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• Jason Rainbow
Kepler Communications says its next-generation optical data relay network has entered commercial service for real-time space operations. Separately, Boeing delivered SES’s final three O3b mPOWER satellites, completing the initial 13-satellite medium Earth orbit constellation ahead of planned Falcon 9 launches later this month.
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Rocket Lab launched the 11th satellite for Japanese radar-imaging company Synspective, reinforcing the customer’s role as one of Electron’s largest users. The mission adds to Synspective’s Earth-observation constellation and highlights recurring demand for dedicated small-satellite launch services.
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Kepler Communications says its next-generation optical data relay network has entered commercial service for real-time space operations. Separately, Boeing delivered SES’s final three O3b mPOWER satellites, completing the initial 13-satellite medium Earth orbit constellation ahead of planned Falcon 9 launches later this month.
French and German associations representing NewSpace companies are asking the European Commission to provide a clear assessment of European government launch demand in the coming years. The groups say greater visibility is needed to stimulate both government support and private investment in European launchers.
Sierra Space says it has secured national security and commercial customers for the first orbital flight of its Dream Chaser spaceplane. The long-delayed vehicle is now targeting a debut mission later this year, marking a planned entry into the orbital transportation market.
Space Technologies attempted a commercial mission to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope, a spacecraft launched more than two decades ago that was never designed for servicing. The effort was mounted in less than a year, underscoring the difficulty of sustaining aging space infrastructure.
Airbus Defence and Space will work with Axelspace to deliver mid-resolution optical imagery from GRUS Earth-observation microsatellites to a broader market. Separately, York Space Systems introduced the LX/V-CLASS, a standardized smallsat platform designed for sustained missions in very low Earth orbit.
A House subcommittee advanced legislation aimed at speeding and simplifying Federal Communications Commission licensing for satellite systems. The measure differs from a companion Senate bill, setting up potential negotiations over how Congress will address regulatory processes affecting commercial and government space operators.
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Russia’s Rassvet-3 constellation, positioned as a rival to Starlink, is struggling after all 16 satellites in its second batch failed to reach their intended orbit. At least three of the first 32 satellites likely suffered outright failures, leaving only 12 of 32 launched spacecraft set for long-term orbit.
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