LEO News

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

SDA awards $1.75B to L3Harris and Sierra Space for Tranche 3 Tracking Layer satellites

The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded $955 million to L3Harris Technologies and $798 million to Sierra Space under fixed-price OTA rapid-prototyping contracts to build 36 Tracking Layer satellites in support of proliferated low Earth orbit missile warning and defense. The Tranche 3 satellites are targeted for delivery by end-2028.

10 Sources

2026-07-13T14:19:46.091532-07:00

Reuters

SpaceX clears Starship mishap probe and targets July 16 for Flight 13 of Version 3 from Texas

17 Sources

2026-07-13T07:45:06.737977-07:00

Space.com

Study finds 2-inch (5-cm) space-debris fragments forming a “minefield” in high-value, high-traffic orbit

1 Source

2026-07-13T05:14:11.600423-07:00

Ars Technica

NASA releases critical planning document for private space stations, clarifying requirements for commercial partners

1 Source

2026-07-10T08:30:39.371153-07:00

Low Earth Orbit News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

10 sources

SDA awards $1.75B to L3Harris and Sierra Space for Tranche 3 Tracking Layer satellites The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded $955 million to L3Harris Technologies and $798 million to Sierra Space under fixed-price OTA rapid-prototyping contracts to build 36 Tracking Layer satellites in support of proliferated low Earth orbit missile warning and defense. The Tranche 3 satellites are targeted for delivery by end-2028.

2026-07-13T14:19:46.091532-07:00

SDA awards $1.75B to L3Harris and Sierra Space for Tranche 3 Tracking Layer satellites

Reuters

17 sources

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SpaceX clears Starship mishap probe and targets July 16 for Flight 13 of Version 3 from Texas SpaceX is preparing Starship’s next test launch from Texas as early as this week, after a review tied to an earlier mishap was cleared. The FAA required an investigation, and SpaceX now targets no earlier than July 16 for Starship Flight 13—its second Version 3 test—designed to be similar to Flight 12.

2026-07-13T07:45:06.737977-07:00

SpaceX clears Starship mishap probe and targets July 16 for Flight 13 of Version 3 from Texas

Space.com

1 source

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Study finds 2-inch (5-cm) space-debris fragments forming a “minefield” in high-value, high-traffic orbit A new study reports a debris cloud made up of fragments as small as 2 inches (5 cm) in an orbital region populated by mission-critical satellites. The authors warn the concentration of tiny pieces in a high-traffic zone could pose escalating collision risk—effectively raising insurance and replacement costs for operators.

2026-07-13T05:14:11.600423-07:00

Study finds 2-inch (5-cm) space-debris fragments forming a “minefield” in high-value, high-traffic orbit

Via Satellite

1 source

Ovzon completes GEO connectivity and terminal trials in Arctic conditions Ovzon says it has completed multiple trials in the Arctic to validate its GEO connectivity and associated terminal technology in harsh polar environments, as it works to prove performance and readiness for deployment in similar operating conditions.

2026-07-10T11:30:15.234355-07:00

Ovzon completes GEO connectivity and terminal trials in Arctic conditions

Ars Technica

1 source

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NASA releases critical planning document for private space stations, clarifying requirements for commercial partners NASA has released a key planning document detailing what it wants from industry for private space-station efforts. The update provides the first consolidated clarity on the planning expectations facing commercial providers, reducing ambiguity for program schedules and downstream engineering decisions.

2026-07-10T08:30:39.371153-07:00

NASA releases critical planning document for private space stations, clarifying requirements for commercial partners

Space.com

1 source

Euclid telescope finds the oldest known quasar—black hole-powered beacon from the early universe Using the ESA’s Euclid space telescope, astronomers identified a large population of black hole–powered quasars in the early universe, including the most ancient and most distant quasar observed to date. The object’s brightness corresponds to energy output described as a “trillion suns.”

2026-07-09T14:14:03.753069-07:00

Euclid telescope finds the oldest known quasar—black hole-powered beacon from the early universe

Universe Today

3 sources

ESA’s Euclid Telescope finds 31 record-breaking ancient quasars, probing early galaxy formation ESA’s Euclid space telescope has spotted 31 ancient quasars—among the oldest and most remote objects observed—using their redshifted light to peer into the dawn of the Universe. The findings include the earliest quasars ever identified and add new constraints on how the first galaxies formed and evolved.

2026-07-08T12:14:48.490719-07:00

ESA’s Euclid Telescope finds 31 record-breaking ancient quasars, probing early galaxy formation

SpaceNews.com

1 source

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AST SpaceMobile adds three more BlueBird satellites to LEO, targeting 45–60 satellites by year-end for space-based cellular broa AST SpaceMobile has deployed three additional BlueBird satellites into low Earth orbit, moving ahead of its plan to build a space-based cellular broadband network. The company is targeting deployment of 45 to 60 satellites by the end of the year as it scales capacity in-orbit.

2026-07-08T06:29:13.681651-07:00

AST SpaceMobile adds three more BlueBird satellites to LEO, targeting 45–60 satellites by year-end for space-based cellular broa

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