WASHINGTON—SpaceX’s satellite unit on Monday protested Viasat’s proposed acquisition of Inmarsat to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), alleging the rival satellite operator had violated commission rules and should not be granted approval to control another company’s assets. SpaceX, which has launched some 2,600 satellites to space for its Starlink internet constellation, called on the…
Amazon, SpaceX Snag NASA Space Communications Contracts
WASHINGTON—Amazon’s satellite venture, SpaceX’s Starlink network, and other satellite firms on Wednesday won a combined $278.5 million in contracts from NASA to demonstrate communications in space as the U.S. space agency moves to replace its current satellite network in orbit with privately-built systems. NASA is increasingly looking to rely on private space companies for its…
US Intelligence Satellite Launched From California
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif.—A classified satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) was launched into space from California on Sunday. The NROL-85 satellite lifted off at 6:13 a.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It was the first mission by the NRO to reuse a SpaceX rocket…
Capacity Crunch May Abort US Satellite Boom as Sanctions Threaten Russia Launches
Houston, we have a problem! U.S. rocket companies are facing the daunting task of ferrying hundreds of satellites to space in the coming years as sanctions sideline the Russian space launch industry. SpaceX, Astra Space, and Rocket Lab USA are among a handful of U.S. companies expected to fill the vacuum, but industry officials have…
China Launches New Satellite While AUKUS Raises Stakes
News Analysis China launched a new satellite designed for “Earth observation” on April 7. According to Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled media, the Gaofen-3-03 will coordinate with two similar satellites currently in orbit, and subsequently enhance Beijing’s ability to produce synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The regime claims that these images will enable the country to…
Amazon Signs Landmark Rocket Deal
Former Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos has reunited with his former company in a landmark deal to launch 83 satellites in upcoming years, in what has been described as the largest deal ever in the history of the commercial space industry. On Tuesday, Amazon announced that it would be partnering with numerous companies to launch…
Australian University Launches Off-Earth Space Simulation Lab
The University of Adelaide, South Australia, launched its Exterres Laboratory on Thursday, an off-Earth surface testing environment for space technology such as rovers, and a first of its kind in Australia. Located on the North Terrace campus, the Extraterrestrial Environmental Simulation (Exterres) Laboratory will be a major stepping stone in developing technology to accompany humans…
Satellite Photos Give a Bird’s-Eye View of Ukraine Crisis
WASHINGTON—Widely available commercial satellite imagery of Russian troop positions bracketing Ukraine provides a bird’s-eye view of an international crisis as it unfolds. But the pictures, while dramatic, have limitations. High-resolution photos from commercial satellite companies like Maxar in recent days showed Russian troop assembly areas, airfields, artillery positions and other activities on the Russian side…
Musk’s SpaceX Working to Restore Tonga’s Internet: Fiji Official
SINGAPORE—Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture is helping to restore connectivity to the Pacific Island nation of Tonga, according to an official in Fiji where the work is underway. Tonga’s sole optic-fibre link to the internet and the rest of the world was severed by a volcanic eruption on Jan. 15 and only limited connectivity has…
China Launches Satellite for Classified Mission in First Launch of 2022
China conducted its first space launch of 2022 on Jan. 17, successfully sending a satellite into orbit on a classified mission. Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua first reported the launch, which it said took place at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, about 260 miles southeast of Beijing in the province of Shanxi. The satellite, Shiyan-13, is…
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