Space.com
• Josh Dinner
Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch Strix, a radar-imaging satellite for Japanese company Synspective, on the “Owlright, Owlright, Owlright” mission on Sept. 25. The flight will support Synspective’s imaging constellation and marks another commercial deployment serving Japan’s growing space-data market.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch Strix, a radar-imaging satellite for Japanese company Synspective, on the “Owlright, Owlright, Owlright” mission on Sept. 25. The flight will support Synspective’s imaging constellation and marks another commercial deployment serving Japan’s growing space-data market.
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Iridium stockholders approved Rocket Lab’s proposed acquisition with 99.6% of votes cast, supporting consideration of $27 in cash plus collared Rocket Lab shares valued at $54 per share. The transaction is expected to close by mid-2027, subject to regulatory approvals, while Rocket Lab’s CFO signaled further M&A.
The nose cone for the Callisto reusable rocket demonstrator has been shipped to CNES for integration, marking another step toward the vehicle’s initial hop tests in 2027. The milestone indicates that the demonstrator is moving from component production into vehicle-level integration ahead of its flight campaign.
SpaceX completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Starship megarocket on Sept. 24, clearing a key prelaunch milestone ahead of the vehicle’s planned first orbital test flight on Sept. 28. The rehearsal keeps the launch campaign on schedule, pending final preparations and approvals.
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Google plans to launch prototype satellites with Planet by early 2027 to test whether orbital infrastructure can support large-scale AI computing. The Project Suncatcher experiments will evaluate TPU performance, radiation exposure, cooling and launch survival—early steps toward potential space-based data centers.
Scotland-based Aurora Avionics has installed its PF1 onboard computer system on DLR’s MAPHEUS suborbital research rocket, marking the first time the avionics platform has flown on the vehicle. The integration prepares the Scottish-German partnership for an initial flight test.
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The European Space Agency has awarded Rocket Factory Augsburg a €2.7 million contract extension to expand launch and testing infrastructure at SaxaVord, the UK spaceport. The funding supports RFA’s preparations to increase operational capability at the site.
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SpaceX has stacked Ship 41 atop Booster 21 at its launch site, positioning the vehicle for a Wet Dress Rehearsal no earlier than Sept. 24. The test will precede Starship’s first-ever attempt to reach orbit, marking a critical milestone for the launch system.
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