Radian Aerospace (Radian), developers of the world's first fully reusable, horizontal takeoff and landing, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane, announced today the successful completion of the first round of ground taxi tests with its prototype flight vehicle, PFV01. These tests mark an important step forward in the company's prototype test program as it progresses toward the development of the Radian One spaceplane.

The ground tests, conducted in Abu Dhabi, were designed to assess the low-speed takeoff and landing characteristics of the vehicle, including handling and yaw stability. PFV01, a prototype with the same aerodynamic profile as Radian's AV09 design iteration, performed a series of pitch-up maneuvers and short hops, collecting critical data from integrated telemetry systems.

"These successful tests represent an early but significant step in our broader journey to bring Radian One to market," said Richard Humphrey, co-founder and CEO of Radian. "While we know there is much work ahead, each step in our robust test program brings us closer to transforming access to space with rapid, reusable, and cost-effective transport to low Earth orbit. This achievement underscores the dedication of our team and the potential of our technology as we continue to advance through the next phases of development."

During these tests, Radian's engineering team focused on tuning the flight control systems and assessing the alignment of the real-world data to analytical predictions. The prototype was fitted with various telemetry systems to monitor key parameters, including stability and control metrics.

"We've made substantial technical progress with PFV01," said Livingston Holder, co-founder and CTO of Radian. "Validating our aerodynamic analysis allows us to better define our shape by systematically de-risking critical elements of our spaceplane's design. The ability to collect and analyze real-world data from our initial ground tests is providing key insights into the vehicle's aerodynamic performance and stability that will drive the design of future prototypes and Radian One."

Among the achievements to date, Radian has successfully manufactured the composite PFV01 and developed the tools necessary to analyze data in real time with integrated flight sensors. Looking ahead, Radian plans to conduct the next series of tests in the coming months from a longer runway in the region that will allow sustained flight at higher speeds. These tests will expand the flight envelope and provide additional data for the company's agile, iterative design process. PFV01 will serve as a platform to evaluate higher-risk design challenges for Radian One, informing design decisions based on real-world performance.

As Radian continues its prototype flight vehicle campaign, future test vehicles will address key challenges such as sled separation aerodynamics, rocket engine integration, and control surface optimization.

About Radian Aerospace

Radian Aerospace (Radian) is disrupting the aerospace industry with a next generation aerospace vehicle that is the world's first fully reusable horizontal takeoff and landing, single-stage to orbit spaceplane, delivering people and light cargo to low earth orbit (LEO) and multiple terrestrial destinations with aircraft-like operations. Radian will provide the most frequent, reliable, and affordable human transportation in the aerospace industry, inspiring and driving the creation of totally new industries.

Source: Radian Aerospace

ICEYE, a global leader in satellite-powered disaster management solutions, has announced that Aon, a leading global professional services firm, has expanded its data licensing agreement to include ICEYE’s Flood Insights data globally and Wildfire Insights data for the US.

Under the agreement, Aon will incorporate ICEYE’s near real-time flood and wildfire data into its event response capabilities for Reinsurance clients, to facilitate the loss analysis of catastrophic events. The high-resolution Insights data from ICEYE allows Aon to provide clients with detailed location-level analysis on flood and wildfire insights into damage of properties.

ICEYE’s large constellation of NewSpace satellites provides access to a new level of persistent monitoring for any location on Earth, with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology delivering uninterrupted visibility, day and night, in any weather conditions and through smoke. Hazard and damage data is made available within hours of an event occurring with updated analysis provided at regular intervals as the flood or wildfire develops.

Stephen Lathrope, Senior Vice President for Solutions, ICEYE, added: “ICEYE is delighted to be expanding its data agreement with Aon and building on the success of the solutions we have supported. In an increasingly volatile natural catastrophe environment characterized by increasing frequency, severity, and complexity, rapid access to damage and hazard data will be critical. At ICEYE, we continue to expand our constellations and enhance our technology as we help shape the future of satellite-powered, data-driven disaster response.”

Commenting on the announcement, Dan Dick, Global Head of Property Analytics for Reinsurance at Aon, said: “As climate risk further influences the behavior of weather events, Aon is committed to providing its clients with the most accurate and comprehensive catastrophe data and analytics. By integrating ICEYE’s Flood Insights and Wildfire Insights into our event response solutions, we can provide enhanced clarity and confidence around the immediate financial impact of catastrophic events as they develop, ultimately leading to better business decisions for our clients.”

ICEYE and Aon previously collaborated to provide insurers with flood hazard data following severe flooding events in Japan to help reduce volatility and better understand the post-event impact on their portfolios.

About ICEYE

ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before. Owning the world's largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions. As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development. ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the US. We have more than 700 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

About Aon

Source: ICEYE

A new set of NASA science experiments and technology demonstrations will arrive at the lunar South Pole in 2027 following the agency’s latest CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative delivery award. Intuitive Machines of Houston will receive $116.9 million to deliver six NASA payloads to a part of the Moon where nighttime temperatures are frigid, the terrain is rugged, and the permanently shadowed regions could help reveal the origin of water throughout our solar system.

Part of the agency’s broader Artemis campaign, CLPS aims to conduct science on the Moon for the benefit of all, including experiments and demos that support missions with crew on the lunar surface.

“This marks the 10th CLPS delivery NASA has awarded, and the fourth planned for delivery to the South Pole of the Moon,” said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By supporting a robust cadence of CLPS flights to a variety of locations on the lunar surface, including two flights currently planned by companies for later this year, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before.”

NASA has awarded Intuitive Machine’s four task orders. The company delivered six NASA payloads to Malapert A in the South Pole region of the Moon in early 2024. With this lunar South Pole delivery, Intuitive Machines will be responsible for payload integration, launch from Earth, safe landing on the Moon, and mission operations.

“The instruments on this newly awarded flight will help us achieve multiple scientific objectives and strengthen our understanding of the Moon’s environment,” said Chris Culbert, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “For example, they’ll help answer key questions about where volatiles – such as water, ice, or gas – are found on the lunar surface and measure radiation in the South Pole region, which could advance our exploration efforts on the Moon and help us with continued exploration of Mars.”

The instruments, collectively expected to be about 174 pounds (79 kilograms) in mass, include:

• The Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications will deliver yeast to the lunar surface and study its response to radiation and lunar gravity. The payload is managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California.
• Package for Resource Observation and In-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterization and Testing is a suite of instruments that will drill down to 3.3 feet (1 meter) beneath the lunar surface, extract samples, and process them in-situ in a miniaturized laboratory, to identify possible volatiles (water, ice, or gas) trapped at extremely cold temperatures under the surface. This suite is led by ESA (European Space Agency).
• The Laser Retroreflector Array is a collection of eight retroreflectors that will enable lasers to precisely measure the distance between a spacecraft and the reflector on the lander. The array is a passive optical instrument and will function as a permanent location marker on the Moon for decades to come. The retroflector array is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
• The Surface Exosphere Alterations by Landers will investigate the chemical response of lunar regolith to the thermal, physical, and chemical disturbances generated during a landing, and evaluate contaminants injected into the regolith by the lander. It will give insight into how a spacecraft landing might affect the composition of samples collected nearby. This payload is managed by NASA Goddard.
• The Fluxgate Magnetometer will characterize certain magnetic fields to improve the understanding of energy and particle pathways at the lunar surface and is managed by NASA Goddard.
• The Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System will deploy a radiometer – a device that measures infrared wavelengths of light – to explore the Moon’s surface composition, map its surface temperature distribution, and demonstrate the instrument’s feasibility for future lunar resource utilization activities. The imaging system is managed by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Under CLPS, multiple commercial deliveries to different geographic regions will help NASA conduct science and continue working toward a long-term human presence on the Moon. Future deliveries will include sophisticated science experiments, and technology demonstrations as part of the agency’s Artemis campaign. Two upcoming CLPS flights slated to launch near the end of 2024 will deliver NASA payloads to the Moon’s nearside and South Pole, including the Intuitive Machines-2 delivery of NASA’s first on-site demonstration of searching for water and other chemical compounds 3.3 feet below the surface of the Moon, using a drill and mass spectrometer.

Source: NASA

Scout Space Inc., a leading in-space observation service provider focused on space security and autonomy solutions, is set to make history with the first demonstration of a novel very low Earth orbit (vLEO) Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capability, aboard a reusable, taskable, sub-orbital spaceplane platform. This groundbreaking proof-of-concept mission, dubbed “Morning Sparrow”, represents a significant leap in responsive space operations and introduces a first-of-its-kind capability developed in partnership with Dawn Aerospace. Scout signed a flight agreement with Dawn in August, covering this initial demonstration and a series of future flights.

Scout’s Sparrow payloads deployed for vLEO observations offer critical advantages for defense operators with taskable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Scheduled to fly in November 2024 out of Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre near Christchurch, New Zealand, Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora, a rocket-powered aircraft designed to be the first vehicle capable of flying to 100 km altitude multiple times per day, will carry out this mission. Its taskable design and maneuverability enable rapid deployment of Scout’s Sparrow payloads, providing a responsive platform for urgent intelligence-gathering in time-sensitive situations. The Mk-II Aurora, with its unique maneuverability and capability, will transport Scout’s twin Sparrow payloads to extremely high altitudes, reaching the stratosphere and achieving supersonic speeds.

"Scout is proud to lead the way in securing vLEO in collaboration with Dawn Aerospace. By expanding our international partnerships and embracing both companies’ shared cultures of innovation, we are looking forward to developing and fielding something that has never been demonstrated before," said Philip Hover-Smoot, CEO of Scout Space Inc. "This ‘first-of-its-kind’ tactically responsive vLEO SDA capability introduces a significant new tool for space defense operators."

“When paired with the rapid response capabilities of a sub-orbital, ground-based platform, Scout’s solutions are game changing for vLEO SDA.” Said Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace. “This combination provides a level of effectiveness and resilience that surpasses what can be achieved by traditional providers.”

During the proof of concept mission, Scout will calibrate and demonstrate core functionality of the Sparrow sensors integrated into the Mk-II, capturing imagery, diagnostic, and environmental data throughout the mission. This demonstration will highlight the potential of deploying Scout’s secure SDA solutions onboard future Dawn spaceplanes, providing sensor access to unique and crucial operating environments not well served by traditional SDA solutions.

"This partnership with Dawn brings to the market something fundamentally new from two organizations dedicated to pushing the edge of the possible," added Hover-Smoot. "Our successful demonstration of our novel tactically responsive vLEO SDA capability will pave the way for future advancements in space security and multi-domain Space Domain Awareness."

Emphasizing the importance of the Sparrow system and its role in this mission, Nate Bickus, Mission Systems Engineer at Scout and program manager for the mission, added, "Interoperable ready-to-fly SDA capabilities are crucial to future space architectures and space security. We're excited to collaborate with Dawn Aerospace in leveraging Sparrow’s platform agnostic design to field a quick-turn demonstration of a truly unique SDA solution, a solution that can significantly enhance the responsiveness and scope of space security operations across the orbital regimes."

About Scout Space

Scout Space was founded in 2019 with the mission to enable a new era of space safety and transparency. Scout’s in-space products and services, first launched in 2021, allow spacecraft to see and understand things around them. The orbital distributed sensor network developed by Scout will significantly improve Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and ensure responsible use of the space environment. The company is a Techstars, MassChallenge, and venture-backed startup with ongoing government and commercial contracts. Scout holds the Established® 2021 Startup of the Year® title.

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company with offices in New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United States. The company specializes in developing reusable rocket powered aircraft and high-performance, turnkey satellite propulsions. Dawn Aerospace is dedicated to providing scalable and sustainable access to space, enabling a new era of space exploration and utilization.

Source: Scout Space