Commercial
Stratolaunch plane flies again as company prepares for hypersonic tests
Stratolaunch flew its giant aircraft Jan. 16 for just the third time as company executives promise a higher rate of flight activities this year, including the first flight of a hypersonic test vehicle.
Airbus books Loft Orbital order for Florida satellite factory
Condosat operator Loft Orbital has ordered more than 15 satellite buses from Airbus in a deal announced Jan. 14 that calls for building the initial OneWeb-derived platforms in France before shifting serial production to Florida.
Pixxel signs partnership with Rio Tinto for hyperspectral imagery
Indian hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel has announced a partnership with mining company Rio Tinto, giving that company early access to data from satellites scheduled to launch early this year.
Virgin Orbit launches seven cubesats on third operational mission
Virgin Orbit placed seven cubesats for three customers into orbit Jan. 13 on the third consecutive successful operational flight of its LauncherOne air-launch system.
SpaceX launches third dedicated smallsat rideshare mission
A SpaceX Falcon 9 placed more than 100 smallsats into orbit Jan. 13 as the company accelerates the pace of its dedicated rideshare missions.
Atomos Space secures funding to develop space tug business
Denver-based startup Atomos Space announced Jan. 12 it has raised the $5 million it had first sought in 2020 to develop its space-tug business, following an investment from early-stage investor Cantos Ventures.
Multi-orbit constellation startup Mangata Networks raises $33 million
U.S.-based startup Mangata Networks has raised $33 million from an international mix of investors for its multi-orbit connectivity constellation plans.
Intelsat orders two flexible GEO satellites for post-bankruptcy growth plan
Intelsat has ordered two software-defined satellites from Thales Alenia Space as the operator edges closer to emerging from bankruptcy.
Virgin Orbit to demonstrate air-launch flexibility on upcoming mission
Virgin Orbit is preparing to launch a set of smallsats as both a demonstration of the flexibility of its air-launch system and its ability to increase its cadence of launches.
Orbit Fab secures deal to refuel Astroscale’s satellite-servicing robots
Astroscale U.S., a provider of on-orbit services to extend the life of satellites, has signed an agreement to use Orbit Fab’s in-space fuel tankers.
HawkEye 360 wins $15.5 million AFRL contract
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded HawkEye 360 a $15.5 million contract to provide radio frequency analytics research and development, and to help the government test and evaluate its hybrid space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture.
SpaceX goes all-in on Starship configuration for second-gen Starlink
SpaceX has dropped a plan to use Falcon 9 to launch the 30,000 satellites in its proposed second-generation Starlink broadband constellation, and is instead focusing on a configuration leveraging its upcoming Starship vehicle.
Defense Innovation Unit taps Lyten to develop high-performance batteries for small satellites
Lyten, a battery manufacturer based in California, has prototyped an advanced battery design for small satellites under a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit.
Space Force to take a fresh look at communications satellite needs
What mix of satellites will be needed to meet rising demand for connectivity will be the subject of a deep-dive study by the U.S. Space Force.
From contractor to satellite operator: Q&A with Sidus Space CEO Carol Craig
Sidus Space became a public company in December to help transform the Space Coast government contractor into a commercial satellite constellation operator. SpaceNews interviewed Sidus Space CEO Carol Craig, who became the first woman owner-founder of a space company to go public, to learn more about the plans as its first satellite aims to launch late this year.
Arianespace looks to transitions of vehicles and business in 2022
After its most active year in two decades capped by the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope for NASA, Arianespace is heading into a period of transition in 2022 marked by the introduction of new vehicles and a changing mix of customers.
