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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Japan plans to launch the Michibiki 7 navigation satellite aboard its H3 No. 9 rocket on Aug. 10, with live coverage available. The mission will place the 10,800-pound spacecraft into orbit, adding another satellite to Japan’s regional positioning and navigation system.
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 introduce Starlink high-speed Wi-Fi on a Lufthansa Airbus A320neo, with the first aircraft scheduled for deployment on Aug. 19, 2026. Free onboard internet will initially be available to frequent-flyer members, while the group plans to equip about 850 aircraft by 2029 under defined passenger-use rules.
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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After seven months of negotiations, the European Commission, ESA, EUSPA and the SpaceRISE consortium have moved IRIS² into implementation. Eutelsat will invest €3.39 billion and lead the LEO constellation, while Hispasat leads a €1.6 billion ground-segment contract and SES advances the MEO architecture.
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.
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