Commercial

Intelsat working to regain control of Galaxy 15 satellite
Intelsat said Aug. 19 it has lost control of its Galaxy 15 satellite after it was likely hit by a geomagnetic storm.

Big plans for mini-launchers
Industry’s attention is shifting to a larger class of rockets, sometimes called ”mini-launchers” capable of placing about a metric ton into orbit.

Op-ed | Satellite industry consolidation: is the tail wagging the dog?
Recent weeks and months have seen growing activity among satellite network operators keen to integrate the soon-to-be-available LEO-derived bandwidth with existing GEO services.

As DoD shifts to smaller satellites, rideshare questions emerge
Lawmakers in the 2023 NDAA recommended that the Space Force and Space Development Agency use a "common launch integrator" to manage rideshares

Maxar receives delayed Ovzon 3 satellite parts
Ovzon’s first satellite is set to launch between December and February following the delivery of parts caught up in supply chain delays, the Swedish broadband service provider said Aug. 18.

Sky Perfect JSAT picks SpaceX’s Starship for 2024 satellite launch
Sky Perfect JSAT said Aug. 18 it has picked SpaceX’s Starship rocket to launch its Superbird-9 satellite in 2024.

Ukraine gains enhanced access to Iceye imagery and data
Iceye is transferring the full capability of one synthetic aperture radar satellite collecting imagery and data around Ukraine plus access to other satellites in its constellation to the Ukrainian government under a contract with a charitable organization.

Op-ed | Taking the Number 8 Wire Mindset to Space: New Zealand’s Approach to the Space Economy
No other country does space quite like New Zealand.

Mynaric hires president to oversee production of laser communications systems
Mynaric has hired an experienced executive from the optical communications and semiconductor industries as its new president, charged with overseeing production of its laser communications systems.

R3-IoT becomes Krucial to branch out of aquaculture
Scottish startup R3-IoT rebranded as Krucial Aug. 18 amid plans to expand its connectivity solutions for remote sensors out of the aquaculture market.

Commercial geospatial technologies that detect GPS disruptions to be tested in military exercises
U.S. military and allied forces in upcoming exercises will put to the test commercial technologies that could help detect GPS jamming or other activities that disrupt satellite-based navigation.

Op-ed | Preparing for Maneuver Warfare in Space – The Next Battleground
A historical warfare perspective on enhancing satellite survivability and ensuring commercial satellites are more agile in today’s threat environment.

Seeking Regulatory Mercy: The case for extending constellation deployment deadlines
Will regulators show mercy for constellation hopefuls battling unprecedented manufacturing and launch constraints outside their control?

Ball and Seagate test data storage devices for satellites
Ball Aerospace and Seagate Technology Holdings are working together to develop and test high-capacity commercial data processing and storage devices for spaceflight applications.

AST SpaceMobile delays commercial satellite debut by six months
Supply chain issues have delayed the launch of the first operational satellite in AST SpaceMobile’s cellphone-compatible broadband constellation by about six months to late 2023.

Blue Origin scraps original recovery ship for New Glenn boosters
A large ship that Blue Origin planned to convert into a landing platform for New Glenn boosters is instead being sent to the scrapyard as the company changes its recovery plans.