by Douglas MessierManaging Editor The first half of 2022 saw more commercial travelers — 16 — launch into space than the 10 professional astronauts who work for government-run space agencies. However, those numbers come with an asterisk or two. Four of the 14 astronauts who launched into orbit flew on Axiom Space’s privately funded and […]

Astraius on track for first satellite launch from Prestwick Spaceport in 2024 Farnborough, UK (Astraius PR) — Astraius, the UK-based, horizontal launch company, has today announced two key suppliers for its innovative launch solution. Northrop Grumman has been selected as the first and second stage motor supplier, and Exquadrum will provide the upper-stage motor. With […]

Supporting Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS) and NASA’s Artemis program, Solstar Space will develop the WiFi Access Points that will be utilized for communications aboard HALO. SANTA FE, N.M., July 19, 2022  (Solstar Space PR) — Solstar Space (Solstar), the company making persistent in-orbit communications available, and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), announced Solstar will provide the Wireless Access Points that […]

Constellation will accelerate national defense capabilities against hypersonic and advanced missile threats REDONDO BEACH, Calif., July 18, 2022 (Northrop Grumman PR) – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has won a competition to build and deploy a proliferated low-Earth orbit constellation of 14 satellites with infrared sensors for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Tracking […]

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., July 5, 2022 (Northrop Grumman PR) – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) today announced the selection of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc. as the commercial provider of satellite platforms for its proliferated-LEO constellation. Under the terms of the contract, Airbus U.S. will supply 42 satellite “bus” platforms, as well as support […]

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — At 7:07 a.m. EDT, flight controllers on the ground sent commands to release the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft from the Canadarm2 robotic arm after earlier detaching Cygnus from the nadir port of the International Space Station’s Unity module. At the time of release, the station was flying about 260 miles over the […]

NASA Mission Update On Saturday, June 25, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus completed its first limited reboost of the International Space Station. Cygnus’ gimbaled delta velocity engine was used to adjust the space station’s orbit through a reboost of the altitude of the space station. The maneuver lasted 5 minutes, 1 second and raised the station’s altitude […]

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — On Monday at 10:20 a.m. Central time, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus NG CRS-17 engine was scheduled to fire for 5 minutes, 1 second to test the cargo craft’s ability to reboost the International Space Station in the future. The engine firing was aborted after five seconds. Cygnus’ Mission Director at Dulles, Virginia […]

Northrop Grumman teamed with Mynaric and Innoflight to bring the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) vision of a secure, proliferated low-Earth orbit (LEO) mesh communication network closer to reality REDONDO BEACH, Calif. (Northrop Grumman PR) – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) today announced the successful ground demonstration of a secure networked laser communications system for proliferated-LEO […]