SpaceNews.com
• Jason Rainbow
Rocket Lab introduced GHOST, a containerized launch system for Electron and HASTE designed to support operations beyond permanent launch sites and expand military mission options. Separately, the company cautioned that development risks are narrowing Neutron’s 2026 debut window, potentially pushing the medium-lift rocket into 2027.
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Rocket Lab forecast third-quarter gross margin below Wall Street expectations, citing a larger contribution from lower-margin satellite-platform sales. The mix shift signals near-term pressure on profitability as the company’s satellite business accounts for a greater share of revenue.
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Rocket Lab introduced GHOST, a containerized launch system for Electron and HASTE designed to support operations beyond permanent launch sites and expand military mission options. Separately, the company cautioned that development risks are narrowing Neutron’s 2026 debut window, potentially pushing the medium-lift rocket into 2027.
MDA Space reported another quarter of double-digit increases in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, while outlining an international strategy focused on expanding its space hardware and geospatial imagery businesses in the United States and Europe. The company is also widening its portfolio and geographic presence.
ALL.SPACE has won a contract to provide Aalyria with Hydra MAX terminals for deployment alongside Aalyria’s Spacetime orchestration software. The software will be integrated directly with the terminals, combining the companies’ hardware and network-management capabilities in a joint platform deployment.
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Ukraine’s military intelligence says Russia is deploying Rassvet, a domestic Starlink-style satellite network, faster than planned, with 292 satellites targeted by 2027 and 924 by 2035. Moscow is also reportedly developing Volna-Kupol-Garant, a system designed to disrupt satellite communications at the spacecraft level.
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Japan plans to launch the Michibiki 7 navigation satellite aboard its H3 No. 9 rocket on Aug. 10, with live coverage available. The mission will place the 10,800-pound spacecraft into orbit, adding another satellite to Japan’s regional positioning and navigation system.
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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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