Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first batch of next-generation satellites for Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation. The batch comprises 32 satellites, marking the start of deliveries for the upgraded spacecraft fleet.
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Meridian Space and Kongsberg NanoAvionics said Oct. 5 they had successfully activated Meridian’s First Customer Link communications payload in low Earth orbit. The companies aim to begin producing flat broadband spacecraft in mid-2027, following in-orbit antenna tests.
Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first batch of next-generation satellites for Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation. The batch comprises 32 satellites, marking the start of deliveries for the upgraded spacecraft fleet.
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Google is testing tensor processing units aboard Planet Labs satellites after a SpaceX launch, advancing its Project Suncatcher concept for orbital AI infrastructure. The effort arrives alongside Satlyt’s $8 million funding round for virtual on-orbit data centers and Foundational’s $11 million plan to commercialize satellite laser ranging.
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The Space Force selected Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly to build “space-to-space” ISR satellites by 2028, while L3Harris secured a $461.9 million executive-aircraft satcom contract. Separately, Nokia and ICEYE are developing sovereign low-Earth-orbit communications systems for governments, defense contractors and emergency services.
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The European Space Agency has selected consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to conduct parallel studies of a future European-led space station in low Earth orbit. The effort marks an early step toward defining Europe’s potential post-ISS human-spaceflight architecture and industrial roles.
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The Pentagon awarded RTX’s Raytheon business a provisional $20.7 billion multiyear AMRAAM contract aimed at nearly doubling output, alongside Boeing’s $75 million JDAM Long Range production award and a $123.8 million Northrop Grumman contract for F-35 APG-85 radar components.
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Starship reached orbit for the first time on its 14th test flight and deployed 26 V3 Starlink satellites using its “Pez dispenser” system. An engine shutdown forced SpaceX to end the planned 10-hour mission early, bringing the fully reusable vehicle home ahead of schedule.
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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.
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