Small Satellites

Space Force not buying large satellites for the foreseeable future
The era of massive satellites needs to be in the rear view mirror for the Department of Defense, the head of military space acquisitions Frank Calvelli said Jan. 24.

SAIC to build small satellites with startup Rogue Space
SAIC is partnering with startup Rogue Space Systems to develop small satellites for in-space services, the companies announced Sept. 20.

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.

Millennium Space reveals results of DARPA’s ‘Red-Eye’ smallsat experiment
The DARPA-funded Red-Eye experiment demonstrated capabilities such as on-board data processing, inter-satellite communications and software-defined radios.

Report: U.S. defense and intelligence agencies slow to embrace small-satellite revolution
The United States is at risk of being outpaced by China in space capabilities, in part due to the slow adoption of commercial innovations such as small satellites, warns a new report released May 5 by the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

New Chinese small sat manufacturing capacity could have international ramifications
Two new Chinese factories capable of producing hundreds of small satellites per year could help China achieve space objectives and impact the international market.

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.

Spire and SpaceChain announce on-orbit blockchain demonstration
Spire Global is working with SpaceChain, a company focused on space applications for blockchain technology, to demonstrate the technology in space and to highlight benefits and challenges.

Terran Orbital acquires new satellite development facility
Terran Orbital, the parent company of Tyvak and PredaSAR, has acquired a new four-story facility in Irvine, California, to house satellite design, engineering and development.

Raymond: Small satellites and fast data transforming space business
The combination of small satellites and computing power is one of the most exciting developments in space technology, said Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, chief of the U.S. Space Force