LEO News

SpaceWatch Global • Joshua Faleti

New Earth- and defense-leaning space capability moves: Infinite Orbits–Arianespace MoU for direct-to-GEO; Rocket Lab USSF succes

Infinite Orbits and Arianespace signed an MoU to collaborate on multiple direct-to-GEO launch services. Rocket Lab reported success for a US Space Force VICTUS HAZE mission. Separately, ispace launched a Lunar Integrator service with Starship via a 2030-or-later 500 kg payload booking, while ICEYE added four SAR satellites via SpaceX Transporter-17, extending its total to 76.

17 Sources

2026-07-08T00:14:03.139134-07:00

SpaceNews.com

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

1 Source

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

Space.com

Launch preview: SpaceX Transporter-17 (81 payloads) plus debuts of China’s Long March 10B and Skyroot’s Vikram-I

5 Sources

2026-07-06T14:19:46.203510-07:00

AINonline

Iridium completes Aireon acquisition, consolidating satellite ADS‑B surveillance ahead of an $8B Rocket Lab deal

15 Sources

2026-07-06T10:44:41.830322-07:00

Low Earth Orbit News Timeline

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

SpaceWatch Global

17 sources

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New Earth- and defense-leaning space capability moves: Infinite Orbits–Arianespace MoU for direct-to-GEO; Rocket Lab USSF succes Infinite Orbits and Arianespace signed an MoU to collaborate on multiple direct-to-GEO launch services. Rocket Lab reported success for a US Space Force VICTUS HAZE mission. Separately, ispace launched a Lunar Integrator service with Starship via a 2030-or-later 500 kg payload booking, while ICEYE added four SAR satellites via SpaceX Transporter-17, extending its total to 76.

2026-07-08T00:14:03.139134-07:00

New Earth- and defense-leaning space capability moves: Infinite Orbits–Arianespace MoU for direct-to-GEO; Rocket Lab USSF succes

Space.com

5 sources

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Launch preview: SpaceX Transporter-17 (81 payloads) plus debuts of China’s Long March 10B and Skyroot’s Vikram-I This week’s manifest includes six international orbital launches, anchored by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-17 mission carrying 81 payloads, including four Canadian Earth-observation satellites, to a Sun-synchronous orbit. The schedule also features debut demonstration flights for China’s Long March 10B and Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-I, alongside multiple SpaceX rideshare and Starlink launches.

2026-07-06T14:19:46.203510-07:00

Launch preview: SpaceX Transporter-17 (81 payloads) plus debuts of China’s Long March 10B and Skyroot’s Vikram-I

AINonline

15 sources

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Iridium completes Aireon acquisition, consolidating satellite ADS‑B surveillance ahead of an $8B Rocket Lab deal Iridium Communications has finalized its acquisition of Aireon, bringing the satellite-based ADS‑B aircraft surveillance service in-house and integrating it across Iridium’s LEO constellation of 66 satellites. The completion follows Aireon’s role in the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX grounding trigger and comes as Iridium prepares for its planned $8 billion sale to Rocket Lab.

2026-07-06T10:44:41.830322-07:00

Iridium completes Aireon acquisition, consolidating satellite ADS‑B surveillance ahead of an $8B Rocket Lab deal

NASA Spaceflight

1 source

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Vast’s Haven-1 space station hits development milestones toward a Q1 2027 launch Vast reports that its Haven-1 station is continuing to advance through multiple development milestones, positioning the project for a planned Q1 2027 launch. The update underscores continued progress in building the station ahead of its stated deployment window.

2026-07-04T15:13:52.718333-07:00

Vast’s Haven-1 space station hits development milestones toward a Q1 2027 launch

Reuters

35 sources

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NASA launches (and briefly holds) orbital-rescue mission to raise the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s orbit before reentry NASA has launched a robotic LINK spacecraft to rendezvous with the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and boost it into a higher orbit ahead of a dangerous atmospheric reentry risk. The mission was executed by a U.S.-China–era tech supplier effort led by Arizona startup Katalyst after a last-minute launch issue delayed takeoff.

2026-07-03T02:00:40.584972-07:00

NASA launches (and briefly holds) orbital-rescue mission to raise the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s orbit before reentry

SpaceNews.com

26 sources

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Amazon’s Leo LEO broadband constellation nears 400 satellites after ULA launch, setting up initial service later this year to ch Amazon says its Leo low-Earth-orbit satellite broadband network is now large enough for continuous service across initial latitudes, following a United Launch Alliance mission that pushed the orbiting satellite count over 390. Amazon plans to begin initial internet service later this year as it competes with SpaceX’s Starlink dominance.

2026-07-02T03:01:45.560867-07:00

Amazon’s Leo LEO broadband constellation nears 400 satellites after ULA launch, setting up initial service later this year to ch

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