Entrepreneurship

Airbus successfully completed the performance enhancements of the SATCOMBw satellite communications network, required for the NATO commitment VJTF23, within the planned timeframe, the company announced. The Airbus-operated BSg-A ground station in Weilheim, Germany, became operationally ready at the end of the July.

Information services and Earth observation company, Capella Space, unveiled new capabilities planned for its next generation “Acadia” technology satellites, to further extend its data offerings. The new satellites will expand Capella’s existing constellation to provide high quality imagery and fast order-to-delivery speeds. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rejected LTD Broadband and Starlink’s applications for support through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program, causing the companies to lose out on US $1.3 billion and US $900 million respectively. The FCC made the decision based on the conclusion that the providers failed to demonstrate that they could deliver the promised services.  

Wireless laser communication systems developer, Astrolight, successfully performed a satellite-to-ground laser communication test using a portable OGS-1 optical ground station, the company said. Working with the European Space Agency (ESA), Astrolight established the laser communication link near ESA’s Izaña-1 (IZN-1) ground station, located at Teide Observatory.

Kayhan Space unveiled its next-gen Pathfinder spaceflight safety platform which will enable satellite and mission operators to better manage operational risks and make precautionary maneuvers based on precision analytics to avoid collisions and congestion in space.

Space launch systems operator Virgin Orbit, has signed an agreement with South Korean investment group J-Space, to assess candidate spaceport launch sites in South Korea, to conduct satellite launch services from there using the LauncherOne System, Virgin said.

Space infrastructure company D-Orbit, signed a three-year, multi-mission agreement with global nanosatellite IoT network operator, Astrocast to launch and deploy 20 satellites, which are part of Astrocast’s growing constellation for the Internet of Things (IoT).

This Space Café Singapore will feature Mani Thiru, Head of Space & Satellite at Amazon Web Services AsiaPacific, in conversation with Lynette Tan, correspondent of SpaceWatch.Global for Singapore. Our first Space Café Singapore: Space Café on the Red (hot) Dot

Two South Australian companies, engineering and fabrication company Ferretti International, and family-owned manufacturing company Hydroil, will start manufacturing for the space industry after winning the contract to build and supply a mobile launch rail for Australian spaceport and space mission provider Southern Launch, the company said.

Northrop Grumman and end-to-end space transportation company Firefly Aerospace, are collaborating to provide an American-built first-stage upgrade for the Antares rocket as well as a new medium launch vehicle to serve commercial, civil and national security space launch markets, Northrop Grumman said.