News

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

US Air Force lab awards BlackSky up to $99M for large optical satellite payload

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded BlackSky a contract worth up to $99 million to develop and deliver a large optical satellite payload. The award funds design and production of an optical sensor payload intended for forthcoming Air Force lab satellite missions.

2026-03-07T03:59:34.900039-08:00

Wall Street Journal

SpaceX stake in active ETFs balloons into a 'monster' holding, exposing limits of unlisted assets in public funds

2026-03-06T17:13:17.808011-08:00

Associated Press

U.S. precision strike likely hit Iranian girls' school, investigators say

2026-03-06T11:20:36.512110-08:00

Space.com

ESA orbiters record record‑breaking solar superstorm striking Mars and altering its atmosphere

2026-03-06T11:07:21.750724-08:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

US Air Force lab awards BlackSky up to $99M for large optical satellite payload The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded BlackSky a contract worth up to $99 million to develop and deliver a large optical satellite payload. The award funds design and production of an optical sensor payload intended for forthcoming Air Force lab satellite missions.

2026-03-07T03:59:34.900039-08:00

US Air Force lab awards BlackSky up to $99M for large optical satellite payload

Wall Street Journal

SpaceX stake in active ETFs balloons into a 'monster' holding, exposing limits of unlisted assets in public funds A small SpaceX position bought by a niche fund has ballooned into a 'monster' holding inside newly launched active ETFs, raising questions about whether exchange-traded funds can effectively carry significant unlisted assets. Critics say mixing private and public stocks undermines the sales pitch for these products.

2026-03-06T17:13:17.808011-08:00

SpaceX stake in active ETFs balloons into a 'monster' holding, exposing limits of unlisted assets in public funds

Ars Technica

Planet Labs withholds Gulf satellite imagery for 96 hours after Iranian drone strikes Planet Labs will delay public release of newly captured satellite imagery over Gulf states for 96 hours after Iranian drone attacks, citing risk that adversaries could use near‑real‑time images for "battle‑damage assessment." The pause impacts media, commercial customers and researchers who normally receive images almost immediately.

2026-03-06T15:40:00.851912-08:00

Planet Labs withholds Gulf satellite imagery for 96 hours after Iranian drone strikes

Associated Press

U.S. precision strike likely hit Iranian girls' school, investigators say Satellite imagery and eyewitness footage show a precision aerial strike struck an Iranian girls' school at the outset of the U.S.-Israeli campaign; U.S. military investigators say a U.S. precision strike likely caused the blast and are reviewing whether AI-assisted targeting and human error played a role.

2026-03-06T11:20:36.512110-08:00

U.S. precision strike likely hit Iranian girls' school, investigators say

Space.com

ESA orbiters record record‑breaking solar superstorm striking Mars and altering its atmosphere ESA's Mars orbiters logged a rare solar superstorm that struck Mars — producing the largest atmospheric response observed there to date — and confirmed the same event also impacted Earth. Instruments recorded changes in the Red Planet's upper atmosphere, yielding new data on storm interactions with non‑magnetized planets.

2026-03-06T11:07:21.750724-08:00

ESA orbiters record record‑breaking solar superstorm striking Mars and altering its atmosphere

Via Satellite

FCC proposes easing TT&C spectrum rules to open bands for smallsats and experimental space operations The FCC proposed loosening telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) spectrum rules to free additional bands for small satellites, cubesats and other unconventional space operations. The change is intended to simplify spectrum access for spacecraft control, enabling faster deployments and more experimental missions.

2026-03-06T10:17:49.474585-08:00

FCC proposes easing TT&C spectrum rules to open bands for smallsats and experimental space operations

Space Intel Report

MDA Space opens La Plata factory to produce up to 400 software-defined satellites a year MDA Space said it is on schedule to complete construction of a La Plata, Maryland factory capable of producing up to 400 software-defined satellites per year. The facility is aimed at supplying multiple commercial and government constellations and significantly expands MDA’s spacecraft manufacturing capacity.

2026-03-06T09:39:23.579836-08:00

MDA Space opens La Plata factory to produce up to 400 software-defined satellites a year

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on March 7 SpaceX plans a predawn March 7 Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base to deploy 25 Starlink broadband satellites, further expanding its megaconstellation now numbering more than 9,900 spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Liftoff is scheduled from Space Launch Complex 4.

2026-03-06T09:19:28.988043-08:00

SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on March 7

Menu

Satellite News

US Air Force lab awards BlackSky up to $99M for large optical satellite payload

SpaceX stake in active ETFs balloons into a 'monster' holding, exposing limits of unlisted assets in public funds

U.S. precision strike likely hit Iranian girls' school, investigators say

ESA orbiters record record‑breaking solar superstorm striking Mars and altering its atmosphere

News Timeline