Space.com
• Mike Wall
SpaceX is scheduled to launch three of AST SpaceMobile’s large BlueBird satellites early Wednesday, Aug. 5. The mission will expand AST SpaceMobile’s planned direct-to-cell satellite constellation, with the launch available for live viewing.
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SpaceX is scheduled to launch three of AST SpaceMobile’s large BlueBird satellites early Wednesday, Aug. 5. The mission will expand AST SpaceMobile’s planned direct-to-cell satellite constellation, with the launch available for live viewing.
L3Harris Technologies confirmed the successful deployment of its first perimeter truss reflector aboard ViaSat-3 Flight 3. SpaceX launched the satellite, marking an on-orbit milestone for L3Harris’s reflector technology and the ViaSat-3 satellite program.
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.
NOAA will continue evaluating data from Spire Global’s Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder under a $3 million contract extension announced Aug. 4. The agreement extends the agency’s assessment of Spire’s commercial data for potential use in NOAA’s meteorological and environmental observation activities.
A judge has authorized Hughes Satellite Systems Corp. to access noteholders’ cash for the next four weeks, following a two-day court dispute over how the company will fund operations and pay bills while proceeding through bankruptcy.
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Telesat will expand its Lightspeed constellation by 69 satellites under a major Canadian military contract for secure Arctic communications. Separately, the U.S. Space Force awarded $615 million for space-based airborne-target tracking, while Bombardier is considering a Canadian facility to modify Saab GlobalEye aircraft.
An increasingly competitive market is forming around in-orbit propulsion, a capability military satellites have historically used sparingly. Growing defense demand is creating new commercial opportunities for propulsion technologies that can extend satellite maneuverability and expand the operational utility of space assets after launch.
High activity
Rocket Lab has secured its largest-ever contract, a $266 million multi-launch deal with the U.S. Space Force for suborbital missile-defense launches. Separately, Japan’s iQPS signed for three dedicated Electron missions, underscoring Rocket Lab’s push across defense and commercial launch markets.
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