As an initial task under the MoU, Northrop Grumman will join Gilmour Space as an industry partner on a previously announced Cooperative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) to develop composite rocket tanks for low cost space transport.

The CRC-P, which includes Griffith University and Etamax Engineering, will manufacture composite tanks up to two meters in diameter and trial them in rocket flights, in an effort to reduce weight and increase reliability.

Northrop Grumman recently sought expressions of interest from a range of Australian and New Zealand industry members, through the Industry Capability Network Gateway Portal, which included small businesses, with the goal to identify and collaborate with industry to develop Australian space capabilities.

Northrop Grumman has a strong customer base in Australia where it has been supporting numerous defense and civil programs for more than 20 years.

Source:  Northrop Grumman
Associated URL: news.northropgrumman.com

The dedicated mission for Synspective is scheduled for lift-off during a 14-day launch window opening on December 12 UTC and will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula to a targeted 500km circular low Earth orbit.

The mission is named ‘The Owl’s Night Begins’ in a nod to Synspective’s StriX family of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft developed to be able to image millimetre-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space, independent of weather conditions on Earth and at any time of the day or night. Strix is also the genus of owls.

The StriX-a satellite onboard this mission will be the first of a series of spacecraft deployments for Synspective’s planned constellation of more than 30 SAR small satellites to collate data of metropolitan centers across Asia on a daily basis that can be used for urban development planning, construction and infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.

For this mission, Rocket Lab will utilize a custom expanded fairing to encompass Synspective’s wide-body satellite - the first use of the expanded fairing options that Rocket Lab recently introduced alongside a suite of vehicle performance improvements, including advances in battery technology which enable an improved payload lift capacity up to 300 kg (660 lbs). Rocket Lab will also perform an advanced mid-mission maneuver with its Kick Stage space tug that will shield the StriX-a satellite from the sun to reduce radiation exposure ahead of payload deployment.

Source:  Rocket Lab
Associated URL: rocketlabusa.com

Upon closing of the transaction, the stockholders in Loral, together with PSP Investments and certain current and former management shareholders of Telesat, will beneficially own all of the equity in New Telesat in approximately the same proportion as their current, indirect ownership in Telesat. Loral stockholders not affiliated with the funds managed by MHR Fund Management LLC (MHR Funds) will beneficially own 26.1% of the economic interests in New Telesat, with the MHR Funds, PSP Investments and management shareholders of Telesat beneficially owning the remaining 36.6%, 36.7% and 0.7%, respectively, of the economic interests in New Telesat (such percentages have been subjected to rounding adjustments).

New Telesat shares will initially be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and New Telesat is also considering a listing for its shares on a Canadian stock exchange. New Telesat's governance provisions will contain special features designed to maintain majority Canadian board and voting control. Loral and Telesat will also make certain cash payments to PSP Investments in connection with the transaction, including a payment of $7 million and a payment to adjust for the value of Loral's non-Telesat assets and liabilities at the time of the closing of the transaction.

The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Loral stockholders (as further described below) and certain regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2021.

Source:  www.loral.com
Associated URL: www.telesat.com