News
Daily coverage of the global space industry with an emphasis on business and political news.
SpaceX launches Bulgarian satellite on reused first stage
A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched a Bulgarian communications satellite June 23, a mission that marked the second time the company reused the rocket’s first stage.
Rideshare demand grows despite development of small launch vehicles
Despite the ongoing development of a fleet of small launch vehicles, both launch providers and customers continue to see demand for flying small satellites as secondary payloads on larger rockets.
OHB, Surrey Satellite win contract for eight more Galileo navigation satellites
The companies signed the contract Thursday with the European Space Agency, which procures the satellites on behalf of the EU.
FCC approves OneWeb for US market as it considers other constellations
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted June 22 to make OneWeb the first of what will likely be several new non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations granted regulatory approval to operate in the United States.
NASA begins independent review of WFIRST mission
NASA announced June 22 the selection of an independent review committee that will examine cost and schedule issues with its next flagship astronomy mission, WFIRST.
Lack of satellite orders triggers layoffs at Space Systems Loral
Citing a long-term drought in satellite orders, Space Systems Loral has laid off a number of employees at its California satellite manufacturing facility, the company confirmed June 22.
Space Corps proposal becoming flashpoint in DoD budget negotiations
Rep. Mike Rogers says Air Force "better shape up or they’ll figure out who is in charge here," while Gen. David Goldfein says "now’s not the time to build seems and segregate and separate."
ESA kickstarts Prometheus reusable engine with first funding tranche
The European Space Agency began funding a reusable rocket engine anticipated to be ready for a test-fire demonstration in 2020, the same year as the first launch of the future Ariane 6 rocket.
ESA aims to privatize Space Rider unmanned spaceplane by 2025
Europe’s Space Rider reusable spaceplane is three years or so from its debut, but the European Space Agency is already making plans to privatize the unmanned orbital vehicle. ESA officials said Space Rider could be operating commercially by 2025, flying science payloads and bringing them back to Earth for roughly $9,200 per kilogram.
Countdown underway for launch of Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle late tonight
Scheduled lift off is at 11:59 p.m. Eastern carrying a Cartosat-2 remote-sensing satellite. Also on board will be 30 smallsat secondary payloads from 15 countries.
ESA joins with satellite industry to harness 5G opportunities
ESA’s director of telecommunications and integrated applications, Magali Vaissiere, joined 16 European satellite industry leaders at the Paris Air Show June 21 to sign a joint statement on collaborating on the Satellite for 5G initiative. 5G networks will offer extremely low latencies and high capacity, enabling widespread deployment of Internet of Things technologies including autonomous cars, connected factories and smart infrastructure.
Smallsats promoted as “insurance” for national security space systems
Advocates of small satellites argue that such systems could offer a much-need “layer of resiliency” for national security space applications for as little as one percent of current spending on such programs.
SES: AMC-9 has “no risk of a collision with other active satellites”
SES says its 14-year-old satellite that malfunctioned and strayed from its orbit over the weekend poses no collision or interference danger to other satellites in the vicinity.
Russia studying dedicated space tourism missions using its Soyuz spacecraft
Glavkosmos Director General Denis Lyskov said at the Paris Air Show Tuesday that future missions could fly two tourists and one professional cosmonaut, possibly visiting the ISS.
ESA moves forward on gravitational wave and exoplanet missions
The European Space Agency has formally selected an ambitious space-based gravitational-wave observatory as its next large space science mission, scheduled for launch by 2034.
Iridium open to reused Falcon 9s if it means SpaceX can speed up schedule
Mobile satellite services provider Iridium is willing to use pre-flown Falcon 9 first stage boosters for the second half of its fleet replacement if SpaceX can show that reuse will shorten Iridium’s wait for launches.
