Satellite   Europe   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Defense & Militarization   Policy & Regulation  
Space Intel Report • Peter B de Selding

EU to field sovereign satcom: Iris2 to offer free, anonymous government links as GOVSATCOM goes live

Brussels plans to offer Iris2 satellite communications free and anonymously to governments, with deployment accelerated from 2029 and commercial links potentially pre-empted during crises. The move coincides with activation of GOVSATCOM secure‑encrypted services as the EU builds a homegrown alternative to Starlink and other global providers.

2026-02-18T10:15:35.912836-08:00
Satellite   Commercial Space   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Debris & Traffic Management  
SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

SpaceX unveils space traffic management system — a commercial coordinator with binding user conditions

By SpaceNews.com: A new SpaceX effort to provide space traffic coordination services has attracted attention and praise in part because of the conditions it places on users.

Also: smallsatnews.com
2026-02-18T04:17:20.889336-08:00
Space Exploration & Science Missions   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations  
Universe Today • Andy Tomaswick

Study: Martian Volcanoes May Conceal Extensive Mid‑Latitude Ice Under Ash — Implications for ISRU and Landing Site Selection

By Universe Today: When we think of ice on Mars, we typically think of the poles, where we can see it visibly through probes and even ground-based telescopes. But the poles are hard to access, and even more so given the restrictions on exploration there due to potential biological contamination.

2026-02-18T06:33:12.127008-08:00