![[Podcast] IP Networking in Deep Space](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://blog.apnic.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PIA14761.jpg)
[Podcast] IP Networking in Deep Space
Marc Blanchet of Viagenie discussed extending Internet Protocol beyond low‑Earth orbit, targeting the Moon, asteroid belt and interplanetary missions. Using Linux TUN, TC‑NETEM and 64‑bit delay modeling, his team can simulate round‑trip times of hours, revealing TCP’s limitations in deep‑space environments. The conversation highlighted QUIC as a more suitable transport, given its resilience to loss and built‑in security. The IETF’s TIPTOP Working Group is now evaluating such protocols, while China and others have already fielded 4G‑based IP stations on the lunar surface.
Artemis II Crew’s Excellent Adventure Recap
NASA’s Artemis II crew will hold a news conference on Thursday, April 15, 2026 at 2:30 pm EDT to discuss their upcoming lunar flyby. The briefing will be streamed live on NASA’s YouTube channel and other viewing options, with Keith Cowing providing real‑time commentary on...
Amazon’s $11B Globalstar Casino Gamble: Genius or Desperation?
Amazon announced an $11.57 billion acquisition of Globalstar, buying the satellite operator at $90 per share. The deal adds a 24‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) constellation, many of which were launched in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Amazon plans to leverage the...
Swedish Space Agency Signs Agreement with FAA on Launch Licensing
The Swedish National Space Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration signed an agreement on April 15, 2026 to coordinate licensing for American rockets launching from Sweden’s Esrange Space Centre. The pact builds on a 2025 technology safeguards accord and...
VodafoneThree Gets Green Light for Satellite Smartphone Connectivity
Ofcom approved VodafoneThree's request to provide satellite direct‑to‑device connectivity in the UK, using its 900 MHz spectrum. The licence variation follows O2's earlier satellite launch and includes regulatory updates to exempt the band for D2D use. VodafoneThree plans summer 2026 trials...
Iran Acquired Chinese Spy Satellite To Monitor and Target US Bases in the Middle East
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps secretly obtained the Chinese‑built TEE‑01B reconnaissance satellite in 2024, a capability known as “in‑orbit delivery” that transfers ownership after launch. The high‑resolution platform has been used to monitor U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia, Jordan,...
The Starship V3 Static Fire Everyone Was Waiting for Just Happened
SpaceX successfully completed a full‑duration static fire of Starship V3 at Starbase, Texas, confirming all 33 Raptor 3 engines ignited together. The test generated roughly 9,240 tons of thrust, enough to lift the Empire State Building, and demonstrates the vehicle’s capability to...
SpaceX Starship V3 Has Successful Static Fire
SpaceX achieved a full‑duration static fire of Starship V3 (starship 39), with all six Raptor engines igniting as planned. The test validates propulsion upgrades and confirms thrust, vibration, and thermal performance ahead of an integrated flight. Although Booster 19’s launch was postponed...
Amazon Just Bought the Satellite Behind iPhone’s SOS Feature
Amazon announced a definitive agreement to acquire Globalstar for roughly $11.6 billion, with the transaction slated to close in 2027. The deal grants Amazon Leo access to Globalstar’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite fleet, spectrum licenses, and a direct‑to‑device (D2D) capability that can connect...
NASA Force Job Applications
NASA has launched "NASA Force," a new hiring initiative created with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The program seeks highly skilled early‑to‑mid‑career engineers, technologists and innovators for focused term appointments lasting one to two years, with possible extensions. The...
Blue Origin Delayed Static Fire Pushes Possible Launch to April 18, 2026
Blue Origin conducted a delayed static fire test for its New Glenn orbital launch vehicle, labeling the exercise a successful rehearsal. The setback pushes the anticipated first flight of New Glenn to April 18, 2026, later than previously projected. The delay follows a series...
Analysis: Amazon
Amazon announced an $11.57 billion acquisition of Globalstar, securing valuable L‑band mobile‑satellite spectrum. The deal bolsters Amazon’s Project Kuiper, which plans to launch about 3,200 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites by 2029, with half the constellation operational by July. Globalstar’s Direct‑to‑Device (D2D) technology will...
Ground-Based Telescopes and a Shared Orbiting Starshade Can Directly See Earth-Like Exoplanets
A new Nature study proposes a hybrid observatory that couples a 30‑meter‑class ground telescope such as the ELT, TMT or GMT with a 99‑meter orbiting starshade. The starshade creates a deep shadow above the atmosphere, while adaptive optics on the...
NASA’s Global Reach Just Got Broader
NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully looped a 5.7 million‑pound rocket around the Moon and back, marking the deepest crewed venture since the Apollo era. The flight demonstrated the agency’s technical readiness for a future lunar landing and underscored its growing brand relevance....
National Initiative For American Space Nuclear Power
The White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy issued a memo under Executive Order 14369, directing a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power. The plan calls for near‑term deployment of nuclear reactors on the Moon and in Earth...
