Archive
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Finance
ETL Acquires SpacePath Communications
ETL Systems is acquiring SpacePath Communications, in a deal that brings together two U.K.-based satellite amplifier suppliers. ETL Systems announced the acquisition on Monday, financial terms were not disclosed. ETL […]
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Podcast
What a Trump or Harris Election Win Means for the Space and Satellite Industry
This week’s On Orbit podcast is a topical look at space policy in the U.S. election. Host Rachel Jewett is joined by fellow editor Jeff Hill for a conversation with […]
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Launch
SpaceX Nabs $744M in New National Security Space Launch Task Orders
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) last Friday awarded SpaceX task orders worth $733.6 million to launch spacecraft for the Space Development Agency (SDA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) […]
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Finance
Comtech Board Forms Plan to Divest Terrestrial Business and Go Purely Satellite
Comtech‘s Board of Directors and management team announced late Thursday its intention to divest its Terrestrial & Wireless Networks (T&W) business, which provides “NG911” 911 emergency call solutions for state […]
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Government/Military
Hydrosat Wins New Weather Data Contract with the US Air Force
Hydrosat, a climate tech company, has won a near $2 million contract with the US Air Force. The contract worth $1.9 million will see Hydrosat provide cloud and weather prediction […]
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Cybersecurity
SpiderOak Reveals Details of Open Source Project
SpiderOak launched its core technology platform as an open-source offering on Thursday as it looks to expand the reach of its platform and technology. The company said that its ‘Aranya’ […]
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Launch
Firefly Aerospace to Launch True Anomaly’s Spacecraft for VICTUS HAZE
True Anomaly on Thursday said it has selected Firefly Aerospace to launch its Jackal spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force’s VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission expected to occur no later […]
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Finance
Iridium Hits Record Revenue in Q3, Pitches Global Nature of NTN Direct
Iridium Communications reported record third quarter total revenue of $212.8 million, with higher commercial service revenue and government engineering revenue. Total revenue increased 8% versus the comparable period of 2023. […]
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Imagery and Sensing
ESA Orders More Satellites for Italy’s IRIDE Constellation from Thales, Argotec
The European Space Agency (ESA) ordered six more satellites from Thales Alenia Space and 15 satellites from Argotec for the Italian Earth observation IRIDE constellation. IRIDE is an Italian government […]
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Technology
Viasat Selects ST Engineering iDirect Tech for Brazilian Energy Deployment
Viasat selected ST Engineering iDirect‘s hub infrastructure to bring Viasat’s satellite connectivity to the energy industry in Brazil. According to the deal announced this week, ST Engineering iDirect will supply […]
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Technology
Arkadia Space to Deploy its Initial Propulsion Module With D-Orbit
Arkadia Space is getting closer to launching its propulsion module in space thanks to a new collaboration with the space transportation company D-Orbit. Arkadia Space announced on Oct. 16 that […]
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Government/Military
NASA’s TDRS System to Stop Onboarding New Missions in November
NASA will stop onboarding new missions to its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system in November. NASA announced the change on Wednesday, which is effective as of November 8. […]
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Connectivity
Space42 and nybl Partner on AI Solution for Oil and Gas Industry
Space42 wants to bring AI to the oil & gas (O&G) industry. It has teamed up with nybl, a science-based AI company, to launch a satellite-enabled AI solution for O&G […]
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Finance
Airbus to Cut 2,500 Jobs in Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space plans to cut up to 2,500 positions within the group as it reorganizes after financial troubles. Airbus announced the cuts on Wednesday and said they will […]
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Government/Military
Kepler-Led Team Wins ESA Deal for HydRON Optical Laser Network
Kepler Communications will lead development of the European Space Agency (ESA) HydRON optical laser network under a new contract announced Wednesday. Kepler will lead a team supported by Tesat Spacecom […]
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Finance
OroraTech Raises $27M to Further Wildfire-Detection Constellation
German wildfire-detection startup OroraTech raised 25 million euros ($27 million) in a Series B funding round to build out its predictive AI capabilities and orbital sensor network. OroraTech announced the […]
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Imagery and Sensing
EarthDaily Acquires Descartes Labs
EarthDaily Analytics has acquired geospatial intelligence firm Descartes Labs, the company announced Tuesday. EarthDaily Analytics said the acquisition was attractive because of how Descartes Labs products apply geospatial data to […]
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Connectivity
Viasat and BSNL Trial Direct-to-Device Connectivity in India
Viasat reported Tuesday that it demonstrated direct-to-device satellite connectivity in India, working with Indian telecommunications provider BSNL. Engineers successfully demonstrated satellite-powered two-way messaging services for attendees at India Mobile Congress […]
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Government/Military
General Dynamics and Iridium Receive $490M Modification for SDA Contract
The Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) and Iridium Communications a $491.6 million contract modification for their work to support ground systems for the SDA’s satellite […]
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Connectivity
SpaceX Requests Starlink Gen2 Modification, Previews Gigabit-Speeds
SpaceX submitted a request to the FCC to modify the second generation, Gen2, of its Starlink satellite system with changes that SpaceX said will allow the constellation to deliver gigabit-speed […]
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Technology
Celestia Antwerp Launches New Tracking, Telemetry and Command Solution
Celestia Antwerp, the Belgian satellite ground segment company, has launched Virtual Integrated Baseband (V-IBB), a new solution for satellite Tracking, Telemetry and Command (TT&C). The V-IBB is a virtual baseband […]
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Finance
French Startup Constellation Technologies Raises Seed Funding for VLEO System
French startup Constellation Technologies & Operations has raised 9.3 million euros ($10 million) to move forward on its plans for a satellite broadband constellation in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). […]
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Launch
SpaceX Follows Milestone Starship Test With Europa Clipper Falcon Heavy Launch
SpaceX hit an eye-catching milestone with its Starship test flight on Sunday from Texas, successfully catching the Super Heavy booster in the first attempt to recapture it. SpaceX followed up […]
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Space Economy
Vast Proposes its Haven-2 Design to Succeed the ISS
Vast is targeting a contract to build the successor to the International Space Station (ISS), unveiling Haven-2 on Monday, its proposed space station design. Vast said it developed Haven-2 to […]
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Government/Military
Intelsat Completes Managed Satellite Service Pilot for US Army
Intelsat completed a year-long pilot program with the U.S. Army offering a fully managed satcom service. The pilot program, known as Satellite Communications as a Managed Service, or SaaMS, is […]
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Government/Military
Anduril and Impulse Space to Collaborate on National Security Space Missions
Defense tech company Anduril Industries is partnering with Impulse Space to integrate the companies’ technologies for national space security missions. Under a new agreement announced Friday, Impulse will provide the […]
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Technology
NASA Optical Ground Station Transmitted First Lasercom Uplink to TBIRD
While NASA’s TBIRD lasercom payload completed its mission in September, NASA is still sharing milestones it reached. Before the mission ended, a NASA optical ground station transmitted its first laser […]
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Connectivity
Gilat Wins $4M Rural Connectivity Deal in Latin America
Gilat Satellite Networks received a contract to provide rural connectivity, including supporting banking transactions in Latin America. Gilat announced the $4 million contract on Oct. 8, but did not name […]
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Government/Military
UK and Canada Prepare for Redwing Space Domain Awareness Mission
The U.K. government is teaming up with Canada on the Redwing microsatellite space domain awareness (SDA) mission scheduled to launch in 2027. This international research cooperation between the countries provides […]
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Connectivity
Verizon Exec Explains the Skylo Deal and the Telco’s D2D Strategy
In late August, Verizon was the latest big name telco to team up with a satellite player for direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity. Verizon announced a deal with Skylo to launch a […]





























