Emerging Markets Archives - The Enterprise Orbit

FOMS Inc gears up for ZBLAN fiber manufacturing on ISS

FOMS, Inc, a small business based in San Diego, California, has developed an automated fiber manufacturing process for producing a suite of next generation optical fiber in microgravity. FOMS, which is implementing its technology through NASA’s SBIR program, will see its first operational payload installed on the ISS in 2019. [caption id="attachment_2074" align="alignleft" width="356"] Dr. Dmitry Starodubov, chief scientist at FOMS Inc. Source: FOMS Inc[/caption] In-space manufacturing for Earth-based markets

Deltion Innovations takes first step in building out space mining supply chain

Six months after NASA cancelled its lunar-bound Resource Prospector mission, mining technology provider Deltion Innovations, which was part of the team, signed an industry-first memorandum of understanding (MOU) with commercial lunar payload services firm Moon Express for future lunar mining missions. The deal comes at an interesting time for lunar-focused space companies. 2019 is shaping up to become an inflection point for commercial lunar services -- if a few key

Cubesat-sized AMODS robot will launch in December

This small dexterous spacecraft can crawl around a malfunctioning satellite and help determine what went wrong. The cubesat spacecraft, called AMODS (autonomous mobile on-orbit diagnostic system), was developed by a group of US Navy researchers, led by ensign Ned Hanlon. The RSat robot is scheduled to launch this December for a technology demonstration. AMODS is designed to help identify and diagnose unexpected issues that arise after an asset has reached

Smart investments in the new space economy

Morgan Stanley seems concerned about the future of space investment. In August, the Wall Street heavyweight released an investor’s note cautioning its followers to not sleep on smart space investment opportunities. “A number of events in recent weeks have the potential to accelerate the investment significance of the space economy from what is mostly in the private equity domain to the public equity domain,” Morgan Stanley analysts said in a

Competing visions emerge as mission extension services come to fruition

Advancements in robotics has opened up new opportunities in satellite servicing and mission extension. Companies Orbital ATK and SSL have both developed mission extension vehicles and services in hopes of tapping into the market. Michael Gabor, SSL’s advanced programs director, describes mission extension services as “a game changer.” “It’s going to revolutionize how we treat the space domain, more than any of these other things do,” he said at the

Is there a business model for orbital debris?

Orbital debris capture and removal systems will prove crucial to the future of commercial LEO development, but the question remains as to whether there’s money to be made from it. The problem is growing to epic proportions, as launch increases has placed thousands of new satellites into LEO over the past few years. The increasing amounts of space debris “is going to be an ongoing issue that drives a lot

SpacePharma’s mini-labs enable microgravity research on nanosatellites

SpacePharma is expanding access to microgravity for research and development with its mGnify platform, which offers remotely-controlled, end-to-end mini labs. The labs can be used to conduct research on the ISS, in parabolic or suborbital flights, and can even attach to small satellites. The company, headquartered in Courgenay, Switzerland, is working with a number of academic and commercial partners in microgravity research on the ISS and other platforms. [caption id="attachment_1489"

LEO satellite broadband will be disruptive, if successful

A new crop of non-geostationary satellites could see the emergence of a new broadband market in low Earth orbit. SpaceX, Boeing, OneWeb, LeoSat and Telesat are five would-be satellite broadband service providers that have received FCC authorization for deploying satellite broadband in the US. If successful, these providers are poised to disrupt the current satellite broadband market, and perhaps even terrestrial fixed services in some areas. Satellite broadband is by

Big rockets will take us the Moon

After a successful test flight last week, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has reinvigorated the public’s interest spaceflight development. But what does the rocket’s development mean for commercial space? With its lower price points -- the Falcon Heavy flies for $90 million, while its competitors fly about three times that -- SpaceX has once again injected a burst of competition into an industry that has, for too long, lacked motives for innovation.

With smallsat boom, NASA launches pilot Earth science data program

NASA will begin a pilot program this spring to determine whether the agency wants to purchase Earth observation data from the leagues of private small satellites that are orbiting the planet. Twin trends of decreased costs to access space and advancements made in satellite technology has spurred considerable growth in the private smallsat sector. Meanwhile, funding for NASA's own Earth observation operations is increasingly under threat by the Trump administration,