Via Satellite
• Rachel Jewett
PlanetiQ is expanding its collection of GNSS radio-occultation data through back-to-back rideshare launches in October. CEO Ira Scharf says demand for the weather data is growing among both government and commercial users, underscoring the company’s effort to scale a satellite-based source of atmospheric observations.
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PlanetiQ is expanding its collection of GNSS radio-occultation data through back-to-back rideshare launches in October. CEO Ira Scharf says demand for the weather data is growing among both government and commercial users, underscoring the company’s effort to scale a satellite-based source of atmospheric observations.
A US official said a Russian satellite that has been following other spacecraft “sure looks like an orbital weapon.” The comments come after a Russian official described commercial satellites as legitimate targets, while now saying concerns about the satellite are unfounded.
In a SpaceNews interview, Aalyria CEO Brian Barritt discusses how networks in space are evolving, what scaling the company entails and why software interoperability matters. The conversation focuses on the software and network changes shaping how space systems connect.
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The U.S. Space Force has awarded six purchase agreements for commercial space-domain awareness services, establishing the first operational capacity under its Commercial Space Augmentation Reserve. The agreements are intended to let the service activate additional satellite surveillance capability during military crises, building on earlier pilot efforts.
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Europe’s Iris2 secure-connectivity constellation is a €15.6 billion ($18 billion) multi-orbit program, described as the continent’s largest space capital-expenditure effort. ESA says its delivery model shares responsibility for schedule, performance and cost across the public sector and private partners, including satellite builders Aerospacelab and SES.
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ESA is discussing increased Ariane 6 booster production with ArianeGroup and Avio, but will wait for firmer launch-demand estimates before deciding on action early next year. The agency says a turbopump issue delaying a 2026 launch is transitory and expects a failed Space Rider drop test not to delay development; separate updates cover a NASA communications payload demo and a lunar spacecraft design review.
BlackSky Technology will provide an international defense agency operating in a contested region with assured access to high-resolution Gen-3 imagery and data under a seven-figure contract. The Herndon, Virginia-based company announced the agreement Oct. 22, but did not identify the agency or region.
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