The mission - named ‘In Focus’ in a nod to the Earth-imaging satellites onboard - will lift-off in October from Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site, Launch Complex 1, in New Zealand. The mission will deploy a total of 10 satellites to precise and individual orbits. The mission will be Rocket Lab’s 15th launch overall and fifth mission of 2020, making Electron the second most-frequently launched United States orbital rocket this year.

Earth-imaging company Planet has nine of their latest generation SuperDove satellites booked on the mission for deployment to a 500km morning-crossing Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Each of the nine SuperDoves will be integrated with and deployed from Rocket Lab’s Maxwell dispensers, the industry’s lightest CubeSat dispenser in its class. Planet’s Flock 4e’ of SuperDoves will join the company’s constellation of Earth-observation satellites already on orbit providing medium-resolution global coverage and near-daily revisit.

The 10th and final payload aboard this mission, Canon Electronics Inc.’s CE-SAT-IIB, was arranged by satellite rideshare and mission management provider Spaceflight Inc. CE-SAT-IIB is a technical demonstration microsatellite developed by Canon Electronics Inc. It has a middle-size telescope equipped with an ultra-high sensitivity camera to take night images of the Earth and small size telescopes which are suitable for CubeSat use.

Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says the mission demonstrates the industry-leading flexibility Electron provides to small satellite operators by deploying multiple spacecraft to their various target destinations even when flying as part of a rideshare.

Rocket Lab has multiple missions scheduled for the remainder of 2020, including an upcoming launch in Q4 earmarked for the company’s first Electron first stage recovery attempt. The Electron’s first stage will be equipped with new hardware, including a reaction control system and an in-house designed parachute system, to orient the booster during its re-entry descent and slow down the first stage before a soft landing in the ocean where it will be collected by a ship.

Source:  Rocket Lab
Associated URL: rocketlabusa.com

The agreement commits DoD and NASA to broad collaboration in areas that include human spaceflight, space policy, space transportation, standards and best practices for safe operations in space, scientific research and planetary defense.

The agreement was discussed today at the Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies' Space Power Forum.

The MoU replaces an agreement signed 14 years ago between NASA and the U.S. Air Force Space Command, under which the two organizations exchanged research and development information, sought to reduce duplication of system development and collaborated in the long-term planning of each organization's space roadmaps.

The security of the space domain has become more challenging with competitor nations able to jam, spoof, hack and use lasers to attack satellites and communications systems, Bridenstine said.

"We want to see behaviors improved in space," he said, "and the Space Force will be an important partner in ensuring space is secure and is used peacefully for the benefit of all of humanity."

Raymond said the Space Force will defend assets in space including GPS satellites, weather satellites, communications satellites, missile warning satellites, space domain awareness satellites, rockets and the International Space Station.

Those assets are vital to the joint force and those capabilities are shared with allies and partners, he added.

Source:  US DoD
Associated URL: Click here to visit
Author: David Vergun , DoD News 

At just 3.4 meters long and weighing 34 kilograms, the DART rocket is a fraction of the size of rockets launched by NASA and SpaceX.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said space was an increasingly important domain, which is why the Government is investing $7 billion over the next decade in space capabilities as part of the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan.

"The rocket will carry a prototype radio frequency receiver unit designed for Air Force.

"The payload, carried on a DART rocket, provides a stepping stone for Air Force to explore how advanced rapidly deployable networked sensors can be employed to provide information across Defence networks," Minister Reynolds said.

"Air Force’s Plan Jericho has sponsored this prototype, developed by DEWC Systems, and marks an exciting future for Australia’s space capability."

"As space is becoming more congested and contested, the Government is investing $7 billion over the next decade in space capabilities as part of the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the DART rocket launch is a partnership between Government and industry, demonstrating future opportunities for both commercial and government applications.

"Air Force’s advanced sensing capability is being enhanced by working with leading Australian industry partners, Southern Launch, DEWC Systems, and Dutch company, T-Minus Engineering," Minister Price said.

"The rocket is unlike any rocket ever launched in Australia, and is part of what is known as ‘New Space’ technologies - small rockets carrying reduced sized satellites using commercially available technologies".

The rocket launch forms part of Air Force’s Plan Jericho advanced sensing program to detect and track challenging targets. The program also includes high altitude balloon launches.

The launch of the DART rocket from the Koonibba Rocket Range is being done in consultation with the local Aboriginal community, and marks the start of commercial space launches from South Australia.

Source:  Australia DoD
Associated URL: Click here to visit
Author: A. Dardine, Defense Electronics