News
Daily coverage of the global space industry with an emphasis on business and political news.

Intelsat working to regain control of Galaxy 15 satellite
Intelsat said Aug. 19 it has lost control of its Galaxy 15 broadcast 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.

NASA selects potential lunar landing sites for Artemis 3
NASA has selected 13 regions around the south pole of the moon that it is considering for the first crewed landing of the Artemis program later this decade.

NASA selects astrophysics mission proposals for study
NASA has selected four mission concepts for additional study in the latest round of an astrophysics program, but selected missions could face delays because of budget constraints.

ESA to request funding for space-based solar power study
The European Space Agency will seek funding this fall for a feasibility study of space-based solar power, the latest sign of support for a concept that still faces significant technical and financial challenges.

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.

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.

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.