Satellite Programs & Technology News

Spaceflight Now • Steven Young

SpaceX completes 100th Space Coast orbital launch of 2025 as Falcon 9 logs 149th flight

On Nov. 20, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Florida's Space Coast — the vehicle's 149th flight of 2025 — marking the 100th orbital launch from Cape Canaveral/Kennedy this year. The mission, Starlink 6‑78, continues the company's high‑cadence Starlink constellation buildout and underscores sustained operational tempo.

2025-11-20T14:45:43.342523-08:00

Runway Girl

Azerbaijan Airlines signs Viasat Amara deal to bring streaming-capable Wi‑Fi to incoming fleet

2025-11-19T10:14:05.971587-08:00

SpaceNews.com

DARPA awards Redwire $44M Phase‑2 contract to advance Otter air‑breathing VLEO demonstrator

2025-11-19T06:28:07.165881-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Quindar raises $18M to scale satellite-operations software for commercial constellations

2025-11-19T06:08:19.425412-08:00

Satellite Programs & Technology News Timeline

Via Satellite

MSSA Issues Standards-Focused Recommendations to Advance Interoperable Non‑Terrestrial Networks The Mobile Satellite Services Association has published strategic recommendations to drive standards-based, interoperable non‑terrestrial networks (NTNs) across satellite and terrestrial ecosystems. MSSA's guidance outlines actions to advance standards, interoperability and regulatory coordination to accelerate commercial NTN deployment and cross‑network compatibility.

2025-11-21T10:42:40.880973-08:00

MSSA Issues Standards-Focused Recommendations to Advance Interoperable Non‑Terrestrial Networks

Universe Today

Mega-constellations: paper proposes on‑satellite control to offload ground‑station networks As satellite constellations scale into the tens of thousands, ground stations are struggling to keep up with the communications and command load. A new paper from Yuhe Mao and co‑authors proposes shifting control and network decision‑making onboard satellites, offloading ground‑station traffic and enabling more scalable operations.

2025-11-21T07:06:53.707083-08:00

Mega-constellations: paper proposes on‑satellite control to offload ground‑station networks

Payload

Orbit Fab wins ESA/UK Space Agency ASTRAL award to demonstrate in‑orbit xenon refuelling Orbit Fab has been awarded up to $3.8 million by the UK Space Agency and ESA to lead the first stage of the ASTRAL programme, building a European consortium to demonstrate in‑orbit xenon refuelling for electric‑propulsion satellites. The funding supports a technology demonstrator and partner integration work.

2025-11-21T05:42:38.707877-08:00

Orbit Fab wins ESA/UK Space Agency ASTRAL award to demonstrate in‑orbit xenon refuelling

Aviation Week

Britten-Norman Islander to test antenna for World Mobile stratospheric 5G platform Britten-Norman will equip a BN2T-4S Islander with an antenna to support a World Mobile Stratospheric demonstration, testing airborne 5G connectivity between the aircraft and a high‑altitude stratospheric platform. The flight trials will validate integration of a commuter aircraft into non‑terrestrial 5G networks.

2025-11-20T14:52:11.237331-08:00

Britten-Norman Islander to test antenna for World Mobile stratospheric 5G platform

Spaceflight Now

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SpaceX completes 100th Space Coast orbital launch of 2025 as Falcon 9 logs 149th flight On Nov. 20, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Florida's Space Coast — the vehicle's 149th flight of 2025 — marking the 100th orbital launch from Cape Canaveral/Kennedy this year. The mission, Starlink 6‑78, continues the company's high‑cadence Starlink constellation buildout and underscores sustained operational tempo.

2025-11-20T14:45:43.342523-08:00

SpaceX completes 100th Space Coast orbital launch of 2025 as Falcon 9 logs 149th flight

rocketlabcorp.com

Rocket Lab sets 2025 record with 18 successful Electron launches, completes back-to-back hemispheric missions Rocket Lab set a new company record with 18 Electron launches in 2025 — all successful — completing back-to-back missions from New Zealand and Virginia in two days and deploying commercial payloads, including BlackSky Earth-imaging satellites and a confidential customer satellite.

2025-11-20T06:50:12.155890-08:00

Rocket Lab sets 2025 record with 18 successful Electron launches, completes back-to-back hemispheric missions

Space.com

SpaceX Transporter‑15 to launch 100+ smallsats on massive international rideshare — live SpaceX's Transporter‑15 rideshare will place more than 100 small satellites into orbit, carrying a highly international manifest of varied spacecraft types and sizes. The mission underscores continuing demand for low‑cost, frequent rideshare access; a live webcast will cover liftoff and deployment.

2025-11-20T06:11:20.094061-08:00

SpaceX Transporter‑15 to launch 100+ smallsats on massive international rideshare — live

iceye.com

ICEYE and Swedish Space Corporation sign LOI to boost Nordic, NATO sovereign space surveillance and launch collaboration At the NATO Arctic Space Forum, ICEYE and the Swedish Space Corporation signed a letter of intent to explore synergies in mission development, satellite operations and launch capabilities, aiming to strengthen Nordic and NATO sovereign space surveillance, tasking and operational resilience.

2025-11-20T05:54:00.354202-08:00

ICEYE and Swedish Space Corporation sign LOI to boost Nordic, NATO sovereign space surveillance and launch collaboration

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