Via Satellite
Industry magazine delivering news and analysis on satellite communications business, broadcast and broadband technology, and market trends.
Anduril to Work With Impulse Space, K2 Space, Voyager, and Others on Space-Based Interceptor Award
Anduril Industries secured an Other Transaction Authority contract from the U.S. Space Force to prototype technologies for space‑based interceptors under the Golden Dome initiative. The company announced a consortium that includes Impulse Space, Inversion Space, K2 Space, Sandia National Laboratories and Voyager Technologies. Each partner will contribute specialized capabilities such as in‑orbit mobility, re‑entry vehicles, high‑capacity satellite platforms and advanced weapons expertise. The award signals a coordinated push to develop affordable, scalable defenses against evolving missile threats from space.
What Amazon’s Globalstar Acquisition Means for MSS Spectrum and D2D Market: Analyst Roundtable
Amazon agreed to buy Globalstar for roughly $10.8 billion, securing the satellite operator’s mobile‑satellite‑services (MSS) spectrum licenses and an active network. The deal includes a continuation of Apple’s satellite service partnership, giving Amazon immediate access to millions of iPhone users. By...
STMicroelectronics Expects Its Space Business to Reach More than $3B Over Three Years
STMicroelectronics said its space division will generate more than $3 billion in cumulative revenue between 2026 and 2028, driven largely by low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) programs. Revenue from LEO chips rose 243% from $175 million in 2021 to an expected $600 million in 2025, giving...
Future-Proofing Satellite Networks With ST Engineering iDirect Sales SVP Brian Jakins
Brian Jakins, senior vice‑president of sales at ST Engineering iDirect, discussed how satellite operators can future‑proof their networks amid rapid advances in 5G, non‑terrestrial networks, multi‑orbit architectures, and AI‑driven services. He highlighted the paradox of abundant technology choices creating decision...
Lynk, EarthDaily, True Anomaly Launch Satellites on Weekend SpaceX Rideshare Mission
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg on May 3, deploying 45 payloads in a single rideshare mission. The primary customer was South Korea’s KARI with the CAS500‑2 Earth‑observation satellite, while a mix of commercial and governmental payloads from Lynk Global, EarthDaily...
MaiaSpace CEO Says “Start Later, Run Faster” As Launcher Works Toward First Mission
MaiaSpace, an ArianeGroup subsidiary, aims to fly its first launcher by the end of 2026, well before its five‑year target of April 2027. The company recently secured a multi‑launch contract with Eutelsat OneWeb, which will account for more than half...
HawkEye 360 Files to Go Public, Reports $99M in Revenue in 2025
HawkEye 360 announced an IPO that could raise up to $416 million by selling 16 million shares at $24‑$26 each. The RF‑sensing firm reported $98.7 million in 2025 revenue—nearly double the prior year—and posted its first net profit of $2.7 million. U.S. government contracts...
SDA’s Need for Speed Pushes Startups for Results
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is accelerating its procurement model, demanding proven results from startups while tolerating higher risk to meet tight timelines for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Using OTA contracts and a spiral development approach, SDA pushes...
Iridium Continues IoT Subscriber Growth in Q1, Desch Talks NTN Direct Launch and Spectrum
Iridium reported a modest 2% year‑over‑year revenue rise in Q1 2026, reaching $219.1 million, while adding 18,000 new subscribers to total 2.434 million commercial users. IoT data revenue grew 5% to $46 million, now accounting for 83% of its subscriber base, even as...
US Officials See Proposed European Union Space Act as Complicated Overreach
The European Union is drafting a Space Act to create a single market and impose common technical standards for safety, resilience and sustainability, with implementation slated for 2030. U.S. officials from the Department of Commerce, State Department and FCC argue...
Eutelsat Signs New Broadcast Deals in Mexico and Caribbean
Eutelsat announced three new broadcast agreements covering the Caribbean and Mexico. In the Caribbean, it will work with Co‑op Cable to deliver direct‑to‑home TV and satellite broadband via the E65WA satellite. In Mexico, the operator renewed its partnership with PCTV...
Space Capabilities Underpin Global Security Strategies
The recent SATShow Week highlighted how space, though not formally labeled critical infrastructure, underpins everyday life and global security. Experts at Via Satellite’s Cyber and Defense Special Edition stressed that Europe’s response to Russian aggression may be too slow, prompting...
Intellian Details New Terminals for Aviation and WGS Network
Intellian Technologies unveiled two new satellite terminals at SATShow Week: the OW11FA, its first aviation‑focused flat‑panel terminal delivering up to 195 Mbps and sub‑100 ms latency on OneWeb’s Ku‑band network, and the ARC‑M4‑L24, a tactical flyaway system for Wideband Global Satcom (WGS)...
Eutelsat Retires GEO Satellite 139 West A to Graveyard Orbit
Eutelsat has decommissioned its geostationary communications satellite, Eutelsat 139 West A, after 22 years of operation. The spacecraft, launched in March 2004 on the Eurostar 3000 platform, was transferred to a graveyard orbit on April 12 following final orbit‑raising maneuvers....
Ovzon Launches New Mobile Terminal in Small Form Factor
Swedish satellite operator Ovzon unveiled the T8, an ultra‑compact mobile satellite terminal measuring 7.3 × 5.1 inches and weighing 4.6 lb, the smallest in its class. Despite its size, the device delivers up to 6 Mbps uplink and 96 Mbps downlink and runs on low power....
Inside SatEnlight’s Spiral Staircase of Lasers: Interview with Startup Space Winner Matteo Vismara
SatEnlight, an Italian optical‑communications startup, unveiled a laser terminal that stacks multiple beams in a multi‑layered spiral‑staircase configuration. Co‑founder Matteo Vismara, a former CERN researcher, left a secure academic path to commercialize the technology. The company captured the top prize...
IFC News Roundup From AIX
At the Aircraft Interiors Expo, satellite operators announced a wave of in‑flight connectivity contracts targeting major airlines. SES won a multi‑orbit antenna deal with Japan Airlines for 41 long‑haul Airbus and Boeing jets, while Hughes was chosen by Air India...
Airlines See IFC as Way to Build Relationships With Customers
Airlines are treating in‑flight connectivity (IFC) as a hospitality tool to forge emotional bonds with passengers. flydubai, after a lackluster Ku‑band rollout in 2016, is now installing SpaceX’s Starlink LEO satellites to deliver reliable broadband and curated brand‑aligned content. Ethiopian...
NorthStar Earth & Space to Go Public in SPAC Deal at $300M Valuation
NorthStar Earth & Space, a Canadian space‑domain awareness firm, announced a SPAC merger with Viking Acquisition Corp. I that values the company at $300 million and will list on the NYSE as “NSTR.” The deal includes a $30 million PIPE, earmarked for...
Space Force, NATO Commanders Share Threat Perspectives
At the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, senior leaders from the U.S. Space Force and NATO outlined a widening threat landscape that spans from low‑Earth orbit to deep space. Lt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood described the Space Force’s new S4S component,...
Air Force Awarded Development Contract for Space-Based AMTI; Meink Says Risk Low
The U.S. Department of the Air Force has awarded a multi‑vendor contract to develop a space‑based air moving target indication (AMTI) system, with the first operational increment expected soon. Secretary Troy Meink emphasized that the technology’s risk is low, citing...
Boeing and Millennium Space Systems Add Mid-Class Resolute Satellite Bus
Boeing and its subsidiary Millennium Space Systems unveiled Resolute, a new mid‑class satellite bus delivering 2‑4 kW of power. The platform bridges the capability gap between Millennium’s 50 W‑1 kW small sats and Boeing’s 4‑30 kW larger systems, leveraging existing flight computers, avionics, and...
Industry Builds the Case Around Architecture Options for Orbital Data Centers
Developers are pushing orbital data centers as launch costs fall and demand for resilient, solar‑powered compute grows. Companies such as LEOcloud (now Voyager Technologies), Starcloud, Sophia Space and Lonestar Data Holdings outline use cases ranging from secure immutable storage to...
Transport Layer of PWSA Will Eventually Transition From SDA to New Acquisition Executive, Sandhoo Says
The Space Force’s new acquisition structure will eventually move the Transport Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) from the Space Development Agency (SDA) to a Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE). Acting SDA head Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo said the PAE...
COMSO Targets Expanding Working Capital Fund and Determining CASR Funding
Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO) is evaluating an expansion of its Working Capital Fund (WCF) beyond satellite communications to additional mission areas, though no timeline is set. Director Col. Tim Trimailo explained that the WCF, created in 2025,...
Teledyne Space Imaging President Megan Tremer Shares Enabling Tech for Artemis II
Teledyne’s Space Imaging division is supplying critical hardware for NASA’s Artemis II mission, including the launch vehicle stage adapter and ground‑based solid‑state power amplifiers. President Megan Tremer highlighted the company’s ability to adapt technologies originally built for flagship programs like the...
Moog Space SVP Mark Covelli Details Meteor Satellite Bus at Space Symposium
Moog’s Space division, led by senior vice president Mark Covelli, highlighted its role in NASA’s Artemis II mission, providing environmental control and life support systems for both the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew capsule. Covelli also detailed the...
Lonestar Expands Launch Plans for Orbital Data Storage Payload
Lonestar announced the launch date for StarVault, the first commercially operational space‑based sovereign data storage platform, targeting an autumn 2026 debut on Sidus Space’s LizzieSat‑4 mission. Growing demand from governments, banks and critical‑infrastructure firms prompted Lonestar to double its payload commitment,...
Integrated Satcom-Terrestrial Gateway Solution for Resilient ATC Management and Modernization
A joint venture of leading satellite operators and terrestrial network providers unveiled an integrated Satcom‑terrestrial gateway designed to modernize air traffic control (ATC) systems. The solution fuses satellite links with fiber‑optic backbones, delivering 99.9% uptime and sub‑150 ms latency across 45...
Comtech Achieves Major Milestone with Delivery of First EDIM Modems to U.S. Army
Comtech Systems announced the delivery of the first batch of Enhanced Defense Integrated Modems (EDIM) to the U.S. Army, marking a key milestone in the service’s tactical communications modernization. The initial shipment comprises roughly 150 units that enable high‑capacity, secure...
Rocket Lab Closes Mynaric Acquisition at Higher Price Than Originally Agreed
Rocket Lab completed its acquisition of German optical communications terminal maker Mynaric for $155.3 million, $5.3 million above the March 2025 agreement. The deal combines a modest cash payment with roughly 2.3 million Rocket Lab shares, replacing the originally planned $75 million cash‑or‑stock upfront...
Interview With Karman Director, Space & Launch Market Renee Frohnert at Space Symposium
Karman Space & Defense Director Renee Frohnert told Via Satellite that the firm played a pivotal role in supporting NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby, providing launch‑integration expertise and on‑orbit services. She highlighted Karman’s modular payload adapters, which shave up to 30% off...
Delta Air Lines Contracts Airbus to Install Hughes Co-Developed IFC on Upcoming A350-1000 Aircraft
Airbus will outfit 20 of Delta's upcoming A350‑1000 jets with a multi‑orbit in‑flight connectivity system co‑developed with Hughes, making Delta the first North American customer for Airbus' HBCplus line‑fit offering. The HBCplus modular solution supports up to two antennas and...
EBAD’s Lisa Brown Talks Supporting Customer Missions at Space Symposium
Ensign‑Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) leveraged its 190‑year legacy to supply critical ordnance for NASA’s Artemis II mission. Lisa Brown, EBAD’s Space Market Segment Director, discussed with Via Satellite how the company’s solid‑rocket motors powered the launch and its separation systems...
Lockheed Martin Planning Next-Generation Space Dominance Demos On Orbit
Lockheed Martin is self‑funding two next‑generation space‑dominance demonstrations—a small satellite called Vanguard and a medium‑class platform named Sentinel—targeted for launch in late 2028 and early 2029. The missions will prove rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) and command‑and‑control capabilities from geosynchronous...
Regulators Challenged With Keeping Up With the Cadence of Space Development
At the Space Symposium, FCC, NOAA and FAA officials highlighted how regulators are scrambling to keep pace with the rapid commercial space boom. FCC chief Jay Schwarz stressed the need to modernize satellite licensing as launch cadence accelerates. NOAA detailed...
MDA Announces Orbital Servicing Platform
MDA Space unveiled MDA Midnight, an on‑orbit servicing platform, at the Space Symposium. The satellite is built for rendezvous and proximity operations to detect, identify, counter and deter threats to space assets. Its inaugural mission will showcase inspection, electronic‑countermeasure mitigation,...
Darktrace’s Research Shows New Chinese Modus Operandi
Darktrace released a research report, “Crimson Echo,” showing Chinese‑nexus cyber actors are shifting from short‑term breaches to long‑term, persistent access as a form of strategic statecraft. Analyzing behavior data from July 2022 to September 2025, the study finds that maintaining footholds in...
Top Space Cyber Execs Talk Increased Iranian Cyber Attacks
Top CISOs from Vantor, SES, Viasat and Telesat warned that Iranian threat actors have dramatically increased phishing, smishing and AI‑driven deep‑fake attacks against space companies. The attacks exploit public‑facing sites, supplier networks and even voice messages to demand credential escalation....
NSA Reveals Details of New LEO Security Report
The National Security Agency, together with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Australian Space Agency, has issued a Cybersecurity Information Sheet titled “Securing Space: Cyber Security for Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communications.” The guidance breaks LEO sat‑com risk and mitigation into...
BryceTech Report Shows SpaceX Accounted for 50% of Launches in 2025
BryceTech’s 2025 Year in Review reports 325 orbital launches and 4,544 spacecraft, a 25% rise in launches and 54% more spacecraft than 2024. SpaceX led the market with 165 launches, representing roughly 51% of all global launches and 85% of...
EnduroSat and Shield Space Strike European Partnership for Defense Missions
EnduroSat and UK‑based Shield Space announced an all‑European partnership to deliver rapid space‑defense missions. By merging Shield Space’s autonomous guidance systems with EnduroSat’s fixed‑cost satellite services, the duo claims they can field operational missions in nine months instead of years....
Network Integration Remains a Challenge in Pushing Data to the Tactical Edge
Commercial space firms are moving past bandwidth bottlenecks, thanks to multiple LEO constellations, and are now focused on integrating fragmented data architectures at the tactical edge. Amazon Leo highlighted its use of standard network protocols to extend the AWS cloud...
In-Space Maneuverability Startup Portal Raises Series A as It Shifts Into Production Mode
Portal Space Systems announced a $50 million Series A round to transition from development to production of its solar‑thermal propulsion spacecraft. The funding will finance a 52,000‑sq‑ft manufacturing plant in Bothell, Washington, and double the workforce to over 80 employees. Portal recently...
Live in the Booth: Sky Perfect JSAT President & CEO Eiichi Yonekura
Sky Perfect JSAT is transitioning from a pure communications provider to a space‑based data and solutions company. The firm ordered a low‑Earth‑orbit Earth Observation constellation from Planet, giving it direct access to EO imagery for government and mission‑critical users. It...
FCC to Vote on Order to Update EPFD Framework
The Federal Communications Commission will vote on a Report and Order to replace the existing Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) framework with performance‑based protection criteria for geostationary (GSO) satellites. The change is intended to modernize spectrum‑sharing rules between GSO and...
Northrop Grumman to Build HUGEO Satellite for Hungary’s 4iG
Hungarian firm 4iG Space and Defense Technologies signed a contract with Northrop Grumman to build HUGEO, a Ka‑band communications satellite based on the GEOStar‑3 platform. The deal, worth several hundred million dollars, targets delivery by 2030 and marks Hungary’s first...
It’s Unanimous: Space Already Functions as Critical Infrastructure
Space has become a de‑facto critical infrastructure, silently powering finance, navigation, agriculture, defense and emergency response. Experts argue its horizontal‑enabler role makes formal recognition inevitable as commercial constellations swell to an estimated 25,000 satellites by 2031. Growing cyber threats, ground‑node...
Cybersecurity in Space Is Hard; In Cislunar Space, It’s Really Hard
Securing cislunar assets is far more complex than protecting low‑Earth‑orbit satellites because the vast distances demand autonomous, software‑defined defenses. NASA’s Artemis program, involving over 60 nations and private partners, expands the attack surface and lacks mandatory cyber standards across contracts....
Space Is the Best Offset Strategy
The article argues that space has become the premier offset strategy for modern militaries, offering technological advantages that neutralize adversaries' numerical and geographic strengths. It highlights how space‑based synthetic aperture radar, LEO communication constellations, and orbital tracking provide real‑time transparency,...