SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
The Japan-linked, San Francisco-based startup secured pre-seed funding to develop a system that would transmit power between satellites using lasers. Zero Industries is targeting an orbital demonstration by 2030; the announcement did not disclose the network’s planned scale or the specific satellites it would serve.
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Cosmos 2612 came dangerously close to ICEYE-X36, according to an analysis by Christophe Bosquillon. The article examines the Russian rendezvous and proximity operation, the Western response and what the episode may mean for NATO deterrence in space.
The Japan-linked, San Francisco-based startup secured pre-seed funding to develop a system that would transmit power between satellites using lasers. Zero Industries is targeting an orbital demonstration by 2030; the announcement did not disclose the network’s planned scale or the specific satellites it would serve.
Ukrainian officials have rejected Elon Musk’s allegation that the military used Starlink for offensive drone strikes in violation of the service’s terms. Kyiv argues commercial Starlink’s limitations prevent its use for medium- and long-range strikes, keeping the dispute focused on how the satellite network is being used in the war.
Analysts are examining SpaceX’s coverage-network designs as investors assess how the network could be built out. The reported view is that rooftops and billboards may matter more than large infrastructure, putting the emphasis on the placement and design of coverage assets.
High activity
Ukraine’s defense minister said military Starlink service was working normally again after restrictions that limited some drone operations, including interception of Russian attack drones. The disruption has renewed efforts by U.S. allies to develop alternatives to SpaceX’s satellite network, which has been critical to Ukraine’s wartime communications.
China plans to use a Lanyue lunar lander cargo flight to demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to reach the surface before taikonauts fly aboard. The mission will carry items weighing no more than 50 kilograms, providing a pre-crewed test of the lander as part of China’s crewed Moon plans.
The European Commission, ESA and the SpaceRISE consortium signed an implementation agreement on Aug. 7, 2026, for IRIS², a sovereign communications network of 348 spacecraft in low and medium Earth orbit. Separately, Airbus says it is fielding interest in HBCplus, an inflight-connectivity solution supporting GEO and Lightspeed LEO services.
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