Reuters
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal has opened an inquiry into Ukraine’s loss of access to the Pentagon’s Starshield satellite communications service. He says the resulting disruption has degraded Kyiv’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks, putting military connectivity and access to commercial space-enabled services under scrutiny.
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Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal has opened an inquiry into Ukraine’s loss of access to the Pentagon’s Starshield satellite communications service. He says the resulting disruption has degraded Kyiv’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks, putting military connectivity and access to commercial space-enabled services under scrutiny.
Planet Labs told customers on April 4 that it would indefinitely withhold imagery of Iran and the surrounding conflict zone, retroactive to March 9. The decision puts commercial satellite data access in focus as Gulf buyers assess who can control or interrupt imagery availability during a conflict.
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 is targeting cislunar capabilities by the end of fiscal 2029, while working to help commercial companies secure clearances for classified contracts and choosing six firms for its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve. Separately, the UK has unveiled a space strategy focused on national security and strengthening its space sector.
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ESA says Europe’s €15.6 billion IRIS² secure-connectivity constellation shares schedule, performance and cost responsibility across public and private partners, including satellite builders Aerospacelab and SES. Separately, Aerospacelab and Korea Aerospace Industries signed an MoU to cooperate on South Korea’s planned low Earth orbit defense communications network.
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