Space.com
• Julian Dossett
A satellite thruster designed to use residual atmospheric particles as propellant could enable sustained operations in very low Earth orbit, where drag has limited spacecraft lifetimes. The technology is approaching a potential test run, offering a new approach to close-in Earth observation and other missions.
Satellite
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A satellite thruster designed to use residual atmospheric particles as propellant could enable sustained operations in very low Earth orbit, where drag has limited spacecraft lifetimes. The technology is approaching a potential test run, offering a new approach to close-in Earth observation and other missions.
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SpaceX launched 24 Starlink internet satellites aboard a Falcon 9 from California’s central coast, continuing a surge of West Coast missions. The flight extends the company’s ongoing effort to expand its low-Earth-orbit constellation through frequent, repeatable launches.
High activity
Europe’s IRIS² secure communications program has cleared a key development milestone, unlocking implementation with additional funding and an expanded satellite constellation. The decision advances the European effort to establish sovereign, secure connectivity infrastructure for government and strategic users.
The Senate confirmed Erich Hernandez-Baquero to oversee U.S. military space acquisition and Roger Mason to lead the National Reconnaissance Office. The appointments place industry veterans atop two critical organizations responsible for acquiring military space systems and operating the nation’s spy satellite enterprise.
Elon Musk could permit Ukraine to use Starlink connectivity to help locate Russian missile launchers, potentially expanding the system’s role in the conflict beyond communications. The reported possibility underscores the operational and geopolitical significance of privately provided satellite infrastructure in wartime.
Jennifer Gilsenan, deputy chief of the FCC’s Space Bureau, will lead the agency’s satellite regulatory overhaul as bureau chief Jay Schwarz prepares to retire later this month. The leadership transition comes while the FCC is working to advance changes affecting satellite licensing and oversight.
The private LINK spacecraft, launched last month on a mission to save a NASA space telescope, has itself encountered trouble. Engineering teams report progress as they work to recover the spacecraft, adding a second layer of operational risk to an already complex in-space rescue effort.
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