Pose Bowl: Spacecraft Detection and Pose Estimation Challenge

https://www.drivendata.org/competitions/group/competition-nasa-spacecraft/

NASA is inviting developers to create algorithms that conduct low-cost in-space inspections of other spacecraft. Prizes awarded for object detection and identifying changes in position and orientation (pose) of the chaser spacecraft camera. Ends May 14, 2024.

The solar system's biggest space jobs site | Space Crew

https://spacecrew.com/

Accelerate your space career with email alerts for key space industry insights and over 4000 space company jobs.

Jobs in the Space Field & Tech Industry | Space Talent

https://www.spacetalent.org/

Space Talent is a resource for careers at the intersection of space and tech. They match employers with top talent while providing insights and resources to grow your career.

SATELLITE 2024

https://www.satshow.com/

Conference and exhibition to include manufacturers, service providers, and integrators serving all technology end-user markets. Speakers include Office of Space Commerce Deputy Director Janice Starzyk and SpaceX VP of Commercial Sales Stephanie Bednarek. Washington, DC. March 18-21, 2024.

61st AAS Goddard Space Science Symposium

https://astronautical.org/events/goddard/

The Goddard Space Science Symposium brings the space community together to discuss topics including cislunar infrastructure, space weather and interplanetary missions under the theme “Space 2040: Pathways to the Future”. $0-925. College Park, MD. March 20-22, 2024.

Intrepid Museum's Astro Live

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intrepid-museums-astro-live-registration-859694087157

Join Kerbal Space Academy founder John “Das” Galloway and JPL Mars experts for this discussion about the discoveries made through NASA's Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter and future plans for Mars exploration. Free. Online. March 24, 2024.

SPACEtalks 4.0

https://www.spacetalks.biz/

Enjoy two days of compelling presentations and engage in high-impact sessions and discussions on space technology and the future of the industry. £200-250. Oxfordshire, England. March 26-27, 2024.

MIT 6th Annual Space Week 2024

https://spaceweek.mit.edu/

MIT Space Week 2024 will include the MIT AeroAstro SpaceTech conference, with a theme of AI, Machine Learning, and Autonomy in Space, the 8th Annual Beyond the Cradle event, and the 9th Annual MIT Sloan New Space Age Conference featuring a keynote by Jim Bridenstine, 13th Administrator of NASA. Free to $225. Cambridge, MA. April 3-5, 2024.

NASA map of the contiguous U.S. showing path of April 8's total solar eclipse, stretching in a narrow band from Texas to Maine. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA GO

April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse | NASA

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/

Passing from Mexico to Canada, it will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous US until 2044. April 8, 2024. 

Space Symposium 2024

https://www.spacesymposium.org/

Space Symposium gathers all sectors of the space community for networking and opportunities to examine multiple perspectives on critical space issues and plan for future achievements in space. $425-3560. Colorado Springs, CO. April 8-11, 2024. 

Business of Space

https://www.uah.edu/opce/program-topics/business-of-space

This conference brings together leading academics, business leaders, innovators, and policy influencers working on the new space economy for curated sessions under the theme “Economics, Commerce, and Sustainability of New Space”. $150-$525. Huntsville, AL. April 21-23, 2024

CubeSat Developers Workshop 2024

https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Join over 600 attendees from 50 countries for this global small-satellite conference hosted by CubeSat. $175-$700. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA. April 23–25, 2024. 

12th Inter-Planetary Small Satellite Conference

http://www.intersmallsatconference.com/

Conference organized by staff and students from Caltech, MIT, Cornell and other institutions to explore mission concepts, discuss emerging technologies, and foster “outside the box” thinking on interplanetary small satellite missions. Tucson, AZ. April 30-May 2, 2024. 

USGIF GEOINT Symposium 2024

https://usgif.org/geoint-symposium/

Join industry experts, government officials, and thought leaders in exploring the role of geospatial intelligence in providing decision advantage under the theme, “Essential in All Dimensions and Domains”. Kissimmee, FL. May 5-8, 2024.

47th Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium

https://aeromechanisms.com/

The Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium provides a social and technical forum for mechanisms technology personnel and information for enthusiasts around hardware developments, design, fabrication, test, and operational use. Free-$775. Virginia Beach, VA. May 15-17, 2024.

Small Satellites Systems and Services Symposium

http://www.4s-symposium.com/

Join presentations around “Space Transformation” toward a circular economy, clean space, and how new technology impacts satellite design and data use. The program will also cover sessions including mission and system analysis, Earth observation, and small satellites access. €500-1100. Palma de Mallorca, Spain. May 27-31, 2024. 

2024 ASCEND

https://www.ascend.events/

2024 ASCEND will include technical exchanges, debates, and collaboration with the aim of building a sustainable off-world future. Connect with civil, commercial, and national security professionals to discuss opportunities and challenges of increased activity in space. Las Vegas, NV. July 30-August 1, 2024.

36th Small Satellite Conference

https://smallsat.org/

This year’s Small Satellite Conference explores the theme, Automation: Enabling New Capabilities. Keynotes from Aerospace Corporation CEO Steve Isakowitz and National Reconnaissance Office Director Christopher Scolese. $350-1000. Logan, UT. August 3-8, 2024.

75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2024 | International Astronautical Federation

https://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/international-astronautical-congress-2024/

IAC 2024 will highlight efforts to keep the space environment secure and open to exploration through international cooperation. Over 8,000 are expected to attend the event, which will feature the theme “Responsible Space for Sustainability.” Milan, Italy. October 14-18, 2024.

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Spacecraft maker Terran Orbital ‘looking at everything,’ CEO says after Lockheed Martin takeover bid

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/terran-orbital-ceo-looking-at-everything-after-lockheed-martin-bid.html

Satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital is strategically reviewing the company’s future as it considers Lockheed Martin’s acquisition proposal. Lockheed, holding a 28.3% stake, values Terran Orbital at nearly $600 million.

Iridium to take over GPS backup provider for $115 million

https://spacenews.com/iridium-to-take-over-gps-backup-provider-for-115-million/

Satellite operator Iridium Communications plans its first acquisition, spending about $115 million to buy the remaining 80% of Satelles, which provides GPS signals a thousand times more powerful than other GPS satellite systems for more secure positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities. 

Apex raises seed round to mass produce smallsats

https://spacenews.com/apex-raises-seed-round-to-mass-produce-smallsats/

Los Angeles-based Apex raised $7.5 million to manufacture large numbers of small satellites such as its Aries bus, designed to support payloads up to 94 kilograms. The seed round was led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from XYZ, J2, Lux Capital and Village Global.

Phantom closes bridge funding round

https://spacenews.com/phantom-closes-bridge-funding-round/

Arizona-based startup Phantom Space Corp. closed a bridge round to fund development of satellites and launch vehicles, including launch vehicle Daytona for payloads up to 500 kilograms and the Phantom Cloud small satellite constellation for data backhaul services, on-orbit cloud storage and edge computing. The undisclosed value brings funding to about $37 million.

Satellite servicing tech startup, led by former head of Ukraine’s space agency, lands $4M

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/06/kurs-orbital-led-by-former-head-of-ukraines-space-agency-closes-new-funds-for-satellite-servicing-tech/

Italian in-space satellite servicing startup Kurs Orbital raised $4 million in seed funding to accelerate development of its ARCap interface module, which is based on Soviet-era flight heritage and can be integrated into any spacecraft bus, to facilitate in-orbit docking, satellite relocation and inspection, de-orbiting and space debris removal. The round was led by OTB Ventures with participation from Credo Ventures, Galaxia, In-Q-Tel and Inovo.

Australian space startup Esper wants to build hyperspectral sats for cheap

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/04/espers-first-hyperspectral-demonstrator-satellite-lifts-off-on-spacex-rocket/

Remote sensing startup Esper launched its first demonstration hyperspectral satellite on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission. Esper seeks to provide remote spectrometer sensing technology at much lower costs. The company raised $1 million in funding from investors including Stellar Ventures, Day One Ventures and Dolby Family Ventures, as well as grants from Alexis Ohanian’s 776 Foundation and the Australian government.

Space company Astra going private to avoid bankruptcy after dismal public run

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/07/space-company-astra-going-private-to-avoid-bankruptcy.html

Astra’s board voted to take the company private with co-founders acquiring all outstanding common stock at 50 cents a share. The company's equity valuation plummeted to $13 million from $2.6 billion 3 years ago.

SpaceX’s Starship notches major flight test milestones, breaks up over Indian Ocean in final moments

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/14/spacex-starship-rocket-third-test-flight-launch.html

SpaceX's Starship flew further than previous tests, with the flight lasting about an hour before disintegrating above the Indian Ocean. The company tested several new capabilities, including opening and closing the payload bay door in space and transferring fuel in a NASA demonstration. It did not perform a planned in-space demonstration of relighting Starship’s engines.

Roc, the world's largest aircraft takes off with a Talon-A vehicle. Image Credit: Stratolaunch / Matt Hartman

After coming back from the dead, the world’s largest aircraft just flew a real payload

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/03/after-co (Mach 5+ming-back-from-the-dead-the-worlds-largest-aircraft-just-flew-a-real-payload/

Stratolaunch’s Roc aircraft deployed a Talon-A vehicle, intended to fly at hypersonic speed (Mach 5+), over the Pacific Ocean. TA-1 did not reach hypersonic velocity, but CEO Zachary Krevor said Stratolaunch met all primary and customer objectives of the flight and collected data for subsequent reusable versions of Talon-A.

More precise understanding of dark energy achieved using AI

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/mar/more-precise-understanding-dark-energy-achieved-using-ai

The Dark Energy Survey collaboration study used artificial intelligence techniques to double the precision of inferences about key characteristics of dark energy, such as overall density. Dark energy is the unknown repulsive force accelerating the Universe’s expansion and is thought to make up about 70% of the Universe, with dark matter making up 25% and normal matter 5%.