SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
Nigeria is advancing a satellite-infrastructure upgrade with Thales Alenia Space selected to develop NigComSat-2A, a geostationary communications satellite intended to strengthen digital connectivity across Africa. The program is accompanied by a planned four-satellite Earth-observation constellation, broadening Nigeria’s national space capabilities.
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Nigeria is advancing a satellite-infrastructure upgrade with Thales Alenia Space selected to develop NigComSat-2A, a geostationary communications satellite intended to strengthen digital connectivity across Africa. The program is accompanied by a planned four-satellite Earth-observation constellation, broadening Nigeria’s national space capabilities.
KSAT will operate Intuitive Machines’ EAGLE spacecraft under a new collaboration and assess integrating PierSight’s synthetic aperture radar and automatic identification system data into its Vake maritime platform, expanding the companies’ efforts to combine spacecraft operations with commercial maritime intelligence services.
HawkEye 360 is deepening its European footprint through a partnership with Leonardo, the creation of its first Luxembourg subsidiary and a separate collaboration with ERA. The moves broaden the company’s regional industrial and commercial relationships around satellite-based radio-frequency intelligence and geospatial data services.
Planet Labs Germany will provide dedicated Earth-observation capacity to Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior under a contract announced Sept. 16. The agreement gives the ministry access to dedicated constellation services, expanding commercial satellite support for German government applications.
Hydrosat announced at World Space Business Week that it will provide thermal intelligence using a combination of commercial data and sovereign satellite systems. The approach positions the company across both commercial and government-oriented space markets, linking satellite-derived thermal information with national capabilities.
Direct-to-device satellite services are attracting partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, promising broader coverage without terrestrial infrastructure in remote areas. As these relationships multiply, unresolved questions around deployment, commercial models and service execution will shape whether D2D becomes a scalable network extension.
High activity
SpaceX said it is targeting Sept. 22 for Starship’s first attempt to reach orbit. The roughly 10-hour mission is also expected to deploy 26 V3 Starlink satellites, combining a major test of the vehicle’s orbital capability with the first launch of a new-generation constellation spacecraft.
Nine orbital launches are scheduled worldwide this week, including two Falcon 9 missions from California and a Vega C flight from French Guiana carrying the Sentinel-3C and FLEX satellites. The schedule reflects continued activity across commercial launch providers and Earth-observation programs.
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