As we approach the final weeks of 2024, our eyes are set on the new horizons of spacetech. From the world’s first wooden satellite to game-changing investments, here’s your latest catch-up on the space sector.
ESA Awards Funding to Four European Launch Startups
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced an additional €44.22 million in funding through its “Boost!” program to support four European launch startups - HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, Orbex, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) - in testing their vehicles. This funding aims to strengthen Europe’s commercial launch capabilities amid increasing concerns about reliance on non-European providers, such as SpaceX.
ESA's investment highlights Europe's push for competitive and sovereign access to space, with leaders emphasising the need for institutional customers to drive long-term growth.
World's First Wooden Satellite Takes Off
apanese researchers have launched the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, to test the potential of timber for space exploration. Developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, the palm-sized satellite is made of honoki wood, chosen for its durability and traditional use in Japanese crafts. It will orbit Earth for six months, assessing wood's resilience to extreme space conditions and its ability to shield electronics from radiation.
Advocates believe wood's renewability and environmental benefits - such as burning up without pollution during re-entry - make it ideal for sustainable satellite technology and future space habitats.
Space Force Awards OpTech $4.5M for Optical Imaging Mission
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Optimum Technologies (OpTech) a $4.5 million contract to develop an advanced optical imaging payload for the 2026 Victus Surgo mission, part of the Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program. This initiative leverages commercial technologies to address potential orbital threats, such as anti-satellite weapons, with a focus on geosynchronous orbit security.
The mission will mark the debut of Impulse Space’s Helios transfer vehicle, which will deliver the payload to geostationary transfer orbit via a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. The payload includes a telescope, high-resolution camera, and proprietary software, all produced at OpTech’s expanded facility in Virginia.
Taking AI to New Frontiers: Lumen Orbit Secures $10M and Partnership with Nvidia
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