Table of Contents
Welcome to our fifteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. December has been an amazing month for space globally, so let's jump into it!
News of the Month
December saw news of India beginning another milestone for its space program, Europe signing contracts for its own internet mega-constellation, Blue Origin's massive reusable rocket being cleared for flight, China investing 260 million United States Dollars into its space sector, a Hong Kong university working on part of the Chang'e 8 mission, and NASA signing four contracts for its Near Space Network.
India begins SpaDeX mission!
The Indian Space Research Organisation kicked off its SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission on December 30th with the launch of a PSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. The SpaDeX mission, if successful, will have India demonstrate the ability to dock in orbit, so far only three countries have proved this capability, the United States, China, and Russia.
To prove this capability, SpaDeX consists of two 220-kilogram CubeSats with docking hardware and independent propulsion, as well as solar panels to generate power. One of the satellites will act as the 'target' while the other will be the 'chaser'. Over the course of multiple orbits, the two spacecraft will progressively close from a distance of 20 kilometers to 5 kilometers, 1.5 kilometers, 500 meters, 225 meters, 15 meters, and finally 3 meters ahead of docking.
The Indian Space Research Organisation is expecting to have the two spacecraft dock by January 7th. Once docking is confirmed both satellites will also demonstrate the transfer of electrical power before undocking for their two-year secondary missions.
Lessons learned from the SpaDeX mission will ultimately benefit the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission, the Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft, and India's modular space station.
EU signs IRIS² contracts
The European Commission announced on December 16th that it had signed contracts with an industrial consortium for the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite constellation, shorted to IRIS². According to SpaceNews, this constellation is expected to cost 10.6 billion Euros, approximately 10.97 billion United States Dollars.
IRIS² is expected to consist of 290 satellites in orbit by 2031 with the SpaceRISE Consortium implementing the project. The SpaceRISE Consortium includes the SES SA, Eutelsat SA, and Hispasat S.A. network operators and Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defence and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, and Thales SIX subcontractors.
The IRIS² constellation aims to provide the European Union with secure connectivity between member states and governments, including high-speed broadband. The European Union also hopes to limit its reliance on SpaceX's Starlink internet constellation, Amazon's future Kuiper network, and China's various mega-constellations.
NASA chooses four companies for Near Space Network
NASA announced on December 20th that it had selected four commercial companies to expand the agency's Near Space Network to provide direct-to-Earth communications services. The four companies chosen in the press release are:
- Intuitive Machines: Awarded two task orders to support NASA’s Lunar Exploration Ground Segment, easing demand on the Deep Space Network and enabling missions in elliptical orbits.
- Kongsberg Satellite Services: Awarded two task orders to support low Earth orbit science missions and NASA’s Lunar Exploration Ground Segment, easing demand on the Deep Space Network.
- SSC Space U.S. Inc.: Awarded two task orders to support low Earth orbit science missions and missions in elliptical orbits.
- Viasat, Inc.: Awarded a task order to support low Earth orbit science missions.
NASA states that the contracts for the company s will be firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity and run from February 2025 to September 2029, with an option for an additional five-year extension. The total value of the four contracts will be 4.82 billion United States Dollars.
New Glenn cleared for flight!
On December 27th, Blue Origin received a launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to perform the first flight of the company's massive New Glenn rocket. A few hours later in the early hours of December 28th, New Glenn's seven BE-4 engines roared to life for twenty-four seconds burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for the rockets pre-flight static fire test.
For the static fire, a complete New Glenn vehicle, consisting of the first and second stages as well as a payload test article comprised of manufacturing test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter flight unit, and a 45,000 pound (20,411 kilogram) payload mass simulator, was on the launch pad according to Blue Origin. Following the static fire, Senior Vice President of New Glenn, Jarret Jones, said:
“This is a monumental milestone and a glimpse of what’s just around the corner for New Glenn’s first launch,” – “Today’s success proves that our rigorous approach to testing–combined with our incredible tooling and design engineering–is working as intended.”
Previous tests ahead of launch over the past few weeks included a tanking test, tests of the flight computers' ability to handle the launch countdown, and a full wet dress rehearsal where both stages of the rocket were fully fueled and a launch countdown initiated, stopping just before engine ignition.
Blue Origin has not yet shared a firm date for New Glenn's debut mission but an airspace advisory is present for January 6th, along with a backup opportunity the day after.
This story originally appeared in Weekly Dose of Space (22/12-28/12).
Hong Kong University to lead development of Chang’e 8 robot
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, often shortened to HKUST, announced on December 17th that it had been selected by the China National Space Administration to lead the development of a multi-purpose robot for use during the Chang’e 8 mission, planned for 2028.
This robot is expected to weigh 100 kilograms and conduct multi-functional lunar surface operations while being dexterous and housing a mobile wireless charging station. These requirements are planned to assist in the development of deep space exploration technologies along with the early operations of the International Lunar Research Station.
HKUST will lead the development of the robot and collaborate with a team of experts from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the City University of Hong Kong, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Shenzhen University, and the South African National Space Agency. To keep the development moving forward along with organizing the international team, the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center will also be established.
Speaking about potential challenges with the robot, Yu Hongyu, Director of the HKUST Space Science and Technology Institute, outlined the following:
"First, our robot venturing into the lunar south pole will encounter extremely low temperatures. To ensure its reliable performance, the use of advanced materials and temperature management systems is essential. Secondly, the absence of satellite navigation on the Moon means a smart design is required to effectively address the complexities of positioning, navigation, autonomous movement and operational control. At the same time, the robot must stay lightweight while handling multiple precision tasks and serving as a charger for other lunar equipment. By leveraging the unique strengths of each team member, we will create an innovative robot by optimizing the design with advanced materials and manufacturing techniques. The project will adhere to China's aerospace quality assurance mechanism to ensure the national mission is accomplished with flying colors."
Further details shared by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are available in English here.
China allocates 1.9 billion Yuan for launch and satellites
On December 25th a reporter for Securities Times was informed by LandSpace that the company had recently had 900 million Yuan, 123.3 million United States Dollars, invested from China's National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund. According to the Securities Times, this investment is the largest from a single entity into LandSpace.
Five days later, Genesat announced on December 30th that the company had completed its Series A+ funding round and raised 1 billion Yuan, approximately 137 million United States Dollars. The investors behind this funding round were China’s National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, China Development Bank Science and Technology Innovation, Guosheng Capital, SIMIC Capital, and Shanghai FTZ Fund.
Both of these capital investments total 1.9 billion Yuan, approximately 260.3 million United States Dollars, and is a significant investment for the two companies heading into 2025. The funding for LandSpace will reportedly support the development, testing, and production of a reusable rocket, which would be Zhuque-3. Genesat did not state what the funding was for but it is likely for expanding satellite manufacturing facilities in support of the Qianfan mega-constellation.
SpaceX
This month at Starbase began on December 2nd when a crane was spotted lifting Ship 34's raceways for installation onto the vehicle, this raceway protects electrical and commodity lines during flight. Overnight Ship 34 was moved onto the center stand inside the 'mega bay' for engine installation, this was spotted on December 3rd.
A few days later on December 6th, Booster 14 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Not long after arriving the booster was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount. Testing of the booster on the launch mount was underway on December 7th with propellant loaded into the vehicle and the boosters thirty-three Raptor engines performing a spin prime test.
Three days later on December 9th, Booster 14 was spotted being loaded with propellant. Not long after the booster performed a static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount with its thirty-three Raptor engines. In the early hours of the day after its test, December 10th, Booster 14 was lifted off of the Orbital Launch Mount. During the lift, the booster was held at the catch height for a little while. Once the booster was back on the ground it was rolled out of the launch site to the production site.
Two days later on December 11th, Ship 33 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site. Ship 33 is the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Later that night, movement tests of the launch towers 'chopsticks' took place. A few days later, December 13th, Ship 33 began testing at the Massey's site. This testing had propellants loaded into the vehicle's liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks as well as having its six Raptor engines perform a spin prime test.
Another two days later on December 15th, Ship 33 conducted a six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site, three sea-level and three vacuum Raptor engines were ignited. The following day, the 16th, Ship 33 performed its second static fire, igniting one sea-level Raptor engine to demonstrate an in-space burn. Following the two static fires, Ship 33 returned from the Massey's test site to the production site in the early hours of December 17th. A few hours later teams were spotted removing the SpaceX sign at the entrance to the launch site. That evening SpaceX also performed a Christmas parade with an inflatable astronaut and Starship.
By December 19th, teams had removed all parts of the SpaceX sign at the launch site. A little later the beam the sign was on was also removed, possibly to allow boosters and ships to head to the second launch pad through that entrance.
Super Heavy Booster 15 left the production site early on December 21st heading for the Massey's test site, likely for cryogenic testing. Booster 15 is currently expected to fly for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth test flight. December 22nd had what is believed to be Booster 14's hot-staging ring was rolled out from Starbase's factory and parked outside of the 'mega bays'. The next day this hot-staging ring was moved into the smaller of the two 'mega bays'.
After a few days of limited activity over Christmas, Ship 35's Starlink 'Pez' dispenser and nose section was moved into the larger 'mega bay' for stacking on December 26th. Ship 35 could be the third 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage and may fly for Starship-Super Heavy's ninth flight test. The next day, December 27th, had Booster 15 undergoing cryogenic testing at the Massey's test site. This testing had the methane tank fully loaded over the course of a couple hours. A repeat of Booster 15's cryogenic testing also occurred on December 28th. Following both tests Booster 15 was rolled back to the production site on December 29th.
Closing into the end of 2024, Booster 14 was rolled from the production site to the launch site on December 30th, ahead of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. In the early hours of December 31st, Booster 14 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount.
Launches of the Month
This month saw thirty-one launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below!
December 3rd - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-13
A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center for its one-hundredth mission. For this mission, the rocket flew to geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Technology Experimental Satellite-13, the satellite will be used for radio, television, data transmission, satellite communications, and technology testing.
December 4th - Kuaizhou-1A with Haishao-1
An upgraded Kuaizhou-1A flew its first mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Haishao-1 (海哨一号) satellite into low Earth orbit. Haishao-1 will be used to monitor ocean properties and changes.
December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-70
Falcon 9 delivered a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 for its twenty-fourth mission, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'.
December 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2580
A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a secret payload to low Earth orbit.
December 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-14
Another Falcon 9 launched a batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1081, making its twelfth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange.
December 5th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 03
A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the third batch of Qianfan satellites into polar orbit. The Qianfan constellation aims to provide regular internet coverage in China by the end of 2025, followed by regular coverage worldwide by the end of 2027.
December 5th - PSLV with Proba-3
The Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the Proba-3 mission into an elliptical orbit. Proba-3 consists of two spacecraft flying 150 meters from one another to create artificial solar eclipses between the satellites.
December 5th - Falcon 9 with SXM-9
SiriusXM's SXM-9 satellite lifted off atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, heading for geostationary transfer orbit. The SXM-9 spacecraft will be used to allow SiriusXM's programming to reach its customers.
December 5th - Vega-C with Sentinel-1C
Vega-C performed its return-to-flight mission from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Kourou, carrying the Sentinel-1C satellite to sun-synchronous orbit successfully. The Sentinel-1C satellite will provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface.
December 6th - Simorgh with Fakhr-1 & Sama-1
Iran launched its Simorgh rocket to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal in the north of the country. Fakhr-1 is a CubeSat to test locally produced spacecraft components and a communications payload. Saman-1 is a test spacecraft for sending satellites into a higher orbit using solid propellant.
December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-5
Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1086, making its second flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'.
December 12th - Long March 2D with five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites
A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites are expected to test inter-satellite laser communication across three different orbits, which they were deployed into by a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage.
December 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2
Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 flying for the ninth time, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'.
December 14th - Electron for a HASTE mission
Electron performed a Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) mission from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, on a suborbital trajectory. The customer for this mission is unknown but they are likely linked to the U.S. Department of Defense.
December 16th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 01
The first ten satellites of China's GuoWang internet mega-constellation were sent into a polar orbit by the Long March 5B, China’s second largest rocket, with a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage. Details about the GuoWang mega-constellation are available here.
December 16th - Long March 2D with four PIESAT-2 spacecraft
A Long March 2D lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four PIESAT-02 satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. The PIESAT-2 spacecraft are part of Zhuzhou Space Interstellar Satellite Technology's commercial synthetic aperture radar imaging constellation which will have sixteen satellites once complete, twelve have been launched to date.
December 17th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV07
Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, for the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission carrying the GPS-III SV07 spacecraft into a medium Earth orbit. The Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission was a test between the U.S. Space Force and SpaceX to observe how fast a spacecraft could be prepared for launch, it is reported that the mission took six months to reach the launch pad.
The booster that supported this mission was B1085, flying for the fourth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'.
December 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-149
Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1063 performing its twenty-second mission, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange.
December 17th - Falcon 9 with O3b mPower 7 & 8
A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying two communications satellites into medium Earth orbit for SES. Booster B1090 supported this mission, for its first flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange.
December 18th - KAIROS with five satellites
Space One performed its second launch attempt of its KAIROS rocket from Spaceport Kii, on Japan's east coast. Following a successful liftoff, the rocket experienced an anomaly and was lost along with its five payloads. Details about this launch and the payloads are available here.
December 19th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites
Galactic Energy performed its fourth sea-based Ceres-1 mission from a launch platform in the Yellow Sea. Four satellites for Guodian Gaoke's Tianqi Internet-of-Things constellation.
December 20th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-12
A Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-12 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-12, known as Communication Technology Experimental Satellite-12 in English, is reported for use in satellite communications, radio, television, data transmission, as well as technology testing.
December 21st - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon 2
SpaceX performed its second mid-inclination rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying satellites from KOREA ADD, Arrow Science and Technology, Exolaunch, HawkEye 360, Maverick Space Systems, Sidus Space, Tomorrow Companies Inc., True Anomaly, and Think Orbital into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1071, flying for the twenty-first time and landing back at Landing Zone 4 in California.
December 21st - Electron for 'Owl The Way Up'
Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of Synspective's synthetic aperture radar satellites into low Earth orbit. This satellite is expected to provide imagery of the Earth below that can detect millimeter-level changes.
December 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-2
SpaceX launched twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1080, making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'.
December 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with Resurs-P No.5
A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the commercial Earth observation satellite Reusrs-P No.5 into a sun-synchronus orbit. This was also the 2000th launch of an R-7 rocket!
December 27th - Kinetica-1 with eleven satellites
CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center planning to carry eleven satellites into orbit. Sadly this launch failed, and was safely terminated, due to an issue three seconds into the third-stage burn.
December 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-3
Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was B1075, flying for the sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange.
December 29th - Falcon 9 with four Astranis MicroGEO satellites
SpaceX launched four of Astranis' MicroGEO satellites to geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its seventh flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'.
December 30th - PSLV with SPADEX
A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle launched India's SPADEX, Space Docking Experiment, mission to low Earth orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. This mission will demonstrate autonomous docking between two satellites, a capability India is yet to perform ahead of its future lunar and human spaceflight missions.
December 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-6
Ending 2024's launches was a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1078 supported this final mission of the year for its sixteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the droneship 'Just Read The Instructions'.
Launches to look out for in January!
January will begin a busy year of launches in 2025 and is already looking quite hectic. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of January may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published.
January 2nd - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS
Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications.
January 6th - New Glenn for its debut flight
Blue Origin may launch its first New Glenn rocket from Space Launch Complex 36, in Florida. New Glenn's first stage, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', will attempt to land downrange on the drone ship 'Jacklyn'.
January 6th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload
A Long March 3B/E is expected to fly from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit.
January 10th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test
SpaceX may perform its seventh flight test for its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle with liftoff and possible booster catch from the company's launch site in south Texas. The vehicles for this flight will be Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14.
January 10th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload
Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch vehicle is expected to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and head to sun-synchronous orbit.
January 12th - Jielong-3 with a to-be-announced payload
A Jielong-3 rocket may liftoff from a sea-based launch platform in the Yellow Sea and head to low Earth orbit.
January 19th - Long March 8 with Qianfan Group 4
A Long March 8 may launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1 the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site carrying the fourth batch of Qianfan satellites into orbit.
January 20th - Long March 8A for its debut flight
The Long March 8A may perform its debut mission from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.
January 23rd - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload
Another Long March 3B/E is expected to fly from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit.
January 28th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat NG-1
Falcon 9 is expected to launch SpainSat NG-1 to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Spanish government.
