Payload
• Jacqueline Feldscher
Starfish’s first operational Otter spacecraft is scheduled to launch next month for the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability mission. During SSPICY, Otter will approach and inspect multiple defunct US satellites whose operators have agreed to host visits, demonstrating a commercial model for on-orbit inspection.
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Google plans to launch an experimental satellite next Thursday with enough onboard computing power to answer simple artificial-intelligence queries from space. The mission will test whether satellite-based processing can support AI workloads beyond terrestrial data centers, linking commercial space infrastructure with emerging computational demands.
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Starfish’s first operational Otter spacecraft is scheduled to launch next month for the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability mission. During SSPICY, Otter will approach and inspect multiple defunct US satellites whose operators have agreed to host visits, demonstrating a commercial model for on-orbit inspection.
Hubble Network has raised $200 million in Series C financing, bringing its total funding to $300 million and valuing the company at $1.6 billion. The round follows a $70 million Series B completed in September 2025, underscoring continued investor backing for the company’s development.
Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is approaching a market inflection point, but operators’ reliance on mobile network operators may constrain growth. Reaching customers beyond carrier distribution could determine whether D2D develops into a scalable extension of terrestrial cellular networks or remains a limited connectivity enhancement.
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MBS has acquired a 20% stake in HPS, supporting a seven-figure investment program at the German space-hardware company. The funding will help HPS expand beyond its existing space activities into defense and communications markets, broadening its addressable customer base and strategic footprint.
Saab is pursuing a larger role in the space sector by integrating technologies and services from multiple companies into complete systems. The Swedish defense group signed cooperation agreements with SSC Space, OHB Sweden and Ericsson, extending its aerospace ambitions beyond traditional defense activities.
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Polish authorities say a Sept. 23 fire at the Starlink ground station in Wola Krobowska, which damaged antenna infrastructure, power systems and a backup generator, was sabotage intended to disrupt internet services, including connectivity used by Ukraine’s military. The incident follows warnings of 2,000–3,000 daily cyberattacks on Polish infrastructure.
The U.S. Space Force is preparing two commercial satellite-servicing missions for 2027 to test technologies and operational concepts that could give military spacecraft greater freedom to maneuver after launch. The missions will assess commercial capabilities for on-orbit support of national-security space assets.
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