Space News

Satellite Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Exolaunch secures rideshare capacity on two launches, including Japanese rocket flight

Exolaunch said Sept. 14 it secured capacity for rideshare payloads on two upcoming launches, one involving a Japanese rocket. The agreements add launch opportunities to Exolaunch’s manifest as the provider continues arranging shared-launch access for satellite customers.

1 Source

2026-09-14T03:06:40.691075-07:00

Defense Industry & Major Contractors Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

U.S. Air Force awards Antares $161 million to advance nuclear reactor for space

By SpaceNews.com: GTON — The nuclear microreactor startup Antares won a $161 million Department of the Air Force contract to develop and demonstrate a nuclear reactor for spacecraft.

1 Source

2026-09-14T02:22:34.928644-07:00

Europe Space Policy & International Cooperation

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Europe uses space summit to advocate for greater autonomy

By SpaceNews.com: European officials used an international space conference to bolster the continent’s own space capabilities as they push for greater autonomy.

Also: SpaceWatch Global

2 Sources

2026-09-14T01:45:41.979720-07:00

Satellite LEO Commercial Space

SpaceWatch Global • Guest Author

#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: LEO economics are decided in the chipset, not the launch bay

By SpaceWatch Global: Why custom silicon and common terminal architectures could determine the economics of LEO networks, from Starlink to Europe’s IRIS² constellation.

1 Source

2026-09-14T01:22:12.340847-07:00

Satellite Commercial Space

SpaceWatch Global • Joshua Faleti

NOAA Selects 14 Companies for New Commercial Environmental Data Supply Framework

By SpaceWatch Global: NOAA selects 14 providers in a new framework to expand satellite data use for U.S. weather forecasting and space-weather monitoring.

1 Source

2026-09-14T01:15:03.150593-07:00

Satellite Supply Chain M&A Aircraft Finance & Leasing Commercial Space Airbus

Payload • Victoria Woodburn

Sophia Space, SLI Set Terms for $300M Satellite Leasing Deal

By Payload: Orbital compute startup Sophia Space and space asset leasing company SLI have set terms for a $300M asset-financing deal.

SpaceNews.com

Apex to set up US D2D satellite manufacturing facility for Elveo Mobile

SpaceNews.com

Sophia Space and SLI agree on $300 million financing for 10-satellite edge-computing constellation

Also: Payload, Inflight Online, Space Intel Report, SpaceWatch Africa, Satellite Evolution, Airline Economics, newspaceeconomy.ca, GeekWire, marketforecast.com and 6 more

18 Sources

2026-09-13T21:05:05.406034-07:00

Satellite Asia-Pacific (APAC)

SpaceWatch Global • Joshua Faleti

SWISSto12 and Mitsubishi Electric Expand Japan Partnership With MoU and Antenna Contract

By SpaceWatch Global: SWISSto12 and Mitsubishi Electric will explore advanced payload and RF opportunities in Japan, alongside a new phased-array antenna contract.

1 Source

2026-09-14T01:54:59.645938-07:00

Viasat Satellite Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Debra Werner

BlackSky shares first-light imagery from fifth Gen3 satellite

By SpaceNews.com: ARIS — BlackSky Technology announced Sept. 14 that it collected and processed first light imagery from its fifth Gen3 satellite in less than 20 hours after liftoff on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket.

defensehere.com

Eutelsat, Skynopy to develop Global AKAR, software-defined global ground network

defence-industry.eu

BlackSky captures first imagery from fifth Gen-3 satellite within 20 hours, expanding 35-centimeter defense intelligence capacity

Also: SpaceNews.com and SpaceWatch Africa

5 Sources

2026-09-13T23:25:41.512365-07:00

Exolaunch secures rideshare capacity on two launches, including Japanese rocket flight

U.S. Air Force awards Antares $161 million to advance nuclear reactor for space

Europe uses space summit to advocate for greater autonomy

#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: LEO economics are decided in the chipset, not the launch bay

NOAA Selects 14 Companies for New Commercial Environmental Data Supply Framework

Sophia Space, SLI Set Terms for $300M Satellite Leasing Deal

Apex to set up US D2D satellite manufacturing facility for Elveo Mobile

Sophia Space and SLI agree on $300 million financing for 10-satellite edge-computing constellation

SWISSto12 and Mitsubishi Electric Expand Japan Partnership With MoU and Antenna Contract

BlackSky shares first-light imagery from fifth Gen3 satellite

Eutelsat, Skynopy to develop Global AKAR, software-defined global ground network

BlackSky captures first imagery from fifth Gen-3 satellite within 20 hours, expanding 35-centimeter defense intelligence capacity

Exolaunch secures additional rideshare launches

U.S. Air Force awards Antares $161 million to advance nuclear reactor for space

SWISSto12 and Mitsubishi Electric Expand Japan Partnership With MoU and Antenna Contract

Europe uses space summit to advocate for greater autonomy

#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: LEO economics are decided in the chipset, not the launch bay

NOAA Selects 14 Companies for New Commercial Environmental Data Supply Framework

Startups seek to demonstrate 3D printing in vacuum of space

Avio reports strong growth but seeks more funding to increase Ariane 6 and Vega launch cadence

NASA offers details about, and defends, proposed space academy

Vega C set to launch the ESA Sentinel-3C and FLEX missions from Kourou

Rocket Lab protests NASA’s $700 million Mars orbiter award to Blue Origin

Europe’s commercial launch sector accelerates with Isar, PLD Space advances and a new UK strategy

ULA prepares to resume Vulcan launches as financial pressure raises ownership questions

Poland launches process to develop a domestic Starlink-like satellite system

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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