From April 4 to 6, space surveillance experts met up at GMV’s Tres Cantos facilities in Madrid (Spain) to tackle a wide range of topics related to the detection, identification, prediction, tracking, removal and disposal of space debris and everything associated with liability and insurance issues.
The event was opened by Pedro J. Schoch, GMV’s director of Corporate Development, Marketing and Communication. After welcoming all those in attendance, the executive gave a general presentation of the company, highlighting GMV’s trajectory and activity around space surveillance, an area in which GMV has worked for over 20 years. “GMV has set the global standard for studying, monitoring, and preventing the proliferation of space debris. It has been operating in this field since the late 1990s, when it started working with ESA on object cataloguing and in-orbit collision avoidance. Since then, the company has consolidated its position and today it has a prominent presence on both the commercial and the institutional markets, providing key support to the development and operation of the EU-SST system. GMV is currently the European industrial leader in this area, with over 70 engineers working in 7 countries,” he said.
The event was organized into several sessions, structured into different panels: Forecasting, Tracking, Risk Assessment, Spacecraft Control, Proximity Operations, Debris Removal, Associations and SSA Capability & Policy. These panels, held over the three days of this internationally significant event, included presentations by representatives from organizations such as ESA, CDTI, CNES, UKSA, the Romanian Space Agency, the US Space Force, the National Institute for Space of Brazil, the Astrophysics and Space Science Observatory of Bologna, and others. Leading representatives from the industry also took part, such as LeoLabs, TNO, Surrey Satellite Technology, Astrocale, OKAPI and COMPSPOC Corporation, as well as researchers from universities and technology institutions from around the world.
In line with its role as a leader in this area, GMV gave five presentations on internal R&D projects and activities focused on coordinating collision avoidance operations, optimum sensor planning, determination and maneuver estimation, measurement correlation for cataloguing objects, and telescopes onboard satellites.
The event was brought to a close by Riccardo Bevilaccqua, professor in the Aerospace Engineering department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), and Alberto Águeda, GMV’s space surveillance program coordinator, who highlighted in their presentations the primary objective of the conference: to provide a long-term vision of the space surveillance area, inspire the leading sector representatives and highlight the importance of investment and the development of technologies capable of facing the challenges of the future in this area to ensure the sustainability of the space environment.
Global aerospace accelerator and advisory firm Starburst announced that applications have opened for the first annual CIS (Care in Space) Challenge. The global challenge, led by Boryung in collaboration with Axiom Space and Starburst, will identify and provide commercialization support for emerging technologies and solutions that optimize human health for space travel and habitation and/or are manufactured in space to advance healthcare here on Earth.
The CIS Challenge will serve as an essential tool to leverage space as an innovative platform for developing new healthcare technologies as well as address the complexities of health monitoring, diagnosis and treatment for those traveling in Low Earth Orbit and beyond. As opportunities for space exploration and commerce expand, the CIS Challenge is set to support critical developments that will make space accessible and safe for all of humanity. And the unique challenges of space facilitate research and development of products that have immediate terrestrial application, from new medications to medical devices to nutritional supplements to stem-cell therapies.
“We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is currently thought possible in both healthcare and aerospace,” said Boryung head of new portfolio investment, Jack Dongjoo Lim. “Boryung is incredibly excited to work with Axiom and Starburst to seek out the next generation of innovators and founders working on solutions that facilitate access to space for everyone.”
Amir Blachman, Axiom Space chief business officer said, “It is increasingly evident that space, and in particular microgravity, has profound impacts on the speed of drug discovery, improvements in medical devices and advancements related to regenerative medicine and life sciences. We are pleased to support Boryung and Starburst Aerospace in opening space to a broad community of innovators in these fields.”
Through the challenge, the companies and technologies with the most promising technical solutions and potential for commercial viability will have the opportunity to receive a $1 million dollar prize pot that will be divided by no more than 10 winners. The selected companies and technologies will also go through Starburst’s 13-week accelerator program. In the accelerator, the entrepreneurs will receive mentorship from Starburst’s global network of industry leaders and support with technology development, customer discovery, business development and fundraising, as well as preparation for/facilitation of on-orbit research. Each winner will gain access to Axiom’s integration team which has successfully flown dozens of payloads to the International Space Station.
“The extreme conditions of space have always driven the development of novel technologies, and we are excited for this unique opportunity–through this partnership with Boryung and Axiom–to expand the understanding of physiological responses to extreme environments and support entrepreneurs doing cutting edge research in precision medicine, regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, pharmaceutical development, and more,” said Elizabeth Reynolds, accelerator program director at Starburst. “The commercial space age is here, and we are on the cusp of the biological revolution; this cross-disciplinary effort is the future.”
The CIS Challenge application period runs from 04/18/22 – 06/17/22. A Pitch Day event on 07/28/22 will afford selected applicants the opportunity to showcase their capabilities to aerospace and bioscience and bio/medtech industry experts who will assess entrepreneurial acumen and the scientific merit, business model viability, and overall feasibility of their solutions.
Safety tool specialists Cementex announced the availability of Cementex Belt Pouch Tool Combinations, featuring all tools designed for safe use in Arc Flash environments. With 13 different combinations to choose from, there is an ideal Cementex Belt Pouch Combo for any technician.
All tools in the Cementex Belt Pouch Combos feature innovative Cementex double insulation technology. The double insulated tools feature a yellow warning layer underneath the outer orange layer; if the outside insulation is damaged, posing a safety risk, the yellow layer begins to show, and technicians can know that they must replace the tools.
The 13 different configurations of belt pouch and tool kits feature a wide range of tools, including Linesman’s universal crimping, needle nose, and diagonal cutting pliers, various sizes of Phillips, Robertson, and Cabinet screwdrivers, nut drivers, and various task-specialized tools. In addition, customized configurations are also available.
Cementex double insulated tools are tested to 10,000 VAC and rated for 1,000 VAC when working on or around live parts. The pliers comply with ASTM F1505 and IEC 60900 standards, and help meet the requirements of OSHA 1910.331-335, MFPA 70E, and CSA-Z462.
Greene Tweed is highlighting their Arlon 4020 Labyrinth Seal. This seal uses proprietary thermoplastic technology, has a controlled thermal expansion over a wide range of temperature, and has a uniquely engineered tooth profile that makes it a cost-effective and long-lasting seal choice.
Greene Tweed says customer test results show up to a 1.5% gain in efficiency compared to traditional seals, correlating with field tests and predictions from FEA analysis.
Non-contacting labyrinth seals reduce leakage in centrifugal applications. This is accomplished by restricting flow through a series of chambers formed between the rotating element while the teeth control the passage of the media.
Greene Tweed says their labyrinth seals “deliver superior performance due to the innovative combination of custom-engineered tooth designs and high-performance PEEK thermoplastic materials.” The materials reduce friction and eliminate galling which extends the seal’s life and lowers maintenance costs. This thermal expansion allows for retrofit and like-for-like replacement of conventional metallic designs.
The erosion and corrosion resistance make the Arlon 4020 ideal for severe sealing applications including those with high acid, Mercury content, or high-velocity media. Other ideal applications include oil and gas production and transportation, air separation units, chemical industry, fertilizer plants, carbon capture and storage, and industrial applications.
The Arlon 4020 has increased efficiency and reliability for longer run times due to the tooth profile. The seal uses a cyclic flex-and-return motion that withstands contact during critical speeds and tighter clearances. The tight running clearances increase efficiency and reduce flow rates to enhance the seal performance. This in turn decreases the compressor footprint and leads to cost savings and environmental benefits.
DIFCO initiated construction on America’s first electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) vertiport facility in Rock Island, Illinois. Officially named; The Corporal Jason G. Pautsch Vertiport, the site is located centrally within the four Quad Cities metropolitan area and will include corporate hangar facilities for lease, refueling services, an executive pilot lounge, prototype visual navigational aid beacon, and an area navigation (RNAV) instrumentation approach and departure egress. DIFCO partnered with rotorcraft aviation legends Hughes Aerospace and Five Alpha on the development in early 2021.
Jake Pautsch, DIFCO CEO, has announced the project to help familiarize the community with eVTOL and VTOL and the future resources available to them by anchoring a significant hospital’s aero-medical aviation division to the site.
“We are excited to be pioneering with our team,” Pautsch said. “The vertiport will supply QC metro medical patients with safer and faster high-end access to aero-medical transport. In addition to supporting traditional rotorcraft the state-of-the-art facility will support the rising, electric battery-powered eVTOL aircraft.” Pautsch also notes, “Numerous, one-of-a-kind components of the project are unheard of in this industry and will increase safety. In addition, use of advanced technology will manage power production demands that eVTOL aircraft require without drawing from traditional energy grid power. Evaluating the massive power demands of electric aircraft is a moral responsibility. We have integrated components to be renewably conscience.”
DIFCO is a historic & industrial preservation and specialty industrial real estate development firm with a Union Iron Works Division, possessing a unique value proposition and an established in-house legal department. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company’s focus is on serving municipal and federal sector clients and select criteria-based commercial clientele across the United States.
The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products has announced the availability of its improved ThreadChecker. This line of non-contact application-specific sensors provides rugged, reliable verification of thread presence or absence in nearly any electrically conductive material. The ThreadChecker is a teachable eddy current inspection tool, widely used for thread detection, material sorting, plating presence, and absence of heat treatment, as examples. Any physical property difference that relates to material conductivity is readily detected. These sensors are available from stock and ready to ship immediately.
The ThreadChecker is ideal for use in any automated inspection process. Consisting of a single electronics module compatible with any probe/material combination, the ThreadChecker can check threads regardless of part cleanliness, reducing the cost of implementation.
With Kaman’s proven eddy current technology at its core, the ThreadChecker is designed specifically for in-die use. It features four internal probes, ranging from 4 to 10 millimeters (mm) and two external probes, 6mm and 8mm. Available with a DIN rail mounting option, ThreadChecker is CE-compliant and features IP-67 rated probes and electronics.
The ThreadChecker is available with both switched and analog outputs. With the switched output option, the sensor is wired to a PLC or other controller, programmed to alarm when no thread is detected. As an alternative, users can monitor the analog voltage and program the PLC or other control device with limits suitable for the application.
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