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BlackSky Technology Inc. has won a multi-million dollar contract in support of the U.S. Department of Defense to collect and annotate thousands of BlackSky multi-frame burst images to train moving target artificial intelligence models for commercial motion imagery.

Iridium Communications Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire Satelles, Inc., a provider of satellite-based time and location services (STL) that complement and protect GPS and other GNSS-reliant systems. This acquisition continues Iridium's philosophy of investing in differentiating technologies uniquely suited to its network that significantly outperform competing solutions. STL will consequently become a new business line of Iridium, led by Satelles CEO Dr. Michael O'Connor, who will report to Iridium CEO Matt Desch. 

If the space-tech industry was lumbering towards the launchpad in January ($475m globally), then February was liftoff: space-tech startups raised a whopping $1.7b in funding in February.The month was bolstered by a massive $932m public-private investment into China’s Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), but also featured a $355m investment into RocketLabs (US) and a €85m investment into UnseenLabs (France). These megadeals join 30 smaller deals in a historically strong month for spacetech startups worldwide.

ispace Europe S.A. (ispace), the Luxembourg-based subsidiary of ispace, inc., and Control Data Systems SRL (CDS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to payload services and strategic cooperation on future lunar missions. The agreement aims to leverage ispace’s lunar transportation services and CDS’s advanced localization (position measurement) and telecommunications capabilities to promote further exploration of the lunar surface aimed at supporting long-term human habitation and infrastructure on the Moon.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc., an end-to-end space transportation Company, has opened a Rocket Ranch expansion in Briggs, Texas, more than doubling the size of its manufacturing facilities. The space transportation Company also added two new test stands and installed machinery to support the production of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) the companies are co-developing together.

The UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) has granted Rivada a license that enables the company to provide satellite communications services in Great Britain. This is as Rivada is launching a constellation of low-earth orbit satellites to provide government communications, maritime and aviation connectivity, enterprise networking and backhaul services for telecommunications networks.

Bright Ascension Ltd and Third Planet Orbital Ltd have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) fostering collaboration and development of joint capability. The agreement commits the two companies to pool their expertise and resources to identify and pursue promising opportunities within the fast-growing New Space industry. Through this collaboration, Bright Ascension and Third Planet Orbital will form the foundations of a standardized integrated software and hardware platform. 

Speedcast has announced a multi-year contract award by P&O Maritime Logistics to manage communications onboard 59 support vessels operating around three continents and 12 countries across the globe. As a result, Speedcast will deploy its latest SIGMA management and edge computing platform onboard to create a software-automated network comprised of GEO and LEO VSAT, 5G and L-band solutions, delivering the highest service experience and reliability.

Viasat, Inc. has won a contract from Northrop Grumman to support the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) initiative, called the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) Call 003 program – better known by its nickname 'Global Lightning.' As a result, the company's high-capacity geostationary satellites will support the program, which is connecting commercial space internet services for military users

On the 26th of January 2024, 118 marine conservation and environmental organizations signed a petition asking Iridium to stop producing their Short Burst Data (SBD) modules, real-time GPS tracking devices, because such service is used in dFADs, short for drifting fish aggregating devices, fishing tools scientifically proven to be environmentally harmful. Iridium’s answer acknowledged the potential issue, but declined the criticism. Whether the responsibility lies in the hands of the satellite tracking service providers, or with wholesale satellite network operators such as Iridium, it’s the first crack in a canvas painted by a domain that refuses to accept and take action upon a bitter reality: Space-based technology is dual-use in every sense, and the extreme efficiency and power of our services can, is and will be used for crimes against the environment, if not thoroughly regulated.