Satellite

Euroconsult released a report on the Optical Communications Market, with market-leading in-depth analysis of the equipment and solutions using optical links, the intelligence firm said.

In this Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Ann Vandenbroucke, Chief Regulatory Officer at Rivada Space Networks, about the excitement of working at a constellation start-up, ITU challenges, and space sustainability from the angle of an operator. They also addressed European autonomy for space communication and the issue of frequency scarcity.

Emirates has selected Inmarsat as the in-flight connectivity provider for its incoming fleet of Airbus A350s as part of a commitment by the United Arab Emirates airline to ensure passengers ‘fly better’. The milestone agreement expands the long-standing partnership between Emirates and Inmarsat.

After years of preparation and construction, mainland EU’s first orbital launch complex, Spaceport Esrange, has officially been inaugurated by the Swedish Head of State, King Carl XVI Gustaf, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson. Thereby, the European Union introduced a new and long-awaited critical asset to its shared space infrastructure, offering an independent European gateway to Space from northernmost Sweden.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an Order adopting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s plan to establish a Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs. The reorganization will better support the needs of the growing satellite industry, the FCC said.

On the heels of Israel’s purported announcement of the development of its “space administration” Space Force, one cannot help but wonder if the emergence of Space Forces is yet another affront to the provisions of the legal framework that governs outer space.

Galactic Energy, a rocket startup in China, launched five satellites into orbit on Monday, January 9, improving the private company’s ambition to become the Chinese rival to SpaceX.

SpiderOak raised $16.4 million in an investment round led by Empyrean Technology Solutions, a space technology platform connected to Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm. 

Virgin Orbit has provided an update on why the first horizontal orbital launch from UK soil failed on 9th January. The company says that the preliminary analysis of data is starting to shed light on the anomaly.