Satellite Programs & Technology News

Space.com • Mike Wall

Chinese-launched spacecraft came within ~200 m of Starlink‑6079 at 560 km, SpaceX says

SpaceX says a Chinese‑launched spacecraft passed within about 200 metres of its Starlink‑6079 satellite at roughly 560 km altitude after an apparent lack of coordination, prompting SpaceX to call for improved operator deconfliction while the Chinese launch provider CAS Space investigates.

2025-12-12T21:14:12.257374-08:00

Space.com

Megaconstellations could permanently contaminate space‑telescope observations by late 2030s, scientists warn

2025-12-12T03:06:45.877546-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Leonardo, Telespazio and Intuitive Machines sign deal to build interoperable lunar communications and navigation networks

2025-12-12T12:03:48.862915-08:00

SpaceNews.com

NASA advances one SMEX heliophysics mission to flight design, extends study for second

2025-12-12T04:46:28.642180-08:00

Satellite Programs & Technology News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

Rocket Lab launches JAXA's RAISE‑4 tech‑demo on Electron in first dedicated JAXA mission On Dec. 13 Rocket Lab's Electron successfully launched JAXA's Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration‑4 (RAISE‑4), marking Rocket Lab's first dedicated mission for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The flight, from Mahia, New Zealand, followed a manifest reshuffle and a rescheduled campaign to deploy the technology‑demonstration payload into orbit.

2025-12-14T05:52:51.958339-08:00

Rocket Lab launches JAXA's RAISE‑4 tech‑demo on Electron in first dedicated JAXA mission

spacevoyaging.com

Rocket Lab launches JAXA's RAISE‑4 tech demo, signalling Japan's pivot to commercial launch services Rocket Lab's Electron has launched JAXA's RAISE‑4, a 110 kg technology‑demonstration satellite carrying 15 experimental components into sun‑synchronous orbit. The flight underscores Japan's move away from the delayed Epsilon toward commercial access to space for in‑orbit testing and smallsat deployment.

2025-12-13T19:25:31.858349-08:00

Rocket Lab launches JAXA's RAISE‑4 tech demo, signalling Japan's pivot to commercial launch services

Space Daily

NASA selects Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins APL to develop CINEMA smallsat fleet to probe Earth's magnetotail NASA has selected Dartmouth College and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory to begin developing the CINEMA smallsat fleet, a mission concept to probe Earth's magnetotail. The awards fund initial development and concept studies for a multi‑satellite mission to characterize magnetotail dynamics and improve understanding of near‑Earth space.

2025-12-13T19:20:16.396715-08:00

NASA selects Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins APL to develop CINEMA smallsat fleet to probe Earth's magnetotail

Seeking Alpha

Rocket Lab’s reusable Neutron fairing, 500–1,000 kg market push and rising space‑systems revenue make RKLB worth watching Rocket Lab is advancing reusable Neutron fairing technology and broadening its addressable market to 500–1,000 kg satellites while growing higher‑margin space‑systems revenue — developments investors say underpin a bullish view on RKLB’s commercial trajectory. The moves reshape its competitive position in medium‑lift launch and payload services.

2025-12-13T16:53:23.155428-08:00

Rocket Lab’s reusable Neutron fairing, 500–1,000 kg market push and rising space‑systems revenue make RKLB worth watching

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX schedules weekend Falcon 9 double‑launch; Vandenberg flight to attempt 550th booster landing SpaceX will fly two Falcon 9 missions over the weekend — a Vandenberg late‑night launch carrying 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites that will target the company's 550th successful booster landing, and a Cape Canaveral mission slated for Sunday night to deploy 29 more Starlink smallsats, further expanding the constellation.

2025-12-13T06:21:52.179857-08:00

SpaceX schedules weekend Falcon 9 double‑launch; Vandenberg flight to attempt 550th booster landing

Universe Today

36,000 km up: first limits on unintended radio emissions from geostationary satellites Using the Murchison Widefield Array, astronomers have placed the first observational limits on unintended radio emissions from geostationary satellites at ~36,000 km, finding most are effectively quiet in frequency bands critical to next‑generation telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array, offering cautious relief compared with LEO interference.

2025-12-13T02:04:11.459638-08:00

36,000 km up: first limits on unintended radio emissions from geostationary satellites

Bloomberg

SpaceX files 'Starlink Mobile' trademark, signaling possible move into mobile carrier services SpaceX has filed a trademark application for “Starlink Mobile,” indicating the company may be preparing to launch a mobile‑carrier service built on its Starlink satellite broadband network. The step comes as Starlink expands capacity and acquires spectrum to enable direct‑to‑cell and device services.

2025-12-12T21:14:27.474743-08:00

SpaceX files 'Starlink Mobile' trademark, signaling possible move into mobile carrier services

Space.com

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Chinese-launched spacecraft came within ~200 m of Starlink‑6079 at 560 km, SpaceX says SpaceX says a Chinese‑launched spacecraft passed within about 200 metres of its Starlink‑6079 satellite at roughly 560 km altitude after an apparent lack of coordination, prompting SpaceX to call for improved operator deconfliction while the Chinese launch provider CAS Space investigates.

2025-12-12T21:14:12.257374-08:00

Chinese-launched spacecraft came within ~200 m of Starlink‑6079 at 560 km, SpaceX says

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