Satellite Programs & Technology News

ESA • European Space Agency

Ariane 6 lifts two Galileo satellites into orbit, reinforcing Europe’s navigation resilience

On 17 December an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana placed two Galileo navigation satellites into orbit — the mission marked the constellation’s 14th launch and is presented by ESA/Arianespace as a direct boost to Europe’s GNSS capability, resilience and autonomy.

2025-12-16T21:52:08.293366-08:00

Ars Technica

NASA’s $4.3B space telescope completes construction, will map the Milky Way in 3D

2025-12-16T13:35:08.592245-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Aerospace Corporation's DiskSat to fly on Rocket Lab Electron for USSF STP‑S30

2025-12-16T16:23:39.093380-08:00

Payload

Golden Dome: How a Year‑Old Program Secured $25B and Rewired Space Investment

2025-12-16T05:01:06.184980-08:00

Satellite Programs & Technology News Timeline

Air & Space Forces Mag

US Space Force Combat Forces Command establishes dedicated space EW and SATCOM operations centers The U.S. Space Force's Combat Forces Command has established dedicated space electronic warfare and satellite communications operations centers. The new organizations create focused operational hubs for space EW and SATCOM tasks, reflecting an institutional effort to elevate and streamline those mission areas.

2025-12-17T19:04:38.892982-08:00

US Space Force Combat Forces Command establishes dedicated space EW and SATCOM operations centers

Via Satellite

Airtel Africa to offer Starlink Direct‑to‑Cell across 14 markets, first African MNO Airtel Africa has partnered with SpaceX's Starlink to deliver Starlink Direct‑to‑Cell satellite-to-mobile services across its 14 African markets, making Airtel the first mobile network operator on the continent to offer the service. The rollout is expected to begin in 2026, marking a major commercial push into D2C.

2025-12-17T13:25:07.433126-08:00

Airtel Africa to offer Starlink Direct‑to‑Cell across 14 markets, first African MNO

Space Intel Report

Argentina regulator, Amazon Leo and FCC weigh easing LEO-to-GEO interference limits ahead of WRC‑27 Argentina’s telecom regulator, Amazon’s Leo team and the U.S. FCC are discussing proposals to relax limits on low‑Earth‑orbit emissions toward geostationary satellites. The potential change, raised ahead of the WRC‑27 review of EPFD rules, could alter spectrum protections for GEO services and broadcasters.

2025-12-17T12:47:14.005721-08:00

Argentina regulator, Amazon Leo and FCC weigh easing LEO-to-GEO interference limits ahead of WRC‑27

Universe Today

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to sweep past Earth on 19 December as global observation campaign intensifies Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on 19 December, triggering a coordinated observation campaign by NASA, ESA and multiple telescopes and spacecraft. Recent releases of images — including ESA XMM-Newton’s Dec. 3 snapshot from ~283 million km — feed urgent trajectory and composition studies.

2025-12-17T11:47:43.973563-08:00

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to sweep past Earth on 19 December as global observation campaign intensifies

AINonline

ExecuJet Belgium completes first Starlink retrofit on Dassault Falcon 8X ExecuJet MRO Services’ Belgium facility, a Dassault Aviation subsidiary, has completed the first SpaceX Starlink retrofit on a Falcon 8X. The MRO-led installation brings LEO-based Starlink broadband to Dassault’s ultra-long-range business jet, enabling in-flight Starlink connectivity on the type.

2025-12-17T11:31:16.837323-08:00

ExecuJet Belgium completes first Starlink retrofit on Dassault Falcon 8X

SpaceNews.com

Lux Aeterna to attempt debut reusable‑satellite recovery at Koonibba after early‑2027 SpaceX rideshare Denver‑based Lux Aeterna plans to land its debut reusable satellite at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia shortly after launching on a SpaceX rideshare mission in early 2027. The recovery would test operational reusability for small satellites beyond traditional booster retrievals.

2025-12-17T10:28:38.821595-08:00

Lux Aeterna to attempt debut reusable‑satellite recovery at Koonibba after early‑2027 SpaceX rideshare

prototypingchina.com

China's commercial space sector to top ¥2.5 trillion (~$350B) in 2025, surpassing Denmark's GDP China's commercial space sector is projected to generate more than ¥2.5 trillion (about $350 billion) in 2025, a sum larger than Denmark's entire GDP. The figure underscores rapid revenue growth across launch services, satellite manufacturing, applications and investor-backed private space firms.

2025-12-17T09:25:06.624273-08:00

China's commercial space sector to top ¥2.5 trillion (~$350B) in 2025, surpassing Denmark's GDP

SpaceWatch Global

Unseenlabs will supply RF satellite maritime surveillance data to S&P Global Unseenlabs agreed to supply S&P Global with radio-frequency (RF) satellite data dedicated to maritime surveillance under a commercial data agreement. The feed will provide S&P Global with RF-derived ship detection and location information sourced from Unseenlabs’ space-based RF sensors to support maritime monitoring.

2025-12-17T03:08:58.045867-08:00

Unseenlabs will supply RF satellite maritime surveillance data to S&P Global

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