Author: starpathwp-production
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UAE Grants Starlink 10-Year Licence as Initial Network Capacity Sells Out
The United Arab Emirates has granted Starlink regulatory approval to operate a public satellite communications network and provide broadband services nationwide, although the company’s consumer ordering system indicates that available capacity has already been allocated. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority announced the 10-year General Space Services Licence on August 28, 2026. It authorizes…
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How Many Licenses Does a Chinese Satellite Company Need to Operate a Constellation?
A company can manufacture satellites, launch them, and even complete the initial deployment of a constellation. But charging customers for services still requires regulatory approval. A rocket launch solves the problem of getting into space; legally providing services through a constellation involves an entirely different regulatory chain. On August 20, 2026, China’s Ministry of Industry…
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NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Launches on Falcon Heavy to Map Two Billion Galaxies
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy on August 30, beginning a three-month journey to a gravitationally stable observing location nearly one million miles from Earth. The rocket lifted off at 7:26 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Roman separated from Falcon Heavy’s…
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Kuaizhou-11 Y3 Passes Factory Review Ahead of Dual-Satellite Launch
Kuaizhou Aerospace recently announced that the Kuaizhou-11 Y3 carrier rocket has completed all assembly and testing work at its Wuhan base and successfully passed its factory quality review. The rocket will soon be transported to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for a dual-satellite mission carrying Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 into orbit. The official launch window has…
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SpaceX Completes 33-Engine Static Fire of Booster 21 Ahead of Starship Flight 14
SpaceX fired all 33 Raptor engines on Super Heavy Booster 21 during a full-duration static-fire test at Starbase, Texas, on August 28, completing a major propulsion milestone ahead of Starship’s 14th flight test. The roughly 15-second firing took place on the launch mount at Pad 2. Booster 21 remained restrained while its engines, propellant systems,…
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SpaceX Asks FCC to Restrict ViaSat-3 F2 Over Starlink Interference Risk
SpaceX has asked the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider its authorization for Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 broadband satellite, arguing that the geostationary spacecraft should not be permitted to operate in portions of the Ka-band where non-geostationary systems such as Starlink have regulatory priority. The petition, filed on August 28, targets ViaSat-3 F2’s proposed use of the…
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NASA Administrator Backs Solar-Powered AI Data Centers in Earth Orbit
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has endorsed placing artificial intelligence data centers in Earth orbit, arguing that space-based computing could draw directly on abundant solar energy while reducing pressure on terrestrial power grids, water supplies and land. Isaacman outlined the concept in an August 26, 2026, interview with Nexstar DC. He described the sun as a…
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Space Force Deploys Project Enigma Digital Engineering Platform for Nuclear Command Satellite Program
Space Systems Command has placed a secure digital engineering environment into operation to support development of the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications system, the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation satellite network for nuclear command, control and communications. Announced on July 28, 2026, Project Enigma connects contractor engineering environments with a government-hosted platform designed for classified collaboration. The…
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Pentagon Expands Starshield Satellite Internet to Military Aircraft Under Fleet-Wide SpaceX Contract
The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a fleet-level service contract to expand Starshield satellite connectivity to military aircraft, extending the Pentagon’s use of the low Earth orbit network from ground-based terminals to airborne platforms. The task order, awarded July 28 under the Starshield Custom Fleet Aviation Services requirement and posted by the Space Force’s…
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ESA Signs European Launcher Challenge Contracts With Isar Aerospace, RFA and PLD Space
The European Space Agency has signed the first contracts under its European Launcher Challenge, committing a combined €543.6 million to three emerging European launch providers: Germany’s Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), and Spain’s PLD Space. The agreements, signed Aug. 27, mark the transition of the initiative from a competitive selection process into funded development…