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• Debra Werner
UK startup NewOrbit says it has secured a launch slot for NEO-1, a commercial rideshare mission planned for very low Earth orbit in the third quarter of 2028. The announcement adds another prospective customer mission to the emerging VLEO market, though no launch provider or payload details were disclosed.
Commercial Space
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The Exploration Company has reserved an Ariane 6 flight for the Nyx demonstration mission through the European Space Agency’s ALADDIN cargo program. The booking links the company’s in-space transportation vehicle to Europe’s institutional launch framework and adds a commercial cargo mission to Ariane 6’s manifest.
UK startup NewOrbit says it has secured a launch slot for NEO-1, a commercial rideshare mission planned for very low Earth orbit in the third quarter of 2028. The announcement adds another prospective customer mission to the emerging VLEO market, though no launch provider or payload details were disclosed.
High activity
Eutelsat, OroraTech, Planet Labs, Hanwha and a separate consortium are advancing thermal, broad-area and AI-enabled Earth-observation capabilities, including plans for new satellite constellations and faster deployment. HAVELSAN and Egypt’s AOI are also expanding adjacent autonomous sensing capabilities through a HAMZA-1 UAV sales agreement.
Greece’s first astronaut is set to travel to the International Space Station in 2027 on a private astronaut mission organized by Vast. The flight comes as European governments and industry debate whether Europe should develop more independent human-spaceflight capabilities.
SpaceX is positioning Starlink beyond broadband and space infrastructure, promoting ambitions in mobile telecommunications. The expansion is drawing investor attention to the potential for the satellite operator to compete more directly with terrestrial telecom providers and reshape the connectivity market.
Venturi Space has expanded its lunar mobility portfolio with ALTA LUNA, a compact and maneuverable rover designed for local operations around future lunar bases. The vehicle is positioned as a utility platform for supporting activity in the vicinity of planned outposts.
High activity
MBDA and Safran won approval to supply France’s new long-range land-strike capability, while the U.S. expanded military connectivity with 21 PWSA Tranche-1 satellites. Separate awards include up to $4.84 billion for Northrop Grumman’s CIRCM system, $4.7 billion to L3Harris for PAC-3 MSE propulsion and $343.2 million for T56 sustainment.
The inaugural International Space Summit in Paris produced 51 announcements, including the first detailed look at the IRIS² low-Earth-orbit architecture. Former ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet was also named commander of Vast’s PAM-6 commercial mission to the International Space Station.
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