Space Industry Updates: SES Acquisition, Planet Labs Contract, and Space Cyber Security

Major Space Industry Acquisitions and Contracts

• 🚀 SES has completed the acquisition of Intelsat, creating a global multi-orbit connectivity powerhouse with an expanded fleet of 120 satellites.
• 🛰️ This combined entity aims to leverage skilled teams and deep vertical expertise to deliver integrated multi-orbit, multiband satellite and connectivity solutions to businesses and governments worldwide.
• 📊 Planet Labs has announced a multi-year contract expansion with Colombia's Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi (IGAC), incorporating the Planet Insights platform and AI-powered change detection for land management.
• 💡 This expansion will enhance analysis for urban planning, infrastructure, and environmental management, aiding in regulation enforcement and risk monitoring.
• ☀️ Solestial has been awarded a $1.2 million contract by SpaceWERX for the development of a novel, fast-to-manufacture multi-orbital solar array wing concept for small satellites.

Emerging Space Technologies and Programs

• 🌌 SpaceX is reportedly developing a new program called Starfall to create commercial products in space, potentially for pharmaceutical components, utilizing the Starship rocket.
• 🧪 The Starfall program relies heavily on Starship's operational capability, which has faced challenges in recent test flights.
• 🚀 The International Space Station National Lab has selected six startups for its inaugural Orbital Edge Accelerator program, offering mentorship and funding to drive new commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.

The Intersection of Space and Cyber Security

• 🔒 Guest Jacob Oakley, Technical Director at SIXGEN and Space Lead for the DEFCON Aerospace Village, discusses the challenges at the intersection of space and cyber security.
• 🧠 He highlights a cultural gap where engineers may not fully understand the scope of 'cyber security' professionals, leading to resistance and a lack of common ground.
• 🛠️ Oakley suggests treating cyber security as an engineering discipline integrated from the design phase of spacecraft development, rather than a compliance check at the end.
• 💡 Integrating cyber representation into regular program meetings can proactively address security requirements, similar to thermal or RF requirements.
• 📈 The aerospace industry's strong emphasis on flight heritage presents a challenge for vendors offering new cyber security solutions, often favoring proven, albeit older, technologies.

Historical Cooperation and Future Discoveries

• 🤝 The Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 demonstrated that even rival nations could cooperate in space, paving the way for future collaborations like the International Space Station.
• 🪐 Astronomers have recently captured the birth of planets around a young star, observing mineral-rich dust grains clumping together, representing the earliest stage of rocky planet formation ever seen.
• ✨ This ongoing international cooperation in space continues to drive new discoveries and open up new worlds.