Payload
• Victoria Woodburn
With FCC approval secured and six satellites ready for the launch pad, Xona is shifting its focus to production capacity for the next 250 Pulsar spacecraft. The effort marks a transition from preparing an initial batch for launch to scaling manufacturing for a much larger satellite program.
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With FCC approval secured and six satellites ready for the launch pad, Xona is shifting its focus to production capacity for the next 250 Pulsar spacecraft. The effort marks a transition from preparing an initial batch for launch to scaling manufacturing for a much larger satellite program.
High activity
The four Crew-12 astronauts undocked from the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom on Wednesday and began their return to Earth. Splashdown off the California coast is expected Thursday, concluding the crew’s stay aboard the station.
SpaceX and its allies are pressing the Trump administration for easier access to wireless spectrum bands, prompting objections from other users who warn the plans could interfere with flight tests, hospital equipment and television broadcasts. The dispute puts spectrum-sharing rules and the potential for cross-sector disruption at the center of the space industry’s expansion efforts.
Executives from Planet, Roketsan, Pixxel, Redwire, The Exploration Company and SANSA discussed how to sell sovereign space capabilities at the International Astronautical Congress. The plenary framed national control of space services as a growing sales proposition in a volatile geopolitical environment.
High activity
The U.S. military is pursuing lighter, autonomous and networked counter-UAS systems for mobile troops, while Tactien, DroneShield and AERO Vodochody with Thales Belgium announced new evaluation, service and aircraft capabilities. Separately, Rheinmetall ICEYE has begun production in Neuss of dedicated SPOCK 1 SAR satellites for Germany’s armed forces.
High activity
LeoLabs has detected a new fragmentation event involving Meteor 2-7, a Soviet-era weather satellite. The cause of the breakup has not been determined, leaving the event’s origin unclear as new debris is identified in orbit.
High activity
Orbit Fab says its RAFTI high-pressure interface is qualified for use with electric and chemical propulsion systems. The first unit is scheduled for an on-orbit test in late 2026, providing a flight demonstration of the interface after qualification.
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