Satellite News

Payload

Slingshot Aerospace Adds AI-Powered Space Traffic Monitoring to Portal

Slingshot Aerospace is adding AI-powered space traffic monitoring capabilities to its Portal platform, aimed at helping satellite and other space operators better monitor an increasingly crowded orbital environment. The announcement expands Portal’s role in tracking and managing space traffic for commercial and government users.

SpaceNews.com

High activity

Satellite connectivity expands across European sovereignty, military SATCOM, LEO and autonomous-drone applications

Eutelsat advances Europe’s sovereign multi-orbit IRIS² connectivity program, while Globalstar deploys eight replacement LEO satellites and Viasat selects Rocket Lab for a U.S. Space Force protected SATCOM satellite. New programs from ReOrbit and Honeywell extend connectivity into satellite R&D and beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations.

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

Airtel Africa Launches Commercial Starlink Direct-to-Device Service in the DRC

Airtel Africa and Starlink have launched commercial satellite-to-mobile operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The service expands direct-to-device connectivity in the African market, linking compatible mobile devices to satellite infrastructure without relying solely on conventional terrestrial networks.

European Spaceflight

SpaceX reverses Starlink roaming restrictions for Polish customers after payment dispute

SpaceX has reversed its decision to restrict Starlink roaming for customers in Poland, resolving a dispute that included an official threatening to reconsider $50 million in annual payments. The reversal underscores the commercial and policy sensitivities surrounding satellite broadband service access in national markets.

NASA Spaceflight

High activity

SpaceX Plans Three Starlink Launches as China Schedules Reusable-Booster Test and Chang’e 7 Lunar Mission

The week of Aug. 17-23 will feature three SpaceX Starlink launches alongside China’s second test flight of the partially reusable ZhuQue-3 launcher and the robotic Chang’e 7 lunar mission. The schedule marks China’s return to launch activity after the previous week’s Chang Zheng 7A failure.

SpaceNews.com

HEO signs Planet agreement to expand non-Earth imaging of spacecraft

Australian Earth-observation company HEO will access Planet’s satellite constellation under a new agreement to capture imagery of objects in orbit. The partnership expands HEO’s ability to monitor and characterize spacecraft from space, underscoring the growing commercial role of satellite-based space domain awareness.

SpaceNews.com

EU sanctions Roscosmos subsidiary chief developing radar satellites for Russia’s military

The European Union has sanctioned the head of a Roscosmos subsidiary involved in developing a synthetic aperture radar satellite system for the Russian military. The action expands pressure on Russia’s space industry and targets leadership linked to military space capabilities.

Universe Today

NASA advances autonomous navigation and planetary mobility for Moon and Mars missions

NASA is testing technologies aimed at reducing dependence on Earth-based infrastructure and improving mobility beyond Earth. The agency demonstrated GPS-free optical navigation on its Starling CubeSat swarm, evaluated wheel designs for lunar bases, and developed a fabric-based ground-penetrating-radar antenna for SkyFall Mars helicopters.