SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
An increasingly competitive market is forming around in-orbit propulsion, a capability military satellites have historically used sparingly. Growing defense demand is creating new commercial opportunities for propulsion technologies that can extend satellite maneuverability and expand the operational utility of space assets after launch.
Satellite
Latest source-backed stories
An increasingly competitive market is forming around in-orbit propulsion, a capability military satellites have historically used sparingly. Growing defense demand is creating new commercial opportunities for propulsion technologies that can extend satellite maneuverability and expand the operational utility of space assets after launch.
High activity
The Ukraine war has highlighted how privately operated satellite networks can shape battlefield communications—and how vulnerable that advantage is to countermeasures. At the same time, Rocket Lab is positioning itself against SpaceX, while sovereign microlaunch and Starfall signal intensifying competition across defense-relevant launch, reentry and microgravity services.
High activity
Canada’s Defence Investment Agency has awarded Telesat a record military satellite-communications contract to provide secure Mil-Ka connectivity across the Arctic. The deal with Telesat and MDA Space will add 69 satellites, increasing the Lightspeed constellation from 156 to 225 and expanding capacity by 44%.
Spanish startup Kreios Space will fly an air-breathing electric propulsion system on a Kongsberg NanoAvionics microsatellite bus, aiming to demonstrate sustained operations below conventional low Earth orbit. The mission follows Kreios’ selection of NanoAvionics as spacecraft-platform provider and is targeted for launch in 2028.
High activity
SpaceX’s first earnings report as a public company will provide investors with new visibility into Starlink’s growth, AI and Starship spending, financial guidance and the impact of a major share unlock. The coverage also highlights launch capacity reserved for Starlink and complications surrounding a possible Tesla merger.
High activity
The first full week of August features six missions on the global launch calendar, with activity spanning Asia and the United States. SpaceX accounts for three Falcon 9 flights—two Starlink missions and one deploying satellites for AST SpaceMobile—alongside multiple Chinese missions.
ETL Systems has acquired Amphinicy Technologies, a developer of software for satellite communications and Earth-observation markets. The deal is intended to help ETL address more complex ground-segment requirements and broaden its end-to-end offering; financial terms were not disclosed.
Create a free account to see more recent Satellite stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
