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Aviation Week • Robert Wall

Kepler Communications awarded $30.1M prime contract for ESA HydRON Element 3 optical-interoperability tests

ESA has selected Kepler Communications to lead a hosted payload mission under the HydRON program, using its in-orbit optical relay network to test “fiber in the sky” terminal interoperability. The prime contract is valued at $30.1M for HydRON Element 3, advancing ESA’s space-based laser communications across multiple orbital planes.

2026-04-14T16:53:23.631178-07:00

Airbus

Delta Air Lines selects Airbus and Hughes for multi-orbit in-flight connectivity on 20 A350-1000s

2026-04-14T00:56:02.521593-07:00

Universe Today

Radar study reveals complex subsurface history near the Moon’s south pole—raising construction and landing-site risks

2026-04-14T13:53:11.262768-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Blue Canyon Technologies expands reaction wheel production capacity

2026-04-14T10:18:19.041871-07:00

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Spaceflight Now

Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base to launch 25 Starlink satellites SpaceX is targeting a 9:29:49 p.m. PDT liftoff from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East for a Falcon 9 mission carrying 25 Starlink satellites. The launch is part of SpaceX’s high-cadence constellation deployment tempo as Starlink continues expanding in low Earth orbit.

2026-04-14T18:53:26.258895-07:00

Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base to launch 25 Starlink satellites

Aviation Week

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Kepler Communications awarded $30.1M prime contract for ESA HydRON Element 3 optical-interoperability tests ESA has selected Kepler Communications to lead a hosted payload mission under the HydRON program, using its in-orbit optical relay network to test “fiber in the sky” terminal interoperability. The prime contract is valued at $30.1M for HydRON Element 3, advancing ESA’s space-based laser communications across multiple orbital planes.

2026-04-14T16:53:23.631178-07:00

Kepler Communications awarded $30.1M prime contract for ESA HydRON Element 3 optical-interoperability tests

Universe Today

Radar study reveals complex subsurface history near the Moon’s south pole—raising construction and landing-site risks A new radar-based investigation probes buried layers in one of the Moon’s most impact-battered regions, finding evidence of ancient impacts, frozen melt sheets, and billions of years of overlapping debris. The results suggest the geological environment underpinning south-pole outpost plans may be far more heterogeneous than expected.

2026-04-14T13:53:11.262768-07:00

Radar study reveals complex subsurface history near the Moon’s south pole—raising construction and landing-site risks

The War Zone

Angry Kitten jamming pod tests on HC-130J validate remote reprogramming using satellite threat updates Testing of the Angry Kitten jamming pod on the HC-130J focuses on receiving threat updates “via satellite” and rapidly reprogramming the pods based on the real-time threat environment. The objective is to enable faster adaptation of jamming behavior as threats evolve.

2026-04-14T11:34:51.194561-07:00

Angry Kitten jamming pod tests on HC-130J validate remote reprogramming using satellite threat updates

SpaceNews.com

U.S. Space Command moves toward a maneuver-warfare strategy for contested orbit U.S. Space Command leadership says it is advancing exercises this year while developing a maneuver warfare strategy for space. The approach targets a protracted conflict scenario against a peer opponent, emphasizing warfighting built around moving satellites rather than predictable, static posture.

2026-04-14T10:55:56.232789-07:00

U.S. Space Command moves toward a maneuver-warfare strategy for contested orbit

SpaceNews.com

Blue Canyon Technologies expands reaction wheel production capacity RTX’s Blue Canyon Technologies is increasing reaction wheel manufacturing capacity, a move aimed at scaling the components used for spacecraft attitude control. The expansion signals closer alignment between production throughput and demand for precision space systems and mission payloads.

2026-04-14T10:18:19.041871-07:00

Blue Canyon Technologies expands reaction wheel production capacity

SpaceNews.com

China flies Jielong-3 internet-test payload; Kinetica-1 adds 8 imaging satellites to active remote-sensing capability Two Chinese solid-rocket launches from Jiuquan inserted nine satellites into orbit, including the Jielong-3 internet-test satellite and eight Kinetica-1 remote-sensing spacecraft for the Jilin-1 constellation. The payloads extend both broadband/communications experimentation and fresh commercial imaging capability via new deployments.

2026-04-14T09:15:02.650527-07:00

China flies Jielong-3 internet-test payload; Kinetica-1 adds 8 imaging satellites to active remote-sensing capability

SpaceNews.com

Eutelsat’s US arm pitches hosted-payload deals to accelerate OneWeb satellite monetization Eutelsat says its U.S. business is marketing hosted-payload arrangements tied to OneWeb satellites, positioning the LEO platform as a destination for third-party payloads. The push signals an effort to broaden revenue streams beyond capacity sales as OneWeb ramps its next-generation deployment.

2026-04-14T06:14:52.437603-07:00

Eutelsat’s US arm pitches hosted-payload deals to accelerate OneWeb satellite monetization

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Satellite News

Kepler Communications awarded $30.1M prime contract for ESA HydRON Element 3 optical-interoperability tests

Delta Air Lines selects Airbus and Hughes for multi-orbit in-flight connectivity on 20 A350-1000s

Radar study reveals complex subsurface history near the Moon’s south pole—raising construction and landing-site risks

Blue Canyon Technologies expands reaction wheel production capacity

News Timeline