SpaceNews.com
• Jarosław Adamowski
Lithuanian space laser communications company Astrolight has signed a memorandum of understanding with ATMOS Space Cargo to demonstrate an optical communications link between a reentry spacecraft and an orbiting satellite. The effort targets in-flight laser connectivity during spacecraft reentry operations.
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Lithuanian space laser communications company Astrolight has signed a memorandum of understanding with ATMOS Space Cargo to demonstrate an optical communications link between a reentry spacecraft and an orbiting satellite. The effort targets in-flight laser connectivity during spacecraft reentry operations.
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Lufthansa Group will begin deploying Starlink high-speed satellite connectivity on an Airbus A320neo, with the first aircraft scheduled for Aug. 19, 2026. Free onboard Wi-Fi will be available to members of the group’s frequent-flyer programs, with the planned rollout spanning as many as 850 aircraft and including passenger-use restrictions.
Commercial Earth observation continues to struggle to create sustained demand because imagery and data alone are not the product’s ultimate value. The decisive question is whether EO providers can translate satellite-derived information into insights that materially improve decisions for which customers are accountable.
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EnduroSat is partnering with the Bulgarian government to redevelop Dobroslavtsi, a former military airbase, into a space and defense development center. The project is positioned as a new hub for space-sector activity in Europe, linking Bulgaria’s former military infrastructure with emerging commercial space capabilities.
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France’s CNES has secured multi-year access to Altair, a 10-satellite Earth-observation constellation being developed and manufactured by UAE-based Orbitworks. The agreement gives the French space agency access to an AI-enabled commercial constellation while expanding Orbitworks’ institutional customer base.
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Eutelsat will lead development and operations of IRIS²’s low-Earth-orbit constellation after the program’s first rendez-vous, committing €3.39 billion to the European initiative. The multi-orbit system is expected to provide additional capacity and enhanced technical performance, with capacity revenue estimated above €10 billion through 2040.
Katalyst Space is recovering control of its spacecraft after encountering problems with the vehicle. The spacecraft was developed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Swift observatory, making the company’s recovery effort central to the planned servicing mission’s prospects.
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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