4S Symposium (Small Satellites Systems and Services)

What’s up? is the special topic of the 4S 2020 Symposium (Small Satellites Systems and Services) taking place in Vilamoura, Portugal. The recent development of drones and high-altitude aerial platforms have opened up new…

Small Satellites 2020

SMi Group are proud to announce the Small Satellites Conference taking place in London on the 27th and 28th April 2020.

With nations around the world developing their small satellites capability at pace, governments and trans-national agenc…

Kepler books SpaceX rideshare for LEO satellites

Kepler Communications on Dec. 11 said it booked 400 kilograms of rideshare capacity with SpaceX  in order to launch an unspecified number of its Internet of Things cubesat next year.

SpaceX says rideshare missions will launch on time, even if partly empty

SpaceX plans to launch regular Falcon 9 rideshare missions starting in March and won’t delay launches for tardy customers, a company executive said Oct. 8. 

SpaceX revamps smallsat rideshare program

Less than a month after announcing a new effort to provide low-cost launch services for small satellites, SpaceX says it will increase the number of flight opportunities and reduce the prices it offers.

Big rockets cutting in as little launchers vie for smallsat business

As SpaceX turned its attention to the larger Falcon 9 and programs like commercial cargo and crew, its presence at the annual Conference on Small Satellites, and the overall smallsat industry, faded. At this year’s conference, SpaceX retained its low profile but also announced its return to the smallsat market.

Analysis | Are smallsats entering the maturity stage?

The smallsat market, still rife with uncertainty, is at the beginning of an explosive growth cycle as large scale, expensive constellations face their initial launch. 

Arianespace and SpaceX offering new dedicated rideshare services

Two of the largest commercial launch providers separately announced plans Aug. 5 to provide dedicated launches of small satellites to sun synchronous and geostationary orbits.

Op-ed | Small satellites are big business

With its unique alpha-to-omega regulatory sway over the satellite industry, the FCC plays an outsized role in shaping the nascent commercial space industry.

FCC to introduce new simplified licensing regulations for smallsats

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, speaking at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event here, said the regulations will make licensing small satellites cheaper and faster in order to better match cost and pace at which smallsat operators often function. 

NASA selects planetary mission proposals large and small

As NASA selects its next major planetary science mission, the agency is also funding studies of very small missions that seek to capitalize on advances in smallsat technology.

Loft Orbital fills first condosat, preps for quarterly launches

Loft Orbital, a company preparing a constellation to carry payloads for customers who don’t want to operate their own satellites, has filled up its first satellite and booked a January 2020 launch through Spaceflight Industries.

On Capitol Hill, smallsat industry makes new push for government funding

The trade association that represents small satellite manufacturers is making a fresh push on Capitol Hill to ensure funds are included in the Pentagon’s budget for smallsat technologies.

Swarm CEO talks past mistakes, future goals

Swarm Technologies’ self-stated mission is to bring internet access to the whole world, but it’s best known at this point for defying the U.S. Federal Communications Commission by launching four tiny SpaceBee satellites last year without a license.

Space business buoys Harris, troubles L3 as merger progresses

Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies reported contrasting financial performances for their space activities Jan. 29, with Harris charting growth in classified smallsat programs and L3 recording losses in satellite communications components.

Op-ed | IoT smallsats: Ready for launch?

In recent years, there has been a boom of announcements for satellite constellations comprising satellites weighing as little as 3 kilograms to address a growing market of machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) via satellite.