New Zealand time), and will also be streamed on Space.com.
SpaceX plans to launch a second mission this evening, which wouldn't be shocking — the company has sent two rockets up just hours apart before.
A pair of Maxar Technology WorldView Legion satellites will launch on a Falcon 9 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Earth-observation satellites will complete a constellation of six WorldView Legion spacecraft, which are part of a larger group of 10 Maxar satellites designed for imaging rapidly changing areas of the planet.
That launch is slated for 6:07 p.m. EST (2307 GMT), with a livestream available on SpaceX's X page beginning around 5:50 p.m. ET (2250 GMT).
Rounding out this busy launch day will be a mission with a bit of mystery involved. Roscosmos is scheduled to launch an unknown payload from its seldom-used Plesetsk Cosmodrome, in Russia's northwest.
The classified payload will launch from the facility's Site-43, on a Soyuz 2.1V/Volga rocket — similar to Russia's workhorse Soyuz rocket, but with a modified, stronger central booster and no side boosters.
The launch is scheduled for 10 p.m. EST (0300 GMT on Feb. 5).
As you pace yourself through the record-breaking day, however, keep in mind that any one of these launches could end up being scrubbed.
If there's one scrub, the day becomes merely record-tying. If two happen to scrub, well, then you'll just get to see three — and the math continues likewise.
No matter the day's outcome, take solace in the fact that there were even five launches scheduled in one day to begin with.
That, in itself, is a testament to the ubiquity of spaceflight today, and the leaps the industry has taken for such a cadence to become possible.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/new-record-coming-5-rockets-scheduled-to-launch-in-next-24-hours
Drone footage shows wreckage of Washington DC plane crash
February 4, 2025
The National Transportation Safety Board has released drone video of investigators surveying the wreckage of the Washington DC crash.
The 29 January mid-air collision between a military helicopter and American Airlines passenger plane in Washington, DC killed 67 people.
The footage, taken the day after the crash, shows the two aircraft submerged in the icy Potomac River.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/dc-plane-crash-live-updates-salvage-operations/?id=118393207
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/czrlegezv26o