Military/Aerospace Electronics

Orbit Fab, a specialist in spacecraft refuelling systems, has signed Memorandums of Understanding with four companies in the space sector. The strategic collaborations are with D-Orbit, DEIMOS, Infinite Orbits and Magdrive. “These agreements are an important step in deepening our partnerships with key firms across Europe,” said Daniel Faber, Orbit Fab CEO and co-founder. “D-Orbit, Deimos, Magdrive and Infinite Orbits ...

The Higgs Centre for Innovation, in Edinburgh, is relaunching its Space Testing Facility after upgrading the clean rooms and advanced testing equipment. Funding of £400,000 from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) enabled the change. The aim is to make the centre more accessible to a wider range of space companies and technology SMEs. Facilities The facilities – to ...

A new £2 million contract with the UK Space Agency (UKSA) cements the importance of the Goonhilly Earth Station for providing deep space communications services. Space agencies and companies use a global network of large antennas to transfer data between spacecraft and controllers on Earth. However, the capacity limits from sites such as Goonhilly are being reached. For example, the ...

Constellation.global, a French start-up developing a constellation of ultra-low orbit satellites to support 5G space connectivity for telecom operators, has secured €9.3 million in funding The investment comes from Expansion – a venture capital company that is backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union, and a number of public and private financial institutions – and Bpifrance – ...

ProTek Devices has introduced a pair of 15kW transient voltage suppressors for 28V aircraft circuits. “The devices meet compliance for MIL-STD-704 and MIL-STD-19500, in addition to being RTCA DO-160G compliant,” according to the company. They are called: PAL704-P15K36 is 50 x 19 x 12mm 30g with flat terminals PAL704-P15K36T 63 x 23 x 17mm x 48g with turret terminals Both ...

Astute Group has signed a distribution agreement with British opto-electronics manufacturer, Isocom Components. The franchised distributor will offer the manufacturer’s optocouplers, optoswitches, photo triacs, and photo mosfets. Graham McBeth, chairman of Isocom Components, remarked on Astute’s “excellent relationships with a number of the largest customer groups and strong design influence, particularly in Europe”. “Astute can help customers navigate the complexities ...

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) and its New Zealand equivalent have agreed a blueprint for in-orbit satellite servicing. It will apply, for example, to both satellite removal and servicing missions. The aim is to support in-orbit servicing for ‘rendezvous and proximity’ operations. These cover both space debris removal and satellite refuelling. Specifically, the countries have been exploring ways to “reduce ...

Queen’s University Belfast has launched its Northern Ireland Space Enterprise Lab (SEL) as part of the Satellite Applications Catapult’s UK wide network. AMIC The location for the business services centre is the university’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) Harbour site, in the west of the city, by George Best Belfast City Airport. AMIC Harbour itself is a £100m advanced manufacturing ...

Airbus Defence and Space is announcing an internal reorganisation. The change will include a reduction of up to 2,500 positions until mid 2026. The Airbus division cites a “continued complex business environment, especially in the Space Systems segment”. This is where significant financial charges were recorded in 2023 and 2024. The company says it will adopt a more efficient organisational ...

Connector technology is powering the EV boom, argues Dawn Rogers, while Achim Raad advocates tin zinc J coating for military use. The IEA’s latest Global EV Outlook report reveals a surge in electric vehicle (EV) sales, which are projected to reach a staggering 17 million units by the end of 2024. This marks a significant milestone in the automotive industry ...