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• Andrew Jones
China is recruiting international partners for a 34-spacecraft constellation of small satellites planned for launch in 2030. The spacecraft would occupy nine-day elliptical orbits extending to lunar distance, establishing a cislunar network with international participation.
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The Space Development Agency contract will assess whether SpaceX’s proprietary Plaser laser terminal can work with Pentagon missile-warning and tracking satellites. The study addresses a broader interoperability challenge: connecting satellite networks that use different optical communications standards as the Space Force builds out its systems.
TYTAN Technologies says it is opening Western Europe’s largest mass-production facility for autonomous interceptor drones. Separately, Horizon Microtechnologies is scaling its metallised polymer micro-additive manufacturing platform through a two-year, €500,000 project and selection for ESA Phi-Lab Austria, with constellation-scale production as its target.
Fire Point CEO Iryna Terekh says expanding Starshield licenses beyond Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories could extend coverage 200 to 300 kilometers farther. She told Breaking Defense that the added reach could significantly affect Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian ballistic attacks on civilians.
Air Tahiti Nui will equip its four Boeing 787-9s with Starlink, introducing free onboard Wi-Fi across all classes from 2027. Slate Aviation plans to begin installing Starlink in December and aims to outfit its entire Bombardier fleet by early 2027, extending satellite connectivity across both airline and business aviation operations.
High activity
China is recruiting international partners for a 34-spacecraft constellation of small satellites planned for launch in 2030. The spacecraft would occupy nine-day elliptical orbits extending to lunar distance, establishing a cislunar network with international participation.
High activity
Reflect Orbital, whose proposal to direct reflected sunlight to specific locations on the ground has drawn both interest and controversy, has raised $73.5 million. The announcement adds substantial financing to a commercial space concept whose intended application is sunlight delivery from orbit.
AST SpaceMobile has disclosed that it is involved in a U.S. Space Force program focused on airborne tracking. The available report does not specify the company’s contribution, the program’s capabilities or schedule, or the value of its role.
Qatar satellite operator Es’hailSat has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Mobility Innovations Center, a research and innovation center owned by Qatar University, to explore collaboration opportunities in artificial intelligence and related technologies. Es’hailSat announced the agreement Nov. 9.
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