Satellite News

Reuters

Russian satellites’ approaches to Western spacecraft raise concern about possible attack rehearsal

A Russian military satellite that approached a Western commercial spacecraft last month may have been rehearsing an attack, a military space specialist said. Two related Russian craft are now heading toward another Western satellite, renewing concern over the potential threat to commercial spacecraft in orbit.

eVTOL Insights

High activity

Satellite programs target sovereign ISR, resilient communications and UAV connectivity

Hydrosat unveiled its Nyktòs MWIR satellite program for tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, while a Ukrainian-Danish team put the first OBRIA NANO communications test satellite into operation. Separately, SES demonstrated optical ground-to-space links for meoSphere, and Viasat moved a satellite-enabled UAV platform toward commercial rollout.

Payload

Redwire wins $20 million DARPA contract for second very-low-Earth-orbit propulsion demonstration

Redwire has secured a $20 million contract from DARPA under its Otter program, which funds air-breathing electric propulsion. The award supports a second demonstration of the technology for very-low-Earth orbit, where propulsion systems must operate in the sparse atmosphere.

Space.com

USAF’s rail-launched Super Strypi rocket fails on debut, losing 13 small satellites

On Nov. 4, 2015, the experimental Super Strypi rocket failed shortly after liftoff from Hawaii on its first launch. The rail-launched vehicle was carrying 13 small satellites, making the mission an unsuccessful test of a new approach to placing payloads in orbit.

Bloomberg

High activity

Goldman Sachs and Apollo market stakes in SpaceX’s roughly $40 billion AI chip-financing deal

Goldman Sachs and Apollo Global Management are in talks with investors to sell portions of a roughly $40 billion financing deal tied to SpaceX’s chip needs. The firms are reportedly offering slices of up to $500 million ahead of formal syndication.

SpaceNews.com

Pentagon backs LeoLabs radar expansion with $150 million loan commitment

The Pentagon has committed $150 million in financing to support LeoLabs’ radar expansion. The announcement identifies a substantial defense-backed investment in the company’s space radar infrastructure, though the available report provides no details on the expansion’s scope, locations or schedule.

SpaceNews.com

High activity

NASA funds Ka-band relay concepts as SES tests optical links, SSC Space expands ground services and ITU rules on satellite deadl

NASA selected Viasat, SES and Astranis to develop Ka-band relay concepts that can serve existing spacecraft without onboard modifications, while SES reported a two-way optical link demonstration between ground and space. Separately, SSC Space and ArkEdge agreed on ground services, and ITU rulings addressed deadline extensions for satellite programs in Korea, Thailand and Oman.

SpaceNews.com

Open Cosmos Ka-band filing capped at 52 satellites