2023 to be a big year for space & satellite developments

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said it was "another major milestone" towards the first orbital space launch from UK soil later this month.

Meanwhile, Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl 747 has been at Spaceport Cornwall since October, followed a week later by their LauncherOne rocket that will carry nine satellites. Yesterday, SpaceX kicked off the new year with a Falcon 9 launch of more than 110 smallsats, perfecting its rocket landing in its landmark 200th flight.

Paul Kostek, Commercial Space Expert and IEEE Senior Member, Advisory Systems Engineer with Base2 solutions commented on latest developments across the space industry and what can be expected in the year ahead: “Space is about to get even busier as the UK approved Virgin Orbit’s use of the Cornwall spaceport for launches starting in 2023.

"This will provide a local option for the launching of satellites for European companies, requiring systems to no longer to be shipped to the USA or French Guiana for launch. Another result will be less time waiting in a launch queue and costs should drop with an additional facility in play. If all goes well, we can expect to see additional spaceports opening. 

“2023 is looking to be a year of further growth in the space business. The successful launch of the USA SLS/Artemis brings the return of man to the Moon even closer. China is set to complete work on its space station while the USA and partners continue to define the replacement for the International Space Station. Also, satellite constellations will continue to grow larger with new players emerging from around the world.

“Space tourism finally took off in 2022 and will continue to grow this year. Prices are still high, but continued success and increased frequency should drive prices down over the next 10 years. This will include the planned flight around the Moon by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maeza, along with 8 others in a Space-X Starship.

“There are challenges that will need to be considered, not least, managing the ever-growing volume of space debris, especially as the number of users grows. Ensuring that satellites at the end of their lives are put into orbits that will result in their re-entry and destruction in earth’s atmosphere is essential, particularly the small satellites that compose the constellations that have far shorter lifespans (five years).

“Another issue will be creating a Space Traffic Management (STM) to prevent collisions resulting in the loss of an asset and the generation of new debris. Several companies are also exploring the creation of vehicles that can refuel and move satellites extending their lives. Finally, discussions are needed on how the Moon, Mars and any other planet visited by us will be managed. 2023 should be a landmark year for space both commercially and for countries as costs drop, and technical knowledge expands.”