Space.com
• Mike Wall
SpaceX is maintaining a rapid Starlink launch cadence, with Falcon 9 missions targeting low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral. One mission is set to carry 24 satellites, while another delivered 29; a separate Starlink launch was scrubbed and rescheduled for Aug. 11.
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SpaceX is maintaining a rapid Starlink launch cadence, with Falcon 9 missions targeting low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral. One mission is set to carry 24 satellites, while another delivered 29; a separate Starlink launch was scrubbed and rescheduled for Aug. 11.
Eutelsat said OneWeb revenue increased 69.5% in the year ended June 30, contrasting with a 6.6% decline in GEO broadband connectivity revenue. The company outlined operations for its first-generation LEO constellation through 2034 and $5.07 billion in planned capital expenditure as Europe advances Iris².
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China’s Long March 7A failed less than 90 seconds after liftoff during an attempted communications-satellite launch, with amateur footage showing an apparent explosion. State media said the payload was lost and the cause was under investigation, marking the rocket family’s second failure this year.
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Lithuanian optical communications company Astrolight and German space logistics firm ATMOS Space Cargo have signed an MoU to demonstrate a high-speed, in-flight laser communications link between ATMOS’ PHOENIX 2 re-entry vehicle and an orbiting low Earth orbit satellite during a planned 2027 test.
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SpaceX reported second-quarter revenue of $7.8 billion, exceeding estimates and helping its shares rise 15.8% on Aug. 9 to above their $135 IPO price. The rebound comes as the company’s planned satellite expansion and projected Starship deployment reshape expectations for launch and orbital-computing economics.
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Lufthansa Group will introduce free, high-speed Starlink inflight internet on a Lufthansa-operated Airbus A320neo on August 19. Access will be available to members of the group’s frequent-flyer programs, with the satellite connectivity service scheduled to expand across approximately 850 aircraft under passenger-use rules.
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The European Commission, ESA, EUSPA and the SpaceRISE consortium have completed seven months of negotiations, clearing IRIS² to enter implementation. Eutelsat will lead the €3.39 billion LEO component, HispaSat will serve as ground-segment prime contractor, and SES will advance the constellation’s MEO strategy.
A satellite thruster designed to use residual atmospheric particles as propellant could enable sustained operations in very low Earth orbit, where drag has limited spacecraft lifetimes. The technology is approaching a potential test run, offering a new approach to close-in Earth observation and other missions.
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