/sci/ - Science & Math

SpaceX launches final pair of O3b mPower satellites needed for commercial services, Has ESA Stacked the Deck for The Exploration Company?
----
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-final-pair-of-o3b-mpower-satellites-needed-for-commercial-services/
> TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX launched a third pair of O3b mPower satellites Nov. 12, enough for SES to start services next year from a constellation grappling with electrical issues that have reduced initial capacity.
> SpaceX was slated to launch the fifth and sixth O3b mPower satellites by the end of June, but the mission was put on hold after what at first appeared to be a minor glitch that is sporadically tripping off power modules on the first four in orbit.
> SES said Oct. 31 that their electrical issues were worse than initially thought, and will significantly reduce operational life and broadband capacity.
---
https://europeanspaceflight.com/has-esa-stacked-the-deck-for-the-exploration-company/
> With the announcement of its commercial cargo programme, the European Space Agency appears to have stacked the deck to allow for only one challenger to be eligible to compete.
> The details here are interesting, so let’s spell them out. Although the exact performance minimums weren’t broadly shared with the announcement, a LinkedIn post from ESA director of human and robotic exploration Daniel Neuenschwander revealed that the agency would require vehicles competing for the cargo service contracts to be able to transport four tonnes to low Earth orbit and return two tonnes back to Earth. This is, however, not what was originally stated.
> In May, ESA published the first version of call for the development of a commercial cargo transportation service. That call had the same required launch date but had a minimum delivery capacity of two tonnes to low Earth orbit and a return capacity of one tonne.