Small Satellites
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
Tyvak and Lawrence Livermore National Lab release Earth and space images
Tyvak released the first high-resolution images of objects in orbit and on the ground captured by telescopes the satellite manufacturer developed with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
York to quadruple smallsat manufacturing capacity with new facility
York Space Systems announced plans May 18 to establish a “mega manufacturing facility” in Denver to quadruple the number of small satellites in production at once.
KSAT rapidly expands KSATlite small satellite network
KSAT is rapidly installing antennas around the world to keep pace with the dramatic rise in small satellite activity.
York Space Systems building larger LX-CLASS satellite platform
Smallsat specialist York Space Systems is producing a larger satellite platform with double the payload volume of its current spacecraft bus in response to market demand.
DoD space agency launching experiments in preparation for 2022 satellite deployments
SDA and DARPA small spacecraft equipped with optical crosslinks will fly to orbit in SpaceX's next rideshare mission Transporter-2.
Maxar executive: Smallsat industry deserves credit for pushing innovation
Technological advances in small satellites are helping improve spacecraft designs and pushing the industry to take more risks, said Jim McClelland, vice president of Maxar Technologies.
SpaceX’s rideshare carried small satellite technology of interest to U.S. military
Among the 143 satellites on Transporter-1 were technology demonstrations and payloads of interest to the U.S. military, including satellite components, in-space laser communications and remote sensing.
Aurora Insight to launch cubesats for RF sensing
Aurora Insight, a Denver startup that gathers data on terrestrial and satellite communications, plans to launch the first of two cubesats on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission scheduled for liftoff Jan. 21.
AAC Clyde Space to acquire SpaceQuest for $8.4 million
AAC Clyde Space announced plans Oct. 15 to acquire SpaceQuest, a satellite technology developer based in Fairfax, Virginia, for $8.4 million, pending the approval of shareholders and the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
Momentus forges agreements with Skykraft and Mecano ID
In-space transportation startup Momentus announced service agreements Oct. 2 with Australia’s Skykraft and French spacecraft engineering company Mecano ID.
Veteran manufacturers question pricing strategy of newcomers
Manufacturers agreed the cost of cubesats and small satellites of all sizes will decline as constellation developers and operators begin placing larger orders.
U.S. military space architecture to bring in commercial systems, small satellites
Col. Russell Teehan said commercially developed technologies will be part of the future capabilities of the U.S. Space Force.
Industry executive: Defense Production Act small launch contracts should have been competed
SmallSat Alliance Chairman Chuck Beames: 'I think they messed up.'
York opens manufacturing facility, hires engineering chief
York Space Systems announced the opening May 19 of its new manufacturing facility in Denver, a key step in the firm’s campaign to expand mass manufacturing of standard small satellites.
