Telstra Not Seeking to Lock Rivals Out of Mobile-to-Satellite Bands
Telstra announced it will not seek to exclude rivals from the 2 GHz mobile‑to‑satellite (MSS) spectrum needed for next‑generation satellite‑to‑mobile services. SpaceX warned that if Telstra secured the remaining frequencies, it could effectively lock out other satellite operators and Australian mobile network operators (MNOs). The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is still deciding whether to allocate the band by auction or administratively, amid pressure from the pending universal outdoor mobile service (UOMO) bill. Competing players such as Viasat are also positioning themselves for access to the band through joint ventures.
Artemis II Astronauts Visit the White House
President Trump welcomed the Artemis II crew—three NASA astronauts and a Canadian—to the White House, marking the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The president praised their courage and hinted that a Moon landing during his term is a "good shot."...
Meta Forges Partnerships for Space Solar, Long-Duration Energy Storage to Power AI
Meta Platforms announced partnerships with Overview Energy and Noon Energy to secure up to 1 gigawatt of clean power for its AI data‑center fleet. Overview will launch geosynchronous satellites by 2028 that harvest solar energy in space and beam it as...
USSF Budget Offers First Glimpse at Plans for ‘Space Data Network’
The U.S. Space Force’s FY‑2027 budget reveals a $3 billion investment in a new Space Data Network (SDN), split evenly between research and development and procurement. The plan calls for 21 SDN satellites in 2027, up from 13 the prior year,...
UFO Space ETF Assets Nearly Double in April
The Procure Space ETF (UFO) saw assets under management double in April, climbing to $727 million. Net inflows of $322 million and an 8.1% price rise powered the surge, while the fund’s year‑to‑date return sits near 30%, far outpacing major indices. Launched...
Half of Phones to Gain Satellite Connectivity by 2030
“Nearly one in two smartphones is expected to support satellite connectivity by 2030. Apple, Google and Samsung will lead in terms of overall penetration, but Android brands ... will see less penetration." https://t.co/u3SHMINmnZ via @CounterPointTR
AT&T Might Look Beyond AST SpaceMobile for D2D
AT&T’s CEO John Stankey said the carrier will explore additional low‑Earth‑orbit partners beyond its current AST SpaceMobile deal to deliver direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity. He cited SpaceX, Amazon Leo and possibly a fourth LEO provider as potential wholesale partners. AST SpaceMobile...
Elon’s Self‑Owned IPO Creates a Single Point of Failure
Only Elon can fire Elon. https://t.co/kFbAxAN1nn This is just the strangest IPO. It's essentially a brand new company with a brand new mission, given the "x" acquisitions and orbital data center plans. Reliant on a single point of failure.
White House Announces Trump to Greet Artemis II Astronauts Soon
The White House website says "we will begin shortly" with President Trump participating in a greeting with Artemis II astronauts. https://t.co/Qcabtb1Rm0 https://t.co/swhxFxbik2
The Waiver Was the Policy. Thursday Is the Paperwork.
On April 30, 2026 the FCC will vote to retire the 1990s Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) framework and replace it with a performance‑based coordination regime for non‑geostationary satellite operators. The agency projects a $2 billion economic benefit and up to...
Soyuz-5 Delays Echo Soyuz-2’s Five‑launch Failures
Those who losing patience with the Soyuz-5 might be interested to re-read our coverage 20 years ago of the notorious Soyuz-2/MetOp inaugural mission from Baikonur, which involved... five failed launch attempts: https://t.co/sO7SqYRt2Q https://t.co/wtHUQsyECC
Today's NASA Live Events: Menon Talk, CLPS Updates, Artemis 2
Coming up quickly (all times Eastern): 1:45 pm, NASA news conf w/astronaut Anil Menon (YouTube); 1:50 pm, 4 CLPS companies talks abt their upcoming missions at LSIC (webcast); 2:00 pm, Artemis 2 astronauts at White House (*possibly* on WH livestream).
ESA Monitors Rapid Quantum Progress for Space Exploration
The European Space Agency (ESA) has opened a Call for Ideas to explore quantum technologies for its Explore2040 roadmap, targeting missions to Low Earth Orbit, the Moon and Mars. Submissions are due by April 26 2026, and selected teams will join a...
Telefónica and Sateliot Join Forces to Bring Satellite 5G Connectivity to Strategic Sectors
Telefónica España and satellite IoT operator Sateliot have signed a collaboration to bring 5G New Radio to low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, creating a hybrid network that merges terrestrial 5G with satellite coverage. The partnership will develop NR‑NTN solutions, pilot critical‑service use cases and...
Can NASA and SpaceX Really Build a Moon Base in the Next 10 Years?
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced a plan to begin building a permanent lunar base as early as 2027, aiming for a sustained human presence on the Moon. The proposal hinges on the Artemis program’s upcoming crewed missions, which are expected...
Just Look at the Spiral Exhaust Flame Thrown by This Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine
Astrobotic demonstrated its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, delivering more than 4,000 lb of thrust. The engine ran for a total of 470 seconds, including a record‑setting 300‑second continuous burn, without damage. Three supersonic detonation...
Designing in Situ Power Stations for Future Mars Missions
A Chinese research team published a conceptual design for an in‑situ power station that would turn the thin, CO₂‑rich Martian atmosphere into heat and electricity for future crewed missions. The proposal combines atmospheric capture, a micro‑nuclear reactor, lithium‑Mars‑gas batteries, and...
Only Elon Musk Can Fire Elon Musk From SpaceX, Filing Shows
SpaceX’s IPO filing reveals that Elon Musk can only be removed as CEO and board chair by a vote of class B super‑voting shareholders, a group he controls, effectively giving him a self‑vote veto. The company will issue class A common stock...
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Launches Viasat Communications Satellite
SpaceX successfully launched a Viasat communications satellite aboard its Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, marking the rocket’s first flight in roughly 18 months. The mission reused both side boosters, which completed their 2nd and 22nd flights, and fairings on their...
NASA JPL Fires 120‑kW Lithium‑Fed Thruster, Paving Way for Faster Mars Trips
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ignited a lithium‑fed magnetoplasmadynamic thruster at 120 kilowatts, the highest power level ever achieved by a U.S. electric propulsion system. The test demonstrates a key step toward megawatt‑class engines that could cut travel time for crewed...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Dr. Jakob Stöber, McKinsey & Company
McKinsey’s latest report, co‑authored by partner Dr. Jakob Stöber, quantifies Europe’s stark launch gap – five rockets in 2025 versus 154 in the United States and 68 in China. The analysis links the shortfall to slower public spending and fragmented...
Chromatic 3D Materials Fires 1,800‑psi 3D‑Printed Rocket Propellant Prototype
Chromatic 3D Materials announced that its RX‑AM printed propellant withstood static‑fire pressures above 1,800 psi at the IS4S range in Alabama, proving the material can match conventional performance while offering on‑demand, distributed production for 90% of the U.S. rocket fleet.
Astrobotic Sets Record with 470‑Second Rotating‑Detonation Engine Test
Astrobotic successfully operated its twin Chakram rotating‑detonation rocket engines for a total of 470 seconds, including a 300‑second continuous burn, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The test, the longest ever for an RDRE design, moves the company closer to...
T‑
.@TMobile, @ATT agree: 'Satellite D2D is complementary service, we'll use multiple providers; LEO networks are not future MVNOs for us.' Market size still very much TBD. @Starlink @AST_SpaceMobile @Amazonleo.https://t.co/f9Hvq7vfxX https://t.co/L6ByNshq1Z
Monopoly Threat: SpaceX Can Stifle Industry for Starlink
It’s OK to use the M word. Monopoly. They can kill almost the entire Spacetech industry by shutting off launch work for others for a few years to support Starlink and Starship.
Amazon’s Satellite Internet Unit Kuiper Seeks Kenya Licence After Nigeria Approval
Amazon’s satellite internet arm, rebranded as Amazon LEO, has filed for a Network Facilities Provider Tier‑2 licence in Kenya, following a seven‑year licence win in Nigeria. The Kenyan licence costs about $115,000 upfront, runs for 15 years and requires at...
Q&A: Kepler’s CEO on Canada’s Space Ambitions and the Best Toronto Tech Week Eats
Kepler Communications CEO Mina Mitry announced the company’s breakthrough launch of the world’s first optical‑relay low‑Earth‑orbit satellite network, delivering real‑time data links that cut latency from hours to minutes. He highlighted Canada’s need for sovereign launch capability to monitor its...
Global Invacom Secures Exclusive Worldwide Distribution for Prodelin Antenna Range
Global Invacom Group’s UK subsidiary has signed an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement with Premix‑Hadlock, the GMR company that now owns the Prodelin sheet‑moulding‑composite antenna range. The two‑and‑a‑half‑year deal makes GIGL the sole global representative of 1.2‑ to 4.5‑meter antennas used...
SUPARCO’s PRSC-EO3 Satellite Launch Completes Pakistan’s EO Constellation
On 25 April 2026, Pakistan’s SUPARCO launched PRSC‑EO3 aboard China’s Long March 6, completing the nation’s three‑satellite electro‑optical (EO) constellation. The 500‑kg satellite entered a sun‑synchronous orbit, joining PRSC‑EO1 and PRSC‑EO2 to provide regular high‑resolution optical coverage for disaster management, agriculture, and resource monitoring....
Rocket Factory Augsburg Submits License Application for a Saxavord Launch Window Opening on July 1, 2026
Rocket Factory Augsburg has filed a marine launch licence for a July 1, 2026 window at the Saxavord spaceport in Scotland. The company’s original 2024 launch was aborted after a catastrophic static‑fire test destroyed the RFA‑1 first stage, leading to a management...
California Coastal Commission Settles SpaceX Lawsuit by Apologizing and Conceding All Points
SpaceX settled its lawsuit with the California Coastal Commission after the commission issued a formal apology and admitted it lacks authority to regulate launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The settlement also acknowledges that the commission’s prior opposition to increasing...
230 - Which System Wins, When Comparing Virtual Ground With Traditional Hardware ROI?
In this episode, Grace Kanuja of Nova Space explains how virtualized ground systems dramatically cut costs and boost revenue for satellite operators compared to traditional hardware. Drawing on lessons from Earth observation, she highlights double‑digit savings, up to 40% total...
Spaceflux Extends Funding Round, Bringing Total to £9 Million
UK‑based Spaceflux has closed a £3.5 million extension to its seed round, bringing total capital to £9 million (about $11.3 million). The fresh funds, led by existing backer Blackfinch Ventures and new investor SPARX Asset Management, will finance the rollout of additional optical...
NanoAvionics to Launch Trio of Milestone Payloads on SpaceX CAS500-2 Mission
Kongsberg NanoAvionics will launch three distinct CubeSats—SNAPPY, QUBE II and Eycore‑1—on SpaceX’s CAS500‑2 mission from Vandenberg on May 3. SNAPPY is the first space‑based neutrino detector, QUBE II will perform the inaugural quantum‑key exchange from a CubeSat, and Eycore‑1 will demonstrate a European...
NASA Demonstrates New Prescribed Burn Capability for Spaceport
NASA teamed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct two prescribed burns covering roughly 2,600 acres at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 9, 2026, marking the first time a controlled fire was set during an active launch countdown....
China Ramps Up Commercial Space Race with Lijian-2 “Super Factory”
China has finished construction of a massive Lijian-2 liquid‑propellant rocket "super factory" in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, marking a pivotal step in its commercial space agenda. The facility is designed to mass‑produce the Lijian‑2 family, with the Y1 carrier rocket already launched...
Falcon Heavy Marks 2026’s 100th Orbital Launch
Looks like the world’s 100th orbital launch of 2026 is taken by Falcon Heavy: https://t.co/yCL4rRL7Ik https://t.co/X0alLwYITd
House Bill Keeps NASA Funding Flat, Shifts to Exploration
The draft House CJS appropriations bill would keep overall NASA funding flat in FY27 (versus a $5.6 billion cut proposed by the administration) but moves some funding around compared to 2026: a little less for science, a little more for...
Anduril Wins Slot in $1.8 B Space Force Andromeda Contract
Anduril Industries has been awarded a task‑order slot in the U.S. Space Force’s $1.8 billion Andromeda program, which will field autonomous satellites to monitor geosynchronous orbit. The win puts the startup alongside defense giants such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman...
Starlink Is a Long-Term Risk to Telcos
SpaceX is pouring roughly $20 billion into its Starlink low‑Earth‑orbit constellation, positioning it as more than a backup for the world’s remaining unconnected pockets. Telecom operators worldwide are racing to embed Starlink into their service portfolios, hoping to offer truly ubiquitous...
Plasma-Hot Space Rider Tests for Belly and Flaps
Space Rider is Europe’s first reusable, uncrewed laboratory spacecraft, designed to spend up to two months in low‑Earth orbit before returning via an automated parafoil glide. Its thermal‑protection system relies on 21 lightweight ISiComp ceramic tiles that shield the belly...
April 29, 2003: BeppoSAX’s Journey Ends
BeppoSAX, the Italian‑Dutch X‑ray astronomy satellite launched on April 30, 1996, concluded its seven‑year mission when it re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere on April 29, 2003. The observatory delivered unprecedented spectral coverage, enabling the study of faint X‑ray sources and pioneering arc‑minute localizations of Gamma‑Ray Bursts...
Help Scientists Find Spacetime Warps in These Euclid Space Telescope Images
The European Space Agency has launched Space Warps, a citizen‑science effort that asks volunteers to scan Euclid Space Telescope images for strong gravitational lenses. Euclid streams roughly 100 GB of data each day, and the project will present 300,000 AI‑preselected cutouts...
Stunning Images From Biomass Mark Its One Year in Orbit
The European Space Agency celebrated the one‑year anniversary of its Biomass satellite, the first mission equipped with a P‑band synthetic aperture radar that can see through dense forest canopies. Launched on 29 April 2025, the satellite began delivering openly available data in...
A Falcon 9 Rocket Will Hit the Moon This Summer at Seven Times the Speed of Sound
Astronomers led by Bill Gray confirm that the upper stage of a Falcon 9 that launched the Blue Ghost mission on Jan. 15, 2025 will strike the Moon on Aug. 5, 2025 at 2:44 am ET. The 13.8‑meter stage will hit near the Einstein crater at...
Optimized Electrotech Raises ₹35 Cr To Expand Into Space Imaging
Optimized Electrotech, a deep‑tech startup focused on electro‑optical defense systems, secured ₹35 Cr ($3.7 M) in a round led by Exfinity Ventures. The capital will fund satellite development and the launch of a real‑time imaging constellation for defence and security customers. The...
House Appropriations Unveils FY2027 NASA, NOAA Funding Bill
House Appropriations has released its FY2027 Commerce-Justice-Science bill, including NASA and NOAA, in advance of tomorrow's subcommittee markup. Text: https://t.co/iYG2yfP3I8 Summary: https://t.co/S8sbWd1RUt https://t.co/wcQhabPARi
The Personification of Astronomical Bodies Is Always Amusing
NASA’s Artemis II mission will now only orbit the Moon, postponing a crewed landing. The agency is undergoing significant budget reductions, leaving the lunar lander contract undecided and casting doubt on a near‑term return. Meanwhile, China’s space program signals it could...
DPhi’s Second Demo Brings Compute Space to Orbit
Swiss startup DPhi Space demonstrated in‑orbit artificial‑intelligence compute by running Liquid AI’s large language model on its Clustergate‑2 payload, hosted on a Momentus Vigoride 7 satellite. The LLM described an Earth observation image without transmitting the data to ground, proving...
AirbusSpace, Thales Alenia Post Q1 Revenue Rise, Merger On Track
.@AirbusSpace & @Thales_Alenia_S both report increased revenue in Q1, continuing a trend as government military/security spending and the cos' restructuring puts telecom-sat division crises in rear-vew mirror. Still, their merger w/ @LDO_Space is on track. https://t.co/E7AguNorbp https://t.co/vG1xDbwoPi