Seradata's recommended space stories - December 2024

We are cutting through the orbital debris for you. In other words, we're keeping an eye on space news on the web so you don't have to.

Here is our round-up of the most important, and interesting, space news stories of December (space orders can be found in another post):

Anomalies and failures

The break-up of Intelsat 33e caused concerns and then DMSP-5D2 F14 created even more debrisIngenuity Mars copter crashed because its optical navigation system was unable to lock onto any meaningful surface features as it flew over a predominantly sandy region, an investigation foundIncreased drag due to Gannon solar/geomagnetic storm in May forced 5,000 satellites to make manoeuvres

Human space

A Chinese spacewalk made world records while Cosmonauts conducted a VKD-63 spacewalk from ISSVast Space signed a deal with SpaceX for two private astronaut missions to the ISSDelays to their return to Earth continued for stranded NASA astronauts on ISSAxiom plans to attach a Payload Power Thermal Module (PPTM) to the ISS before any habitat modules in a change of plansIn an usually early move, President-elect Donald Trump selected billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman as the next NASA Administrator. For context, the last Trump administration took seven months after inauguration to nominate Jim Bridenstine, while Biden took a couple of months to put forward Bill Nelson

Space Science

ESA Gaia and Integral missions will come to an end by April 2025ISRO launched the Proba-3 mission to create an artificial eclipse

Space Technology

Vega E development received the go-ahead signal as ESA and Avio signed contracts for the Vega C launch of the Forum missionTwo O3B mPower satellites were finally sent into orbit with electrical faults fixed

International Space

After Thailand, Panama and Austria, Artemis Accords reached 52 signatories with Liechtenstein as its latest partner, while China's ILRS moon base secured the Omani space firm as a signatoryChina forced a leadership change at its CNSA space agencyESA and EU formally signed up to IRIS2 comsat constellation project

Military Space

Viasat won a US military communications contractSpace situational awareness (SSA) has China worried as it goes after a spacecraft-based solution

Companies/Money:

Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISPACE), Maverick Space Systems and SEOPS announced plans for GEO rideshare missions togetherRivada Space Networks lost spectrum rightsDirect-to-Cell trend continued as AST SpaceMobile agreed deal with VodafoneAirbus Defence and Space said it will cut 2,000 jobsSpaceX valued at US$350 billionSpace firms' stock market prices bounced upwards despite still burning cashPromin Aerospace moved from Ukraine to Maine and has nanosat launcher plansOrbex jumped ship from Sutherland spaceport to the more popular Saxavord siteSAR sat operator Synspective made its IPO on the Tokyo stock exchangeComsats and radar sats join forces: ICEYE and Space42 formalised a joint manufacturing venture

Fundraising:

Satellite maker Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology – the satellite maker developing China’s Qianfan (Thousand Sails) LEO megaconstellation – secured over 1 billion yuan (around US$137 million)Another Chinese company, Landspace, received 900 million yuan (around US$123 million) to develop and produce reusable rockets

Sources include Cision, BBC, CNBC, msn.com, NASA, Orbitaltoday, Payload, phys.org, Politico, scmp.com and SpaceNews with links provided to each story.