Via Satellite
• Rachel Jewett
Skywave and Iridium/Orbcomm-backed services have formed a strategic partnership to embed Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) into Skywave’s industrial IoT offering for heavy equipment OEM customers. The move brings Iridium’s satellite connectivity to a new OEM segment and marks the first collaboration between the two companies.
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Skywave and Iridium/Orbcomm-backed services have formed a strategic partnership to embed Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) into Skywave’s industrial IoT offering for heavy equipment OEM customers. The move brings Iridium’s satellite connectivity to a new OEM segment and marks the first collaboration between the two companies.
UK defense firm MGI Engineering has launched its T-022 Vortex autonomous collaborative platform, positioning it as an “ACP” built from the outset to operate alongside crewed jets as part of a coordinated team. The company says the high-performance platform will be promoted for a UK requirement.
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SpaceX’s shares fell again as investors priced in a major supply event: an Aug. 6 lock-up expiration releasing up to 911.5 million shares, far larger than the current public float. The selloff has wiped more than $1 trillion in market value and deepened Elon Musk’s wealth decline amid Tesla/SpaceX financial turbulence.
Anduril produced its first YFQ-44A Fury semi-autonomous aircraft at the Ohio Arsenal-1 factory, marking a key step in the U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. Alongside prototype validation for the Fury and YFQ-42A Dark Merlin, officials are also preparing employment-doctrine work and a near-term MQ-9 replacement concept phase timeline.
House disclosure filings show at least six lawmakers acquired SpaceX shares in the days following the company’s public debut. The purchases have drawn scrutiny because five members sit on committees tied to SpaceX-facing areas including federal contracts, defense programs, AI/telecom oversight, and securities-market regulation.
SpaceX’s Starship completed its 13th test flight, described as going “pretty well,” with an accompanying set of highlights from the mission. A separate weekly recap also points to broader momentum around moon-lander/rover concepts, AI-enabled engineering, and large-scale launch and communications funding.
Archer and Anduril are positioning a hybrid-power, autonomous, runway-independent heavy-drone design for civil and defense missions, rather than advancing Archer’s electric flying-taxi concept in that “heavy-drone” configuration. The companies describe autonomy and hybrid propulsion as the core enablers for the loyal-wingman role.
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