SpaceNews.com
• Jason Rainbow
Boeing has delivered satellites F11, F12 and F13 to SES, completing the initial 13-spacecraft O3b mPOWER constellation in medium Earth orbit. The system is designed to expand global high-speed connectivity, while the program’s technology also supports U.S. military SATCOM applications.
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Rocket Lab launched the 11th satellite for Japanese radar-imaging company Synspective, reinforcing the customer’s role as one of Electron’s largest users. The mission adds to Synspective’s Earth-observation constellation and highlights recurring demand for dedicated small-satellite launch services.
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Boeing has delivered satellites F11, F12 and F13 to SES, completing the initial 13-spacecraft O3b mPOWER constellation in medium Earth orbit. The system is designed to expand global high-speed connectivity, while the program’s technology also supports U.S. military SATCOM applications.
York Space Systems has introduced a new satellite platform intended to operate in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The announcement adds a dedicated satellite-bus offering to the company’s portfolio for missions requiring operations in the increasingly specialized lower orbital regime.
Space Technologies attempted a commercial mission to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope, a spacecraft launched more than two decades ago that was never designed for servicing. The effort was mounted in less than a year, underscoring the difficulty of sustaining aging space infrastructure.
Airbus Defence and Space will distribute mid-resolution optical imagery from Axelspace’s GRUS microsatellites under a new partnership aimed at broadening access to satellite data. Separately, York Space Systems unveiled the LX/V-Class, a standardized platform designed for sustained operations in very low Earth orbit.
A House subcommittee advanced legislation aimed at speeding and simplifying Federal Communications Commission licensing for satellite systems. The measure differs from a companion Senate bill, setting up potential negotiations over how Congress will address regulatory processes affecting commercial and government space operators.
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Russia’s Rassvet-3 constellation, positioned as a rival to Starlink, is struggling after all 16 satellites in its second batch failed to reach their intended orbit. At least three of the first 32 satellites likely suffered outright failures, leaving only 12 of 32 launched spacecraft set for long-term orbit.
Sceye said its ST1 high-altitude platform system has completed its first transpacific deployment, flying from the United States to Japan through the stratosphere. The airship-like, long-endurance vehicle is designed to support communications and surveillance missions from high altitude.
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