https://spacewatch.global/tag/airbus-defence-and-space/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Mon, 09 Nov 2026 09:02:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/airbus-defence-and-space/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/11/uk-launches-titania-military-satellite-as-it-expands-space-defense-investment/ Mon, 09 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79993 The United Kingdom has launched its Titania military satellite into orbit, marking another step in the country's efforts to strengthen its space-based defense capabilities. Developed by BAE Systems in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the satellite is part of the UK's ISTARI program, which aims to expand the military's ability to observe activity on Earth from space and deliver intelligence to military decision-makers.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/10/esa-orders-four-more-galileo-second-generation-satellites-to-expand-europes-navigation-fleet/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79506 The European Space Agency has extended contracts with Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space to procure four additional Galileo Second Generation satellites, bringing the number under contract to 16. Announced on October 27, 2026, the procurement adds two satellites to each manufacturer’s existing order and forms part of Europe’s effort to upgrade its global satellite navigation system. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/10/spacewatchgl-opinion-space-is-not-the-hero-its-the-infrastructure/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79451
Written by Torsten Kriening.
Wildfire is testing whether Europe’s space sector can stop selling pixels and start acting like infrastructure. At a Munich Climate Week panel hosted by OroraTech and Airbus Defence and Space, firefighters made clear what they need from orbit: knowledge, connectivity and training, not just more data.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/10/deftech-day-2026-daniel-seidel-of-liveeo-on-germanys-first-truly-sovereign-imagery-capability/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79442 From DefTech Day 2026 in Erding, LiveEO co-founder Daniel Seidel joins Torsten Kriening to discuss the new alliance with Airbus, IABG and IBM Germany, demonstrate 3D terrain models built from satellite data in minutes, and explain why Germany still lacks its own commercial high-resolution optical imagery capability.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/10/airbus-and-ohb-to-lead-esa-studies-on-future-european-orbital-outpost-as-iss-era-nears-end/ Mon, 05 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78511 ESA has awarded contracts to two European consortia, led by Airbus and OHB, for preliminary studies into a European-led orbital outpost in low Earth orbit as the agency plans for the post-ISS era.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/esa-signs-e20-million-in-low-leo-contracts-as-iris%c2%b2-enters-hardware-development/ Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77847 ESA has signed 18 contracts worth €20 million in Madrid, bringing nearly 80 companies into Low-LEO studies that could expand IRIS² beyond its initial architecture.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/airbus-to-build-spainsat-ng-iii-as-spain-replaces-lost-communications-satellite/ Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77800 Spanish satellite operator Hisdesat has contracted Airbus Defence and Space to develop and build SpainSat NG-III, a new secure communications satellite intended to strengthen Spain’s strategic communications capabilities and replace the damaged SpainSat NG-II.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/axelspace-partners-with-airbus-and-star-signal-to-expand-earth-observation-and-space-safety-services/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77256 Axelspace has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to supply medium-resolution optical imagery from its GRUS microsatellites, and is separately evaluating SSA services with Star Signal Solutions.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/artemis-ii-crew-returns-to-bremen-to-thank-europes-service-module-team/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75689 NASA's Artemis II crew returned to Airbus in Bremen to thank the workforce behind the European Service Module - and delivered rare first-hand testimony on how Orion flew, from a trans-lunar burn accurate enough to skip two correction manoeuvres to hand-flying the spacecraft with thrusters deliberately disabled.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/europe-and-chinas-joint-smile-mission-to-study-earths-magnetic-shield-launches-to-space/ Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74018 ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have launched the SMILE mission on Vega-C to study solar storms and Earth's magnetic shield.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/03/gomspace-to-participate-in-the-european-defense-agencys-vleo-def-military-satellite-project/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=72119 GomSpace is announcing its participation in the European Defense Agency’s newly signed €15.7 million research contract to develop Europe’s first dedicated Very Low Earth Orbit military satellite concept, as part of the VLEO‑DEF consortium. The research and technology project will design a satellite optimized for sustained operation in VLEO, around 250–350 km above Earth.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/01/mesc-2026-omansat-1-and-the-future-of-sovereign-connectivity-with-stephane-vesval/ Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=70777 In this Space Café Clip from the second edition of the Middle East Space Conference by Novaspace in Muscat, Torsten Kriening speaks with Stéphane Vesval, SVP Sales Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/ariane-6-launches-the-last-of-the-copernicus-sentinel-mission-satellites-sentinel-1d/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68787 The Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite has joined the Sentinel-1 constellation mission in orbit after launching aboard Ariane 6, yesterday, 4 November 2025 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Ariane 6 placed the satellite in its orbit 34 minutes after launch, with mission operators receiving signal from the satellite soon after. Sentinel-1D has subsequently joined its twin, Sentinel-1C and will replace Sentinel-1A, which has been in service for more than 11 years, upon its full commissioning.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/exotrail-announce-new-cnes-backed-geostationary-orbit-mission/ Wed, 18 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65853 Exotrail has announced a new mission to geostationary orbit scheduled for early 2028, commissioned by CNES as part of the France 2030 plan. This mission aims to develop a perennial European capacity for the orbital deployment of small satellites from geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) to operational geostationary orbit (GEO)]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/from-climate-vigilance-to-strategic-autonomy-airbus-ships-metop-sg-a1-for-ariane-6-launch/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65680 The first MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG A1) weather and climate monitoring satellite, built by Airbus Defence and Space, has left Toulouse en route to the Guiana Space Centre for launch aboard Europe’s Ariane 6. Scheduled for liftoff in August 2025, the mission marks a critical milestone not only in European meteorological capabilities but in the region’s pursuit of sovereign, dual-use space infrastructure amid intensifying climate challenges and geopolitical fragmentation.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/12/eutelsat-contracts-airbus-to-build-more-oneweb-leo-satellites/ Wed, 18 Dec 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62991 Airbus Defence and Space has agreed to a contract with Eutelsat to build the extension of the latter's OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation. Under the contract, Airbus will build the first batches of the extension, totalling 100 satellites, with delivery targeted from the end of 2026, ensuring continuity and enhancement of service for current and future Eutelsat customers.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/11/iris%c2%b2-concession-contract-awarded-to-spacerise/ Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62075 The European Commission has awarded SpaceRISE Consortium the concession contract to develop, deploy and operate the European Union's secure connectivity satellite system: IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite)]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/11/proba-3-spacecrafts-depart-to-india-for-launch/ Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62082 ESA’s Proba-3 mission is about to depart to its launch site in India for its onward launch into orbit. The pair will fly to the Satish Dhawan Space Center, near Chennai, for the launch campaign to begin. The mission’s two spacecraft intend to maneuver precisely in Earth orbit so that one casts a shadow onto the other.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/07/gaia-recovers-from-solar-storm-and-micrometeoroid-damage/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 06:00:38 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=56229 The European Space Agency (ESA)'s Gaia spacecraft has been hit by a micrometeoroid, damaging the spacecraft’s protective cover. The impact consequently created a little gap that allowed stray sunlight to disrupt Gaia’s sensitive sensors. In addition, ESA also reported that a solar storm may have been responsible for damaging one of the spacecraft's charge-coupled devices (CCDs)'s electronics. As a result, the spacecraft began reporting thousands of false star detections.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/07/spacewatchgl-opinion-a-reality-check-on-european-space-capabilities/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 08:00:11 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=56005 The European Space Forum 2024 seeks to showcase Europe's strategic role in the global space race, using its distinct ecosystem while navigating the intricate web of international relations. The forum's discussions help determine the future trajectory of European space activities, ensuring that Europe remains relevant and leads in numerous critical areas of space technology and exploration.]]>