The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded six companies — BlackSky Technology, HyperSat, Orbital Sidekick, Pixxel, Planet, and Xplore — study contracts for commercial hyperspectral imagery. The NRO will use these study contracts to “explore the potential of commercial hyperspectral imagery,” NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese said in Wednesday’s announcement.  The contracts are a two-stage effort. The NRO…

Arkisys has won a new contract from the U.S. Space Force, the company announced March. 20. It has won a Direct-to-Phase II SBIR contract by SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. SpaceWERX is a component of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Led by Arkisys, this newly funded project will demonstrate building…

The FCC proposed a new regulatory framework at its March meeting to facilitate satellite-to-cell service and collaboration between satellite operators and wireless companies — part of the Commission’s “single network future.”  The Commission adopted a previously released notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) during the March 16 meeting, with all four commissioners voting to adopt. It deals…

The U.S. Department of Commerce is updating export control rules in regards to foreign space launch vehicles that could lead to potentially “hundreds of millions of dollars” in new exports of U.S. satellite and satellite components, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves announced March 15 at SATELLITE 2023.  The U.S. government reviewed how Missile Technology…