Commercial Space

A team of European rocket developers are to help prove German ambitions for sat launch at sea with a series of suborbital launches planned for spring 2024.

Eutelsat OneWeb says its low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation has connected to a terrestrial 5G mobile network.

Berkeley Space Center, unveiled Oct. 16, could see employment for more than 6,000 researchers and developers in astronautics, quantum computing and more.

Shield Capital—which was founded in 2021 and invests in areas such as AI, space, autonomy and cyber security—says it has raised $186 million for the fund.

Space companies have an opportunity to think through the environmental impact of their booming industry.

Multiorbit satellite services seem to be a trend, and some systems will be highlighted at NBAA-BACE.

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

Proteus Space, a startup satellite developer, closed a $4.2 million seed round to create an automated, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system to design ESPA-class satellites in 30 days.

The company plans to develop a fully autonomous docking system for the Cygnus.

Planet Labs has delivered its Pelican-1 Earth imaging satellite to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California ahead of a planned launch in November.

Amazon becomes a satellite operator.

A pair of privately owned Iranian cubesats are slated to launch as secondary payloads aboard a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket in December.

Germany has launched a pilot project combining uncrewed aircraft and electric bikes to deliver groceries to residents.

The European Space Agency has launched a competition for “visionary business ideas” for how to use its proposed “Moonlight” project.

The 196-ft. Atlas V lifted off at 2:06 p.m. EDT on a dedicated ride for a pair of small satellites known as Kuipersat-1 and -2.

Japan’s space startups—and their U.S. subsidiaries—are playing a prominent role in several U.S. Space Force and NASA missions.

Following a short-lived debut flight on April 20, an upgraded Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is being prepared for launch.

Achieving essential soft landings on the Moon with precision is proving to be a challenge.

Northrop was one of four teams to win NASA funding for early development of commercial LEO platforms.

The FCC for the first time has imposed a fine on a satellite operator for failing to properly deorbit a satellite.

Astroscale Japan has received an $80 million grant from the Japanese government to “image and diagnose” a large, defunct satellite.

Ispace technologies U.S. has unveiled a redesigned Series 2 lunar lander renamed the APEX 1.0.

The FAA also called for organizational changes following the Sept. 12, 2022, uncrewed New Shepard-23 mission.

Team wants data on S4 dynamics in simulated lunar space.

SpaceX’s tussle in Ukraine illustrates the industry’s rising power in modern conflict.