Payload
• Victoria Woodburn
Cowboy Space has revealed Big Iron, a launch vehicle whose upper stage is designed to remain in orbit and operate as a megawatt-class data center. The concept links launch vehicle architecture with orbital computing infrastructure, making the vehicle’s upper stage part of its intended on-orbit mission.
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Cowboy Space has revealed Big Iron, a launch vehicle whose upper stage is designed to remain in orbit and operate as a megawatt-class data center. The concept links launch vehicle architecture with orbital computing infrastructure, making the vehicle’s upper stage part of its intended on-orbit mission.
Flexell Space has created FLEXELL SPACE FRANCE SAS in Paris, establishing a local base to support ongoing contract and volume-production discussions with European customers. The company says the entity will handle engagement ranging from technical reviews to supply planning.
The Australian startup, founded by two former Tesla engineers, raised $16 million in seed funding to expand production of standardized satellite power and energy-storage systems, it announced Oct. 26. The financing targets manufacturing scale-up for components serving satellite operators and builders.
Ukraine says its military Starshield service has returned to normal and denies misusing Starlink’s commercial service, after Elon Musk accused it of violating the satellite network’s terms in connection with deadly drone strikes. The dispute puts renewed focus on the role and limits of commercial satellite connectivity in wartime operations.
Open Cosmos has filed detailed documentation with the International Telecommunication Union in a renewed effort to extend the deployment deadline for Connected Cosmos. The company expects the planned Ka-band broadband constellation to comprise 192 satellites and provide secure connectivity.
SpaceX has begun preparations for Starship’s fifteenth test flight, targeted for early November pending FAA authorization, after a Super Heavy booster static-fire test. Separately, three Falcon 9 missions are scheduled to carry Starlink satellites and a classified U.S. Space Force payload, alongside a GSLV launch from India.
ST Engineering iDirect will supply its software-defined Intuition platform for Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company’s gateway and network operations in Oman. The system is intended to support sovereign connectivity services with flexible service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable operations, including potential reach across the wider Middle East.
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