Satellite News

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

DoD signals “space operational energy” push, courting Silicon Valley partners for solar power beaming satellites

The US Air Force says “space operational energy” is becoming a priority, with plans to convene industry days to enable collaboration with external partners. The push reflects DoD and Silicon Valley’s growing interest in solar power beaming satellites as an enabling energy concept for space operations.

1 Source

2026-07-09T07:04:54.572921-07:00

SpaceNews.com

U.S. Space Force awards Pulse Space a $40M contract to advance laser power and data transfer tech

1 Source

2026-07-09T06:15:31.858085-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin seeks first outside investment, targeting a $10B fundraising round to fund launch services and satellite constellati

3 Sources

2026-07-09T05:14:36.745101-07:00

Space.com

China launches Tianwen-2 to image a “quasi-moon” and outline an early-warning system for sunward-approaching dangerous asteroids

3 Sources

2026-07-09T05:14:13.339467-07:00

Satellite Programs & Technology News Timeline

Breaking Defense

1 source

DoD signals “space operational energy” push, courting Silicon Valley partners for solar power beaming satellites The US Air Force says “space operational energy” is becoming a priority, with plans to convene industry days to enable collaboration with external partners. The push reflects DoD and Silicon Valley’s growing interest in solar power beaming satellites as an enabling energy concept for space operations.

2026-07-09T07:04:54.572921-07:00

DoD signals “space operational energy” push, courting Silicon Valley partners for solar power beaming satellites

SpaceNews.com

1 source

U.S. Space Force awards Pulse Space a $40M contract to advance laser power and data transfer tech Pulse Space—developing laser-based transmission for power and data between spacecraft—has won a $40 million U.S. Space Force contract to advance its technology. The award underscores continued investment in optical comms and in-space power delivery capabilities for future space systems.

2026-07-09T06:15:31.858085-07:00

U.S. Space Force awards Pulse Space a $40M contract to advance laser power and data transfer tech

SpaceNews.com

3 sources

Blue Origin seeks first outside investment, targeting a $10B fundraising round to fund launch services and satellite constellati Blue Origin is planning its first external fundraising in 26 years, seeking up to $10 billion from outside investors. The capital would support the company’s launch-services ambitions and its satellite-constellation efforts, marking a new stage in its space-sector financing strategy.

2026-07-09T05:14:36.745101-07:00

Blue Origin seeks first outside investment, targeting a $10B fundraising round to fund launch services and satellite constellati

Space.com

3 sources

China launches Tianwen-2 to image a “quasi-moon” and outline an early-warning system for sunward-approaching dangerous asteroids China’s CNSA launched the Tianwen-2 probe from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 28, 2025, and it has already snapped its first photo of Earth’s “quasi-moon.” Separately, China has announced plans for spacecraft to detect dangerous asteroids approaching from the sunward direction—an observation gap that has long limited asteroid tracking.

2026-07-09T05:14:13.339467-07:00

China launches Tianwen-2 to image a “quasi-moon” and outline an early-warning system for sunward-approaching dangerous asteroids

SpaceNews.com

1 source

MDA Space to buy ~70% of CLS in firm offer; raises $712M to finance acquisition MDA Space Ltd. said it has made a firm offer to acquire an approximately 70% stake in Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), an AI-driven Earth observation and satellite IoT services provider. The deal is backed by a newly raised $712 million intended to fund the transaction.

2026-07-09T04:29:00.090902-07:00

MDA Space to buy ~70% of CLS in firm offer; raises $712M to finance acquisition

SpaceWatch Global

1 source

OroraTech achieves first light for Greece’s Hellenic Fire System wildfire satellite network OroraTech says its Hellenic Fire System has achieved “first light” over Greece less than a month after launch, validating early operations for the country’s first national wildfire satellite capability. The system is intended for wildfire detection and tracking, forming a dedicated national space monitoring layer.

2026-07-08T23:31:51.887844-07:00

OroraTech achieves first light for Greece’s Hellenic Fire System wildfire satellite network

SpaceWatch Global

5 sources

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NATO accelerates secure communications, air-defense data modernization, and next-gen ISR with new partner selections NATO/NCIA selected a Thales–Leonardo consortium to deliver a next-generation secure deployable comms and information system for SOFCOM. Separately, NATO picked Saab’s GlobalEye for future AEW&C with negotiations for up to 10 aircraft, and awarded Enhanced Air Command and Control data platform contracts to Anduril, Palantir, and Athea SAS for a 9-month evaluation before selecting one solution.

2026-07-08T22:53:31.675054-07:00

NATO accelerates secure communications, air-defense data modernization, and next-gen ISR with new partner selections

Bloomberg

6 sources

ispace charts a new “Lunar Access Integrator” role with Starship-based payload transportation ispace says it will launch a new lunar transportation and integration service aboard SpaceX’s Starship, repositioning as a “Lunar Access Integrator” by using a Mobile Cargo System to combine multiple customer payloads. The company tied the plan to Starship capacity and described it as an addition to its existing lunar logistics services using ULTRA landing modules.

2026-07-08T21:16:51.845441-07:00

ispace charts a new “Lunar Access Integrator” role with Starship-based payload transportation

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