European Spaceflight
• Andrew Parsonson
Europe’s IRIS² secure communications program has cleared a key development milestone, unlocking implementation with additional funding and an expanded satellite constellation. The decision advances the European effort to establish sovereign, secure connectivity infrastructure for government and strategic users.
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Europe’s IRIS² secure communications program has cleared a key development milestone, unlocking implementation with additional funding and an expanded satellite constellation. The decision advances the European effort to establish sovereign, secure connectivity infrastructure for government and strategic users.
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SpaceX shares rose 12% after insider lock-up provisions expired, extending a nearly 19% weekly gain and bringing the stock close to its $135 IPO price. The rally followed the company’s first earnings report as a public company and a major release of previously restricted shares.
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The European Commission has agreed with an industrial consortium to expand and accelerate IRIS², its sovereign secure-connectivity constellation, with first launches targeted for 2029. Indra’s Hispasat will lead a services contract worth more than €1.6 billion, while total program investment is expected to exceed $18 billion.
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AST SpaceMobile has launched BlueBird 11, 12 and 13 into low Earth orbit, adding three satellites to its planned space-based cellular broadband constellation. The deployment expands the company’s network presence across Europe as it continues scaling direct-to-device connectivity from orbit.
Voyager Technologies remains optimistic about Starlab’s prospects but is seeking changes to NASA’s commercial space station request for proposals. The company wants certain requirements relaxed, highlighting the tension between NASA’s program objectives and industry’s ability to deliver commercially viable orbital infrastructure.
Startup Endeavor Optical Networks has emerged from stealth with plans to build an optical satellite network in medium Earth orbit for space-based data transfer. The company’s announcement adds a new entrant to the developing market for high-capacity intersatellite and space-based communications infrastructure.
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Spanish startup Kreios Space will demonstrate its air-breathing electric propulsion system in Very Low Earth Orbit aboard a microsatellite bus supplied by Kongsberg NanoAvionics. The mission targets the atmospheric-drag challenge that limits sustained VLEO operations and is planned as the first in-orbit demonstration of the technology.
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