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“Ukrainian Space Agency Ex-Chief Leads $4M Funded Tech Startup for Satellite Servicing”

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Kurs Orbital, a startup founded by Ukrainian space industry veterans, has closed a new tranche of funding to accelerate the commercialization of its satellite servicing technology. The two-year-old company aims to unlock a new era for human activities in space by enabling capabilities like satellite relocation and inspection, de-orbiting and space debris removal. Unlike other firms developing in-space servicing tech, Kurs Orbital’s module will be able to attach to “non-cooperative” targets, or target spacecraft that aren’t fitted with any hardware in advance. On-orbit servicing has gained attention in recent months after the failure of a handful of high-cost, high-profile satellite missions. We believe that one of the next big steps in space will be multimodality, as we know it on Earth.

Triumphant Failure: Sierra Space’s Inflatable Habitat Delivers Controlled Explosion

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Sierra Space has completed a key test of its inflatable space habitat, as the company progresses toward launching and operating a private space station with Blue Origin before the end of the decade. The “ultimate burst pressure” test of the inflatable module was conducted at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The softgoods that make up the LIFE habitat include Vectran straps, which are made out of high-performance polymers, and other materials. Although the burst test is certainly suggestive, it would be a mistake to compare the LIFE module to a balloon. Sierra said this year will be one of “aggressive” testing at both sub- and full-scale of the other layers of the habitat.