SpaceX has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission to launch 10 Starlink satellites into polar orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-1 small satellite rideshare mission, SpaceNews reported Saturday.
Read More »NASA Taps Three Companies to Launch Small Satellites to Space
NASA has selected Astra Space, Relativity Space and Firefly Black to launch different types of small satellites under contracts with a combined value of $16.7M. The companies will send to space nanosatellites, CubeSats and other types of small satellites under the Venture Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 effort, the space agency said Saturday.
Read More »Lockheed, University of Colorado Boulder to Launch Smallsats for NASA ‘Janus’ Asteroid Mission
Lockheed Martin has partnered with the University of Colorado Boulder to launch twin spacecraft that will rendezvous with binary asteroids for a NASA mission in 2022.
Read More »OneWeb Satellites’ Debra Facktor on Smallsat Production Plans, UK Gov’t Acquisition
Debra Facktor, a board member at an Airbus and OneWeb joint venture, has said the JV is working on a new batch of satellites to support long-term efforts to expand its clientele, SpaceNews reported Sunday.
Read More »L3Harris, Planet Execs Talk Progress, Challenges in Smallsat Dev’t
Two executives from Planet and L3Harris Technologies have cited electronic components and thermal management systems as key factors to the improvement of small-satellite technologies in the market, SpaceNews reported Thursday.
Read More »Rocket Lab Modifies Payload Capacity for Electron Vehicle, Satellite Bus; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab has updated its Electron launch vehicle that now enables it to carry up to 660 pounds of payload to low orbits and 441 pounds to sun-synchronous orbits or 310.1 miles.
Read More »Air Force Launches L3Harris-Built Reconfigurable Imaging Smallsat; Ed Zoiss Quoted
The U.S. Air Force and L3Harris Technologies have launched a small satellite that will serve as part of a constellation intended to support end-to-end communications and on-orbit imaging operations.
Read More »NRO Taps Rocket Lab for Back-to-Back Smallsat Missions in 2021; Peter Beck Quoted
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded Rocket Lab a contract to send small satellites to orbit as part of two back-to-back missions in spring 2021.
Read More »Rocket Lab Sends NRO, NASA Smallsats to Orbit; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab has launched satellites from NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office and the Australian government as part of a rideshare mission dubbed “Don’t Stop Me Now," C4ISRNET reported Sunday.
Read More »Rocket Lab’s Electron Vehicle to Launch NASA, NRO Satellites in June
Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle is slated to send satellite payloads from NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office and the Australian government to orbit as part of the “Don’t Stop Me Now” mission in early June.
Read More »SmallSat Alliance Seeks Gov’t Investment in Rapid Tech Dev’t, Hybrid Space Architecture
An industry group of small-satellite technology firms is calling on the U.S. government to allocate funding for space-based national security programs to thwart adversaries while driving operational use for space products.
Read More »FCC OKs SpaceX Ground Antenna Rollout for Starlink Broadband Service
SpaceX has received the Federal Communications Commission’s approval to deploy the ground antenna needed for the company's internet service, CNBC reported Friday.
Read More »L3Harris Announces Reflector Antenna Tech for Smallsat Units; Ed Zoiss Quoted
L3Harris Technologies has unveiled a small satellite reflector antenna designed to mitigate weight, time and size requirements for smallsat production efforts.
Read More »SpinLaunch Gets Funding for Facility Expansion, Smallsat Launch System Dev’t
SpinLaunch, a manufacturer of spaceflight technology, has secured $35M in additional funding to support expansion efforts as well as the development of a kinetic launch system for small satellites.
Read More »Intelsat Invests in BlackSky to Help Advance Earth Intell Work; Stephen Spengler Quoted
Intelsat has invested in Spaceflight Industries’ BlackSky subsidiary as part of a transaction aimed at integrating Earth observation services and global satellite communications infrastructure.
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