SpaceNews.com
• Jason Rainbow
Kepler Communications plans to deploy next-generation optical relay satellites on Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket in 2028, one of several launches the Canadian operator has scheduled that year. The agreement adds an early commercial customer to Neutron’s manifest as Rocket Lab prepares its next-generation launch vehicle.
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Rocket Lab forecast third-quarter gross margin below Wall Street expectations, citing a larger contribution from lower-margin satellite-platform sales. The mix shift signals near-term pressure on profitability as the company’s satellite business accounts for a greater share of revenue.
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Kepler Communications plans to deploy next-generation optical relay satellites on Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket in 2028, one of several launches the Canadian operator has scheduled that year. The agreement adds an early commercial customer to Neutron’s manifest as Rocket Lab prepares its next-generation launch vehicle.
MDA Space reported another quarter of double-digit increases in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, while outlining an international strategy focused on expanding its space hardware and geospatial imagery businesses in the United States and Europe. The company is also widening its portfolio and geographic presence.
ALL.SPACE has won a contract to provide Aalyria with Hydra MAX terminals for deployment alongside Aalyria’s Spacetime orchestration software. The software will be integrated directly with the terminals, combining the companies’ hardware and network-management capabilities in a joint platform deployment.
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Russia is deploying Rassvet, a domestic satellite-internet constellation intended to rival Starlink, faster than previously planned, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence. Ukrainian officials say the network could support a new generation of attack drones, while a separate Russian system reportedly aims to jam satellites rather than individual terminals.
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Japan plans to launch the Michibiki 7 navigation satellite aboard its H3 No. 9 rocket on Aug. 10, with live coverage available. The mission will place the 10,800-pound spacecraft into orbit, adding another satellite to Japan’s regional positioning and navigation system.
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A Long March 7A rocket failed less than 90 seconds after liftoff from Wenchang while carrying a communications satellite, according to Chinese state media and amateur footage. The cause remains under investigation, marking the second reported failure involving the Long March rocket family this year.
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Lithuanian optical communications company Astrolight and German space logistics firm ATMOS Space Cargo have signed an MoU to demonstrate an in-flight optical communications link between ATMOS’s PHOENIX 2 re-entry vehicle and an orbiting LEO satellite. The planned 2027 test would target the first such spacecraft-to-satellite laser link during re-entry.
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