Starbase City Status Approved, FAA Greenlights Increased SpaceX Starship Launches

Starbase City Incorporation

• 🚀 Starbase, Texas has officially been approved as a new city, with Cameron County voting to incorporate the area.
• 💡 The new city is comprised almost exclusively of SpaceX employees and those connected to the company, aiming to foster community.

FAA Approval for Increased Launches

• 🛰️ The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved SpaceX's request to increase launches from Starbase.
• 📈 The permit allows for an increase from five launches per year to 25 launches per year.
• ⚠️ Increased launch cadence could begin as early as May 19th, pending FAA acceptance of mishap investigations from previous launches.

Planet Labs and German Contract

• 📊 Planet Labs has signed a seven-figure contract with the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy.
• 🌍 This contract provides Germany with Planet's data products for monitoring water, forests, agriculture, and land use.

ClearSpace Active Debris Removal

• 🛰️ ClearSpace has completed Phase 2 of its mission for the UK's first active debris removal project.
• 🛠️ Key technologies, including the robotic capture system and image processing algorithms, have been successfully tested.

US Space Force and International Launch Sites

• 🚀 The US Space Force is exploring access to international launch ranges to enhance launch resilience.
• 💰 Scitec has been awarded a $259 million contract for the Forge OPIR solution by Space Systems Command.

iSpace Lunar Lander Milestone

• 🌕 iSpace's Resilience Lunar lander has successfully entered lunar orbit, a major milestone for its June 5th landing attempt.
• 🇨🇦 MDA Space and Mission Control are partnering to expand the rover Driving Academy for Canadian students, supporting lunar exploration education.