Ars Technica
• Eric Berger
NASA has issued a long-awaited call to industry for private space stations, saying it will not give up its presence in low Earth orbit. The move invites companies to develop commercial platforms that could support NASA’s continued orbital operations.
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NASA has issued a long-awaited call to industry for private space stations, saying it will not give up its presence in low Earth orbit. The move invites companies to develop commercial platforms that could support NASA’s continued orbital operations.
Under the European Space Agency’s NAVISP Element 2 Programme, UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía is researching whether signals of opportunity from low Earth orbit communications constellations can support resilient navigation for unmanned aircraft systems. The work explores an alternative navigation input for UAS operations.
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At the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, agencies and companies addressed low Earth orbit congestion and debris removal, cislunar interoperability, and lunar communications and transport. ESA also presented a study on developing a reusable two-stage heavy-lift launcher, while U.S. and Chinese space networks were in focus.
Newly released video revisits Starship’s first-ever orbital flight, showing the upper stage separate from its booster and deploy Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The footage offers a visual record of key vehicle and payload milestones during the flight.
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The FCC authorized SpaceX to deploy 15,000 satellites for direct-to-device service, while deferring some elements of its request. The agency also announced plans to make more wireless spectrum available and is set to vote on auctioning 25 MHz that could benefit SpaceX and Amazon.
As Russia begins deploying its RASSVET low Earth orbit constellation, defense experts warn that Europe remains too dependent on the United States for space security. The deployment highlights a strategic gap as Europe confronts growing pressure to strengthen its own space capabilities.
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Day two of the International Astronautical Congress featured Aselsan’s planned 198-satellite low Earth orbit network, Fergani’s navigation constellation, a proposed spaceport in Somalia and Türkiye’s Moon mission. Together, the announcements span satellite infrastructure, navigation, launch access and exploration, presenting a broad national space agenda.
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.
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