Iridium Unveils Core Role in Artemis II and Next-Gen PNT at Space Symposium 2026
Iridium Communications supplied the L‑band voice and data link that kept NASA’s Artemis II crew connected to mission control throughout the 10‑day lunar flyby, complementing the high‑bandwidth optical system. The company showcased its new Iridium NTN Direct service, embedding satellite, cellular and GNSS capabilities into a 16 mm × 26 mm 9604 module with quantum‑safe positioning and timing. Iridium highlighted a growing partner ecosystem—about 40 new partners in 2025—and announced commercial availability of the 9604 in June 2026. The firm positions its PNT signal as a foundation for secure identity verification and future lunar‑surface communications.
Boeing and Millennium Unveil Resolute Mid-Class Satellite Platform
Boeing and its subsidiary Millennium Space Systems unveiled the Resolute mid‑class satellite platform at the 41st Space Symposium. The bus fills the performance gap between SmallSats and traditional large satellites, offering higher power and payload capacity with faster development cycles....
TCI Aircraft Interiors to Become New HBCplus Provider Following Collaboration with Airbus
Airbus and Turkish cabin specialist TCI Aircraft Interiors signed an MOU to add TCI as a Managed Service Provider for Airbus' HBCplus satellite connectivity platform. The agreement will initially deliver a proposal for Turkish Airlines' Airbus fleet, integrating TCI into...
The Complete History of Voyager’s Golden Record and What the Decision About What to Include Revealed About How Humanity Sees...
In 1977 a NASA‑appointed committee led by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan assembled the Voyager Golden Record, a 12‑inch gold‑plated disc containing 90 minutes of audio and over 100 images intended to represent Earth to any extraterrestrial listener. The team...
NASA’s TDRSS Problem: Why the Agency Is Betting on Commercial Providers to Keep Hubble and the ISS Online
NASA’s decades‑old Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is aging, and its remaining satellites could fail by the end of the 2020s, jeopardizing telemetry for the Hubble Space Telescope and crew safety on the International Space Station. To avoid...
Platinum Fuel Cell Technology Supporting Humanity’s Space Flights
South Africa’s abundant platinum is powering the next generation of space‑flight energy systems, according to the World Platinum Investment Council. Regenerative fuel cells (RFCs) that use platinum‑based proton‑exchange‑membrane technology can store and release hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity during...
The Space Force’s 170-Page Bet on Distributed Architecture — and What It Means for Commercial Space
The U.S. Space Force unveiled two 170‑page strategy papers—Future Operating Environment 2040 and Objective Force 2040—calling for a fundamental redesign of the service. The documents declare that uncontested dominance in space has ended, naming China and Russia as the primary...
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...
Radiation-Hardened Electronics and the Business of Space-Grade Components
Radiation‑hardened electronics remain essential for space missions because they must survive harsh radiation environments where replacement is impossible. The market is defined by rigorous certification, long lead times, and a limited pool of qualified suppliers, making components a strategic asset....
Space Force Reorg Signals End of SDA as Standalone Agency
The Space Development Agency (SDA), founded in 2019 to fast‑track low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations, is slated to be absorbed into the Space Force’s new Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) structure. The reorganization will split SDA’s flagship Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture into separate...
Fox Says Its Confirmed that Iran Used Chinese Satellite to Target US Bases
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accessed a Chinese-built satellite to gather imagery on U.S. bases across the Middle East, according to the Financial Times and confirmed by Fox. The ISR capability allowed Tehran to monitor targets before and after missile...
Air Force Secretary Doubles Down on Space-Based Radar Bet Amid Key Aircraft Losses in Iran
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced a $7 billion investment in space‑based Air Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) satellites for FY2027, while postponing additional funding for battlespace‑awareness aircraft. The service’s legacy E‑3 AWACS fleet has been crippled after an Iranian missile hit...
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,...
Voyager Wins Slot to Fly Tourist Mission to ISS in 2028
NASA announced that Voyager Technologies secured a slot for a private tourist flight to the International Space Station in 2028, designated VOYG-1. The mission may remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, pending launch‑traffic coordination. Voyager leads the...
