The IRIS2 consortium, which is seeking to build a satellite mega-constellation on behalf of the European Commission, looks as if it is on the verge of collapse. French newspaper La Tribune says that due to risk assessment, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Space, the subsidiaries of the two European aerospace giants, have sent a letter […]
It wasn’t the best of weeks for the rocket launch industry. An Ariane 6 suffered a final stage engine failure which ruined its debut test flight. Then, on Friday July 12, (02.25 UTC), SpaceX lost a key second stage on its Falcon 9 which resulted in its cargo of 20 Starlink satellites in orbits that […]
During Q4, AST SpaceMobile is due to launch five of its massive ‘Block 1 BlueBird’ 5G-ready satellites into orbit. These satellites will deliver 5G signals. In Q1 2025, AST has stated it will start launching its Block 2 BlueBird versions, which it says will be “ten times more powerful” and downloading at least 14 Mb/s […]
SpaceX’s Starlink has slashed prices in some US states for new subscribers to its broadband-by-satellite service. The normal upfront joining fee for the Starlink kit has been $599 (€552.2m) in the US. That price, considered something of a barrier to entry by some critics, is down to $299 in 29 US states and $499 in […]
At the end of June a European meterological service cancelled the order it had in place with Arianespace for the launch next year of its latest Eumetsat satellite (MTG-S1). Eumetsat will now be launched on a SpaceX rocket. The decision caused consternation and much criticicm from the European Space Agency as well as Arianespace. Indeed, […]
The global Earth Observation (EO) satellite market is forecast undergo substantial growth over the coming decade, with the number of EO satellites in orbit expected to almost triple as the manufacturing market grows by 40 per cent and the value of the launch market increases by 55 per cent. The latest Earth Observation Satellite Systems […]
The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched its much-needed Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana on the evening of July 9th. While the launch completed many of the mission’s key tasks, it failed during the later stage of the flight. ESA was fulsome with praise following the first, second and […]
It is all very well for a satellite service to handle conventional calls to and from isolated locations, but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needed to clarify how true emergency calls would be directed. AST, in a filing to the FCC, has explained how 911 calls will be handled and which will almost certainly be […]
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has created a new venture, the NEOSpace Group (NSG). The business says it aims to develop and enhance commercial activities related to the sector within Saudi Arabia by providing innovative solutions for satellite and space services both locally and internationally. The new business unit is part of Saudi Arabia’s move […]
The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that its pre-launch Readiness Review of the Ariane 6 rocket had been wholly satisfactory, and that ESA had given the green light for a July 9th launch. Currently, and subject to the usual weather considerations, the launch window from Europe’s spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana is scheduled […]