Commercial
Inmarsat unveils multi-orbit Orchestra constellation
British operator Inmarsat plans to add at least 150 low-Earth-orbit satellites to its global fleet, stepping up competition against OneWeb and others developing megaconstellations for mobility markets.
Op-ed | The costs of extreme weather and climate are soaring. Commercial space data should be a bigger part of the solution
There is no one magic bullet to improving forecasts and reining in the costs of extreme weather and climate. To truly tap into the powerful innovation of the private sector, we must think beyond a few targeted, yet piecemeal commercial data buys.
GeoOptics to launch next-generation Earth science constellation
GeoOptics is planning to deploy of constellation of dozens of smallsats over the next five years to collect weather and other Earth science data for government and commercial customers.
R3-IoT gets funding for satellite-enabled sensor connectivity solutions
Scottish startup R3-IoT is expanding to North America after raising early funds for connecting sensors and devices with satellite-enabled solutions.
Isar Aerospace raises $75 million
Isar Aerospace, a German small launch vehicle company, has raised an additional $75 million that will allow the company to expand its manufacturing and launch capabilities.
Weather key issue for Starliner launch
NASA and Boeing say a second test flight of the company’s CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle remains on track for launch July 30, with weather the biggest concern.
Anuvu orders first satellites for small GEO mobility constellation
Anuvu has ordered the first two of an eight-strong constellation of small geostationary orbit satellites as demand returns for Wi-Fi on aircraft, boats and remote locations.
Astroscale and rocket maker MHI team up to develop debris removal technology
Astroscale announced July 27 that it will be working with rocket maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on technologies to help clean up space junk.
Astronomers back technical efforts to reduce impacts of satellite megaconstellations while seeking regulatory solutions
With slow progress on regulation and policy, astronomers are making progress on other approaches to mitigate the effects that satellite megaconstellations will have on their observations.
Chinese rocket company Space Pioneer secures major funding ahead of first launch
Chinese commercial rocket company Space Pioneer has secured a large funding round ahead of reusable “hop” tests and a first orbital launch.
U.K. to strengthen regulations for Starlink, OneWeb and other NGSO constellations
British telecoms regulator Ofcom is proposing rule changes that would affect Starlink, OneWeb and other satellite constellations operating in non-geostationary orbits (NGSO).
Court denies Viasat attempt to halt Starlink launches pending legal action
A federal appeals court denied a motion from satellite operator Viasat to stop SpaceX from enlarging its Starlink megaconstellation.
Starliner cleared for second uncrewed test flight
NASA approved plans July 22 for the launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on a second uncrewed test flight that seeks to demonstrate that the company has corrected the problems seen on the first.
NorthStar developing prototype Earth observation system for marine and coastal tracking
NorthStar Earth & Space, a startup developing a constellation for tracking other satellites, has secured Canadian government funding for a prototype Earth observation monitoring system to combat climate change.
Exodus Orbitals is developing an open satellite platform
Canadian startup Exodus Orbitals plans to launch its first satellite in March to take the software-defined space trend a step further, providing a platform for third parties to upload and run their applications from orbit.
FAA revises criteria for commercial astronaut wings
The FAA has revised its criteria for awarding astronaut wings to those flying on commercial spacecraft, making the requirements stricter while including a significant loophole.
