New York Times
• Cade Metz, Kate Conger
Google’s Project Suncatcher will launch an initial prototype satellite, followed by two experimental satellites with Planet by early 2027, to assess whether AI computing infrastructure can operate in low Earth orbit. The tests will examine Google’s AI hardware under launch loads, radiation and extreme temperatures.
LEO
Latest source-backed stories
High activity
Google’s Project Suncatcher will launch an initial prototype satellite, followed by two experimental satellites with Planet by early 2027, to assess whether AI computing infrastructure can operate in low Earth orbit. The tests will examine Google’s AI hardware under launch loads, radiation and extreme temperatures.
Planet Labs plans to launch its first German-built satellite on a German rocket in early 2027, supported by expanded Berlin production. Separately, Exolaunch has contracted a dedicated SpaceX Starship mission for 2029, while China completed four orbital launches in 45 hours to advance competing LEO broadband constellations.
High activity
Eutelsat demonstrated OneWeb LEO connectivity on Poland’s live PKP Intercity rail network, while Sateliot joined ESA’s IRIS² consolidation phase for the low-LEO layer. Separately, ESA and Axiom Space signed an MoU aimed at expanding Europe’s access to low Earth orbit and related capabilities.
SES will oversee construction and provide payloads for 18 MEO satellites in Europe’s secure Iris² constellation, while U.S. agencies advance contracts and infrastructure for missile-warning and tracking systems, including BAE Systems’ 10-spacecraft MEO Epoch 2 program and new resilient LEO ground entry points.
Pharmaceutical companies are preparing to move drug research and manufacturing into commercial low Earth orbit platforms as the International Space Station approaches the end of its operational life. The industry is also working with regulators to establish rules for producing medicines in space.
The U.S. Space Force will let SpaceX determine the number and configuration of spacecraft for a new $2.3 billion low-Earth-orbit satellite network, specifying required performance rather than prescribing the system’s architecture. The approach gives the contractor greater flexibility in designing the military constellation.
High activity
Space42 and Viasat are committing up to $1 billion to establish Equatys for mobile satellite services, while Telesat partners with SatPort to expand its Lightspeed ground network. Northwood Space unveiled a new ground antenna, and Involve Space secured ESA funding for its StratoSAR radar platform.
High activity
A Vega-C rocket launched Europe’s FLEX and Copernicus-3C—also identified in coverage as Sentinel-3C—spacecraft from Kourou on Sept. 14. The mission adds new European capabilities for monitoring plant health, ocean conditions and broader Earth-system changes amid a busy global launch schedule.
Create a free account to see more recent LEO stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
