Space.com
• Chelsea Gohd
A prototype spacecraft designed to beam power to another satellite in orbit launched Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The flight begins an in-orbit demonstration of Star Catcher’s approach to supplying power between spacecraft.
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A prototype spacecraft designed to beam power to another satellite in orbit launched Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The flight begins an in-orbit demonstration of Star Catcher’s approach to supplying power between spacecraft.
Two small satellites built by York Space Systems for the U.S. Space Force have been cleared for a mission in geosynchronous orbit. They will detect and track other objects there and maneuver near them, extending the service’s ability to operate in the crowded orbital regime.
The aerospace industry often uses “space-grade” as though it has a universally understood meaning, but that assumption is in question. The discussion raises a basic issue for space hardware buyers and suppliers: what the label actually signifies when selecting components.
The space-based space situational awareness data provider’s shares opened below its $10 pre-IPO valuation and fell 25% on Oct. 2, closing at $4.45. The listing raised $25 million as NorthStar plans a satellite constellation for 2028.
Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first batch of next-generation satellites for Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation. The batch comprises 32 satellites, marking the start of deliveries for the upgraded spacecraft fleet.
High activity
The joint European Space Agency–Chinese Academy of Sciences Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer has entered scientific operations following its May launch and a multi-month commissioning period. ESA and CAS released the mission’s first images, marking the transition from spacecraft checkout to planned research.
Rheinmetall and Argotec have launched their first jointly developed satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking the initial step toward a broader constellation for intelligence gathering, air-defense surveillance and early warning.
Satellite software company Satlyt secured $8 million in seed financing led by non sibi ventures to develop virtual AI data centers in space. The funding will support engineering and customer-delivery hiring while scaling software deployments across spacecraft operated by other companies.
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