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• Jason Rainbow
Boeing has delivered satellites F11, F12 and F13 to SES, completing the initial 13-satellite O3b mPOWER medium Earth orbit constellation for global high-speed connectivity. The spacecraft are scheduled to launch later this month on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission.
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Rocket Lab launched the 11th satellite for Japanese radar-imaging company Synspective, reinforcing the customer’s role as one of Electron’s largest users. The mission adds to Synspective’s Earth-observation constellation and highlights recurring demand for dedicated small-satellite launch services.
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Boeing has delivered satellites F11, F12 and F13 to SES, completing the initial 13-satellite O3b mPOWER medium Earth orbit constellation for global high-speed connectivity. The spacecraft are scheduled to launch later this month on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission.
Open Cosmos has secured a position on the UK Ministry of Defence’s £8 billion Tactical Communications framework, supporting the government’s effort to build more sovereign satellite connectivity architecture. The award places the company among suppliers eligible to provide communications capabilities for UK defense operations.
York Space Systems has introduced a new satellite platform intended to operate in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The announcement adds a dedicated satellite-bus offering to the company’s portfolio for missions requiring operations in the increasingly specialized lower orbital regime.
Space Technologies attempted a commercial mission to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope, a spacecraft launched more than two decades ago that was never designed for servicing. The effort was mounted in less than a year, underscoring the difficulty of sustaining aging space infrastructure.
ASD-Eurospace is asking CEOs from 15 European space-system companies to identify policy changes that could strengthen the region’s competitiveness and profitability. In parallel, Airbus is partnering with Axelspace on microsatellite imagery, while York Space Systems has introduced a platform for sustained very-low-Earth-orbit missions.
A House subcommittee advanced legislation aimed at speeding and simplifying Federal Communications Commission licensing for satellite systems. The measure differs from a companion Senate bill, setting up potential negotiations over how Congress will address regulatory processes affecting commercial and government space operators.
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Russia’s Rassvet-3 constellation, positioned as a rival to Starlink, is struggling after all 16 satellites in its second batch failed to reach their intended orbit. At least three of the first 32 satellites likely suffered outright failures, leaving only 12 of 32 launched spacecraft set for long-term orbit.
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