SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
EnduroSat is partnering with the Bulgarian government to redevelop Dobroslavtsi, a former military airbase, into a space and defense development center. The project is positioned as a new hub for space-sector activity in Europe, linking Bulgaria’s former military infrastructure with emerging commercial space capabilities.
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Lufthansa will introduce commercial onboard internet connectivity powered by SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network on Aug. 19. The service will initially enter operation aboard an Airbus A320neo, marking the airline group’s first deployment of the satellite-based system in passenger service.
Commercial Earth observation continues to struggle to create sustained demand because imagery and data alone are not the product’s ultimate value. The decisive question is whether EO providers can translate satellite-derived information into insights that materially improve decisions for which customers are accountable.
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EnduroSat is partnering with the Bulgarian government to redevelop Dobroslavtsi, a former military airbase, into a space and defense development center. The project is positioned as a new hub for space-sector activity in Europe, linking Bulgaria’s former military infrastructure with emerging commercial space capabilities.
France’s CNES has secured multi-year access to Altair, a 10-satellite Earth-observation constellation being developed and manufactured by UAE-based Orbitworks. The agreement gives the French space agency access to an AI-enabled commercial constellation while expanding Orbitworks’ institutional customer base.
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The successful First Rendez-vous advances IRIS² toward full industrial execution, with Eutelsat set to invest €3.39 billion and lead the program’s LEO constellation. SES is advancing its MEO strategy, Hispasat will serve as ground-segment prime contractor, and initial launches are targeted for 2029, with capacity revenue estimated above €10 billion through 2040.
Katalyst Space is recovering control of its spacecraft after encountering problems with the vehicle. The spacecraft was developed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Swift observatory, making the company’s recovery effort central to the planned servicing mission’s prospects.
A satellite thruster designed to use residual atmospheric particles as propellant could enable sustained operations in very low Earth orbit, where drag has limited spacecraft lifetimes. The technology is approaching a potential test run, offering a new approach to close-in Earth observation and other missions.
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SpaceX launched 24 Starlink internet satellites aboard a Falcon 9 from California’s central coast, continuing a surge of West Coast missions. The flight extends the company’s ongoing effort to expand its low-Earth-orbit constellation through frequent, repeatable launches.
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