Meanwhile, PIXL-1 has seen the light of day and has safely arrived at its designated position in a low Earth orbit. No later than now the question should arise where to send all the data and high resolution images PIXL-1 takes from our precious world. Luckily, this question is answered pretty easily: To a growing network of optical ground stations.

Our PIXL-1 small satellite was successfully launched into orbit on January 24, 2021 at 16:00 CET. The launch took place from the US spaceport at Cape Canaveral with a Falcon 9 launcher from SpaceX.

On 21^st November, Sentinel-6 showed us a picture-perfect launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from US Air Force Base Vandenberg. Now, further positive messages can be shared: All in-orbit-tests, including the functionality of the X-Band downlink subsystem from TESAT as part of the Data Handling Transmission Payload (PDHT) were successful and went even smoother than in any previous simulation, as one of the responsible System Engineers states about the latest status.

Tomorrow evening at around 18:17 CET, a Falcon 9 launcher from SpaceX will bring Sentinel-6 into space. The ‘climate guardian’ as it is called beside its official name 'Michael Freilich”, has the mission to monitor the sea level as well as recording sea state and ocean currents.

Tonight at 5:10h CEST, NASA spacecraft OSIRIS-REx successfully TAGged (touch-and-go) the asteroid “Bennu” at a distance of around 330 million kilometres and – hopefully – collected enough dust and small stones. It have to be at least 60 grams (up to 2 kilograms can be transported). If it was enough will be clarified in the next few days and a decision will be made as to whether OSIRIS-REx has to go down again or can head on its way home to Earth.

The Cyber Essentials program is a UK government certification program that shall help companies to gain understanding for the principles of cyber security. It includes, beneath several other measurement mechanics, an independent rating of the company-internal security controls to protect against internet threats. The main goal of the Cyber Essentials program lays in Great Britain’s National Cyber Security Strategy that aims on making the country to a dynamic, resilient and secure Cyberspace for online trade.

Last week, an expert team from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) was at our site for an on-the-job training as part of our TESAT Campus. Since we’re still in times of Corona, this Campus took place under special precautions and hygiene measures. As a result we developed the TESAT eCampus which goes online now for all customers. Be prepared!

For the first time in the history of space industry, a German company was chosen to deliver crucial technology for a core communication system of a US governmental program.

Within this program, an US american manufacturer for satellite payloads has received an order to supply ten LEO satellites with optical inter-satellite links, for which they selected TESAT as the unique supplier for all optical terminals.

Now, the Constellation Laser Communication Terminals (ConLCTs) are to be built and delivered until the planned launch of the first satellite on 31st July, 2022.

With a live weight of around 1.7 tons, OHB brought us a real chunk a few weeks ago. This colossus is nothing less than the repeater module of the German communications satellite Heinrich Hertz, which has found its new, temporary home unscathed at us in Backnang.

Today, more than 120 devices and components from TESAT will launch into space. About 90 of these are passive devices such as output networks, input multiplexer or filter assemblies, and about three dozen are active components as e.g. microwave power modules. They will fly along with tonight’s launching Ariane 5 ECA carrying Galaxy 30 (G30), the Mission Extension Vehicle-2 (MEV-2) and BSAT-4b.

The launch window opens tonight at 23:33 CEST.

Update from Friday, 12:15h: Launch was postponed to Saturday 23:33 CEST due to weather conditions.