Satellite Programs & Technology News

Space Intel Report • Peter B de Selding

Planet Labs pulls back satellite-capacity investment to protect profitability amid surging demand

Planet Labs, operating from La Plata, Maryland, is scaling back planned investment in satellite capacity to protect margins even as demand surges and it signs two large satellite‑services contracts. The move follows an intensive production ramp of Pelican satellites and recent commercial wins.

2025-10-17T12:34:42.582395-07:00

Reuters

Thales denies deal as Airbus and Leonardo continue talks to form European satellite manufacturer

2025-10-16T03:48:09.285995-07:00

Boeing

Boeing and Virgin Atlantic to Upgrade In‑Flight Connectivity Across 787 Fleet

2025-10-15T12:04:38.084034-07:00

Via Satellite

ESA selects Kongsberg NanoAvionics to build large multi‑payload cubesat for EU IOD/IOV programme

2025-10-15T13:06:13.169843-07:00

Satellite Programs & Technology News Timeline

Space Intel Report

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Planet Labs pulls back satellite-capacity investment to protect profitability amid surging demand Planet Labs, operating from La Plata, Maryland, is scaling back planned investment in satellite capacity to protect margins even as demand surges and it signs two large satellite‑services contracts. The move follows an intensive production ramp of Pelican satellites and recent commercial wins.

2025-10-17T12:34:42.582395-07:00

Planet Labs pulls back satellite-capacity investment to protect profitability amid surging demand

SpaceNews.com

EU unveils flagship defence programmes and confirms ‘European Space Shield’ to be in place by 2026 The European Commission and member states have outlined a set of flagship defence programmes and confirmed a "European Space Shield" will be operational by 2026, signalling an accelerated push for sovereign space-based surveillance, early warning and resilience across EU defence architecture.

2025-10-17T10:44:29.102606-07:00

EU unveils flagship defence programmes and confirms ‘European Space Shield’ to be in place by 2026

Flying Magazine

Starlink in Business Aviation: Reshaping Cockpit Communications, Maintenance and Real‑Time Decisions Pilots and operators say SpaceX's Starlink is transforming business aviation by enabling persistent, high‑bandwidth cockpit communications that improve maintenance support and real‑time decision‑making. Early retrofit installations and operator trials are moving Starlink from passenger Wi‑Fi to operational avionics and crew workflows.

2025-10-17T10:25:36.898041-07:00

Starlink in Business Aviation: Reshaping Cockpit Communications, Maintenance and Real‑Time Decisions

Space.com

Mauve, the first private space telescope, will assess stellar environments for habitable exoplanets Mauve, billed as the world’s first private space telescope, will survey nearby stars to assess their environments and flag stellar activity that could rule out habitability for orbiting exoplanets. Its team says Mauve will identify which stars are most likely to produce life‑damaging conditions and prioritise targets for follow-up.

2025-10-17T07:08:24.721965-07:00

Mauve, the first private space telescope, will assess stellar environments for habitable exoplanets

Payload

Viridian wins $1.7M DoD Phase II SBIR to advance air‑breathing propulsion for VLEO satellites Viridian Space Corporation has secured a $1.7 million Department of Defense Phase II SBIR to advance air‑breathing propulsion for very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites. The award will fund maturation of propulsion hardware and testing aimed at countering VLEO’s atmospheric drag to enable longer on‑orbit operations.

2025-10-17T06:04:05.706254-07:00

Viridian wins $1.7M DoD Phase II SBIR to advance air‑breathing propulsion for VLEO satellites

SpaceNews.com

Arianespace delays Ariane 64 maiden to 2026 and trims Ariane 6 to four launches in 2025 Arianespace confirmed the Ariane 64 (four‑booster Ariane 6) maiden flight has been postponed into 2026. The company cut Ariane 6’s 2025 manifest to four launches; the final 2025 mission (VA266, Ariane 62) will lift two Galileo satellites, while VA267 (Kuiper) is now slated for 2026.

2025-10-17T04:14:46.030643-07:00

Arianespace delays Ariane 64 maiden to 2026 and trims Ariane 6 to four launches in 2025

NPR

Amateur Tracker Picks Up Emissions From Classified SpaceX Starshield Satellites in Protected Band An amateur satellite tracker detected radio emissions from SpaceX's classified Starshield satellites — launched from Vandenberg in March — originating in a protected, previously hidden portion of the radio spectrum. The finding confirms active transmissions from the government-focused Starlink variant and spotlights spectrum and operational-security issues.

2025-10-17T02:24:36.508587-07:00

Amateur Tracker Picks Up Emissions From Classified SpaceX Starshield Satellites in Protected Band

European Spaceflight

Open Cosmos wins contract to build Spain’s eight-satellite contribution to the Atlantic Constellation Spain’s space agency and ESA have selected Open Cosmos over Deimos to build Spain’s eight-satellite contribution to the Atlantic Constellation, with deliveries scheduled by 2027. The award embeds a Spain‑built smallsat package into a wider Atlantic constellation effort and advances national LEO capability.

2025-10-17T01:41:46.724330-07:00

Open Cosmos wins contract to build Spain’s eight-satellite contribution to the Atlantic Constellation

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