Commercial Space

The LEO constellation is driving down satellite internet costs.

SpaceX plans to place its first direct-to-cellular phone Starlink constellation in orbit by the end of August.

Intuitive Machines expects to lose communications with its Nova-C lunar lander Odysseus early on Feb. 27 after 4 1/2 days on the Moon’s surface.

Flight controllers at Intuitive Machines conducted their first mission on the Moon’s surface Feb. 23.

Fully funded and hardware-rich, Blue Origin readies for orbital operations.

Flight directors at Intuitive Machines’ mission control center were working to refine the signal from its Nova-C lander, which touched down on the Moon Feb. 22.

After reentering the atmosphere and deploying its parachute, Varda Space Industries’ space capsule touched down at the Utah Test and Training Range on Feb. 21.

A privately owned lunar lander positioned itself into orbit around the Moon on Feb. 21, setting the stage for an attempted touchdown on Feb. 22.

A New Glenn test vehicle was rolled out from Blue Origin’s Integrated Test Facility on Feb. 21 for a launchpad tanking test.

“We can go dramatically faster,” says new Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp.

There is a long history of NASA brain power moving on to private industry.

Astroscale Japan’s debris inspection satellite has been successfully launched into orbit on a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle.

Engineering education has evolved to include many real-world, hands-on opportunities that are essential for keeping students inspired about career options.

Singapore’s ST Engineering has unveiled its new Knight Earth observation satellite.

Skylo Technologies has raised $37 million to further develop and grow its satellite-to-device network.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Small satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital has settled its dispute with the “Concerned Investor Group” that included several prominent former employees.

The Houston-based company is poised to become the fourth private entity to attempt a lunar landing.

Japanese space startup Pale Blue has been awarded up to $27 million from Tokyo to develop miniature water-based ion and Hall-effect thrusters.

Virgin Galactic is investigating the loss of a part of the mechanism connecting VSS Unity with the carrier aircraft VMS Eve during a commercial spaceflight.

China cannot match America’s rate of space innovation.

Leading SSST’s Series A capital raise was a fund established by China’s National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund (NMTUF).

Geespace, the space arm of Chinese automobile giant Geely, launched 11 Geely-02 satellites into low Earth orbit on Feb. 3.

New office outlines plans for future servicing, mobility and logistics.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship to the International Space Station on Jan. 30.