https://spacewatch.global/space-news/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:13:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/space-news/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/ila-2026-what-we-dont-see-can-hit-us-major-general-fleischmann-on-germanys-view-from-space/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75062 From ILA 2026 in Berlin, Major General Armin Fleischmann of the Bundeswehr's Cyber and Information Domain Command joins Torsten Kriening to discuss the "transparent battlefield," Germany's need for sovereign eyes in orbit, a Plan B for when space goes dark, and why a human must always remain the final decision-maker over AI.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/spacewatchgl-opinion-space-for-all-or-space-for-those-already-there/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75041
Written by Judith Delany
ICAAD’s new policy brief on equity in space governance raises a question COPUOS can no longer avoid: who gets to shape the rules of the next space age?]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/esa-council-sets-december-ministerial-in-rome-reframes-exploration-after-nasas-gateway-decision/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75048 The 347th ESA Council on 17 June 2026 in Paris confirmed Rome as the venue for the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting on 15 December and signalled a fundamental repositioning of Europe's exploration strategy following NASA's downsizing of the Lunar Gateway. Director General Josef Aschbacher compared the upcoming Rome ministerial to the 2023 Seville Space Summit – a decision point that will set Europe's ambition for a decade or more.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/vantor-and-rheinmetall-partner-to-build-sovereign-unified-intelligence-fusing-capabilities-for-germany/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75017 Vantor and Rheinmetall have signed an MOU to build a unified sovereign spatial-intelligence capability for Germany and other European armed forces.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/iaf-launches-first-edition-of-the-iaf-global-space-and-oceans-conference-gsoc-2027-in-the-maldives/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75024 In a significant milestone for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and the Maldives Space Research Organization (MSRO) have officially signed an agreement confirming the Maldives as the Host country of the maiden IAF Global Space and Oceans Conference (GSOC 2027), from 3 - 5 May 2027. The conference will serve as a premier platform for advancing international collaboration and exploring how space technologies can support ocean observation, climate resilience, marine conservation, and the sustainable management of ocean resources. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/eqt-to-acquire-exolaunch-supporting-the-launch-mission-management-firms-next-growth-phase/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75031 EQT has agreed to acquire German launch-management firm Exolaunch from founder Dmitriy Sternharz to scale its global operations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/look-up-selects-skynopy-to-power-automated-collision-avoidance-for-its-atlas%c2%b2-space-safety-program/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75037 Look Up has selected Skynopy to provide the ground-segment interface for its ATLAS² automated space-safety platform, enabling real-time collision response]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/copuos-2026-who-keeps-order-in-a-crowded-sky-inside-the-race-for-radio-spectrum/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75064 From the 69th Session of COPUOS in Vienna, the ITU's Véronique Glaude joins Judith Delany to explain how spectrum - a finite resource - is shared in the mega-constellation era, why even a giant constellation is one filing, the road to WRC-27, and how the world will govern radio frequencies on and around the Moon.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/portugal-acquires-two-additional-iceye-sar-satellites-to-scale-sovereign-intelligence-from-space/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74978 CTI Aeroespacial, a joint venture between the Portuguese Air Force and CEiiA, has signed a contract with ICEYE to procure two additional SAR satellite systems to be operated by the Portuguese Air Force. This brings the total number of ICEYE-built satellites available to the Portuguese Air Force to four.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/hensoldt-unveils-skybarrier-a-mobile-broadband-jammer-for-satellite-based-navigation-signals/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74986 HENSOLDT has unveiled SkyBarrier, a mobile broadband jammer for satellite navigation signals, designed as an electronic countermeasure for armed forces and government agencies.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/democratic-republic-of-congo-set-to-acquire-rdc-sat-earth-observation-satellite-from-spacebel/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74993 SPACEBEL has signed an agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo to supply RDC-SAT, an Earth observation satellite for independent monitoring of its territory, borders, and environment.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/remondo-signs-first-international-mou-with-korea-aerospace-industries-for-sub-30-cm-resolution-imaging/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74949 Remondo has signed its first international memorandum of understanding since its public debut in February, with Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., the Republic of Korea's leading aerospace and defense systems integrator. The MOU establishes a strategic collaboration to develop, integrate and commercialize Remondo's Partial Aperture Imaging System (PAIS) platform, combined with KAI's expertise in satellite bus manufacturing, systems integration, testing and satellite operations. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/riis-selected-to-host-international-space-leaders-for-karman-week-2026-in-cape-town-south-africa/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74957 The Karman Project' has announced that its annual flagship Karman Week event will take place in Cape Town, South Africa this year, hosted from November 2-6 by RIIS, one of the continent's leading innovation and technology advisory firms. This year’s selected delegation includes Karman Fellows from such organizations as the Bahrain Space Agency, UK Space Agency, Leonardo, Senegal Space Agency, OroraTech, Orienspace, Philippine Space Agency, European Space Policy Institute, Brooklyn Experimental Art Foundation, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Center for Space Medicine Research, and AstroAccess, among others.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/dawn-aerospace-closes-us25m-series-b-to-accelerate-global-expansion-of-reusable-space-transportation/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74969 Dawn Aerospace has closed its Series B funding round, raising $25 million at a $195 million post-money valuation, led by US-based VC, Balerion Space Ventures. The funds will help Dawn build scalable, sustainable space transportation to unlock more of space's economic potential while solving critical national security challenges.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/space-tech-expo-us-if-we-dont-talk-about-it-we-wont-solve-it-charlie-mcgillis/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74875 From Space Tech Expo US in Anaheim, Laura Todd talks with Charlie McGillis, founder and CEO of Polaris & Beyond, about a bigger, bolder show — the focus on space supply chains, the candid reframing of space nuclear as fission and fusion energy, and why solving space's hardest problems starts with talking openly about them.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/astrobotic-showcases-its-griffin-1-lunar-lander-ahead-of-nasas-moon-base-ii-mission-later-this-year/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74887 Astrobotic has unveiled its Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1) lunar lander, recently designated by NASA as Moon Base II, during a visit by NASA representatives, government officials, and industry partners at the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh. Planned for launch later this year, the Moon Base II mission will deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo aboard Griffin-1, including Astrolab’s FLIP rover, to mature mobility systems that inform future lunar terrain vehicle, or LTV, operations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/edge-group-seals-strategic-agreement-with-safran-days-after-unveiling-new-european-headquarters-in-paris/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74898 EDGE Group and Safran have signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement at Eurosatory 2026, establishing a structured framework for a deeper cooperation and broadening the scope of joint work across the wider portfolios of both groups. The agreement is a response to the profound shift in modern warfare, including the growing role of unmanned systems, electronic warfare and the need for greater resilience and autonomy of defense capabilities.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/rocket-lab-to-join-the-nasdaq-100-index-on-the-back-of-more-than-80-successful-rocket-launches/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74909 Rocket Lab has announced its inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 Index, placing the company among the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Rocket Lab’s addition to the index will become effective prior to market open on Monday, 22 June, 2026.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/unseenlabs-launches-bro-22-satellite-aboard-japans-h3-launch-vehicle-marking-a-first-for-a-foreign-private-company/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74837 Unseenlabs has successfully launched BRO-22, the first satellite from a foreign private company to fly aboard Japan’s H3 Launch Vehicle. The launch took place on Friday, June 12, 2026, from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tanegashima Space Center. The launch is both a step forward in the development of Unseenlabs' satellite constellation and a concrete example of how French and Japanese space players can work together to support maritime surveillance worldwide. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/ila-berlin-2026-sets-new-standards-with-increased-attendance-and-record-international-participation/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74848 ILA Berlin 2026 closed after five days with 110,000 attendees and record international participation, significantly up on 2024.]]>