Satellite   ESA   Commercial Space  
Aviation Week • Robert Wall

ESA awards Kepler-led team contract for HydRON “fiber in the sky” laser communications demo across multiple orbital planes

The European Space Agency has selected a Kepler Communications-led team to test ESA’s HydRON “fiber in the sky” laser communications network, moving the demonstration forward with a contract to Kepler Communications. The program targets high-throughput optical links for orbital-to-orbital data transfer.

Also: SpaceQ and Payload
2026-04-14T16:53:23.631178-07:00
Satellite   Moon   Space Exploration & Science Missions  
Universe Today • Mark Thompson

Reading the Moon’s Buried Past.

By Universe Today: The lunar south pole is where humanity plans to build its first permanent outpost but we still don't fully understand what lies beneath the surface. A new study has used radar to peer below the ground in one of the Moon's most complex and battered regions and what it's finding raises important questions about the geological minefield that future astronauts will be navigating.

2026-04-14T13:53:11.262768-07:00
Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Commercial Space   Space Defense & Militarization   BAE Systems  
Aviation Week • Vivienne Machi

BAE Unveils New Spacecraft Line For Dynamic Space Operations

By Aviation Week: BAE Systems is entering the space tug market, debuting a new vehicle it says will be capable of transporting cargo and small satellites to the Moon.

Also: Defense Daily, defence-industry.eu and insidedefense.com
2026-04-14T05:08:26.678162-07:00