SpaceTech Sector Newsletter - September 2024

Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC

01 October 2024

 

SERAPHIM SPACE INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
(the "Company" or "SSIT")

SpaceTech Sector Newsletter - September 2024

Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (LSE: SSIT), the world's first listed SpaceTech investment company, publishes its monthly RNS Reach newsletter to provide updates, based on publicly available information, on the Company's portfolio investments, its Manager (Seraphim Space Manager LLP (the "Manager" or "Seraphim Space")) and the wider SpaceTech market. The following newsletter covers September 2024. 

Portfolio Update

D-Orbit successfully closes a €150m ($166m) Series C round

D-Orbit, a leading global provider of cutting-edge in-space logistics services, announced the second and final closing of its €150m ($166m) Series C round, making it one the biggest space deals in the last 12 months.  This raise was underpinned by D-Orbit's impressive and unparalleled track record of 16 successful missions; 14 ION Satellite Carriers, the Company's proprietary orbital transfer vehicle, have been launched in orbit since 2020, and a further seven launches have been planned for 2025. The round allows D-Orbit to continue developing its capabilities in space cloud computing and in-orbit servicing. It will also facilitate and accelerate its collaborations with governments and space agencies as well as broaden its customer reach across geographies and industries. [Read more]

Pixxel, ICEYE and Tomorrow.io awarded contracts for NASA's $476m smallsat project

NASA has selected eight companies for a new award to help acquire Earth observation data and provide related services for the agency. The Commercial SmallSat contract has a maximum value of $476 million. Among the eight chosen are SSIT portfolio companies ICEYE, Pixxel and Tomorrow io. Under the contract, the recipients will be responsible for acquiring satellite observation data that support NASA's Earth science research and application activities that help improve life on the planet. [Read more]

AST SpaceMobile successfully launches its first five commercial satellites

AST SpaceMobile, in collaboration with AT&T, successfully launched five commercial satellites, called BlueBirds. AT&T is working with AST SpaceMobile to offer voice, data, text and video services in remote, off-grid locations with standard smartphones. This is the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones designed for both commercial and government use. [Read more]

Spire Global awarded $3.8m NOAA contract for satellite weather data

Spire was awarded a $3.8m contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide radio occultation (RO) data for a year. Spire's near-real-time RO data consists of vertical profiles of atmospheric measurements, including pressure, humidity and temperature, that can reach all points of the globe. The data will be used for NOAA's operational weather forecasts, space weather models and climate research, among other applications. [Read more]

Astroscale UK wins next phase of UK's COSMIC mission

Astroscale UK announced it had won a contract to continue working on an active debris removal mission that will take two defunct British satellites out of orbit. The £1.95m ($2.5m) contract from the UK Space Agency will fund the development of the 'Cleaning Outer Space' Mission. Astroscale will continue working on the technology required to grab hold of the two satellites, that includes a robotic arm that will be able to snag the debris even if it is spinning or tumbling in orbit. [Read more]

SpaceTech Sector News

SpaceX performs historic first private spacewalk with Polaris Dawn crew

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn crew delivered a five-day mission to orbit, which included the world's first commercial spacewalk. The Polaris Dawn mission made history as it reached a higher altitude than any human has travelled in five decades, the first time such an endeavour has been completed by a privately funded and operated mission. SpaceX sees the spacewalk, otherwise known as extravehicular activity, or EVA, as a crucial milestone in its goal of sending people to other planets. [Read more]

Russian cosmonauts touch down in Soyuz capsule after record-breaking stay on ISS

A Russian space capsule with two Russians and one American on board landed in Kazakhstan after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub returned after a record-breaking stay of 374 days aboard the ISS, while American astronaut Tracy Dyson was in the space station for six months. Russia has now vowed to quit the ISS, further expanding the demand for commercial endeavours in this area. [Read more]

Conferences

·        Sifted Summit: Seraphim Space Partner Andre Ronsoehr is speaking at Sifted Summit on 2 October 2024 in London. [Details]

·       AJ Bell Shares Investor Evening: Seraphim Space CIO and Partner James Bruegger is presenting the SpaceTech investment opportunity on the 1^st October in London. [Details]

Find out where to meet and hear from Seraphim Space's team by following its social media, LinkedIn / Twitter.

Sign up to receive Seraphim Space's monthly newsletter directly to your inbox. [Sign up]

Neither the Company's website nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks in it or in this newsletter (or any other website) is (or is deemed to be) incorporated into, or forms (or is deemed to form) part of, this newsletter.

- Ends -

Media Enquiries

Seraphim Space Manager LLP (via SEC Newgate)
Mark Boggett, CEO / James Bruegger, CIO / Rob Desborough
SEC Newgate (Communications advisers)	[e-mail]
Emma Kane / Clotilde Gros / George Esmond	[phone]
Deutsche Numis
Mark Hankinson / Gavin Deane / Neil Coleman / David Benda	[phone]
J.P. Morgan Cazenove
William Simmonds / Jérémie Birnbaum / Rupert Budge	[phone]
Ocorian Administration (UK) Limited	[e-mail]
Lorna Zimny	[phone]

Notes to Editors

About Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc

Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (the "Company") is the world's first listed fund focused on SpaceTech. The Company seeks exposure predominantly to early and growth stage private financed SpaceTech businesses that have the potential to dominate globally and that are sector leaders with first mover advantages in areas such as climate, communications, mobility and cyber security. The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the Equity Shares in Commercial Companies Category.

Further information is available at: https://investors.seraphim.vc.

About Seraphim Space Manager LLP

Seraphim Space Manager LLP ("Seraphim Space" or the "Manager") is based in the UK and manages Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc and Seraphim Space Ventures II LP.

Further information is available at www.seraphim.vc.

About Seraphim Space Accelerator Ltd

Seraphim Space Camp Accelerator Ltd, an affiliate of Seraphim Space Manager LLP based in the UK, established the Seraphim Space Accelerator in 2018 and has developed it to become the world-leading VC-led accelerator with a focus on SpaceTech. The accelerator programme brings in-depth industry expertise to get Seed and Pre-Series A SpaceTech companies 'investment ready' while facilitating relationships with some of the world's leading Space corporates and agencies.

Further information is available at www.seraphim.vc.

About Generation Space LLC

Generation Space LLC is the US subsidiary of Seraphim Space Manager LLP and is responsible for its US activities. Generation Space LLC is an affiliate of Seraphim Space Camp Accelerator Ltd and is responsible for delivery of the US Generation Space Accelerator.

Further information is available at www.generation.space.

 

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