Author: starpathwp-production
-
AstroForge Plans 2027 Flight With AI in Control of Spacecraft
AstroForge plans to give its Solo artificial intelligence system control of a spacecraft on its Autonomy-1 mission in early 2027. The asteroid mining company said the vehicle will operate without commands from Earth after launch on the first flight of Stoke Space’s Nova Pathfinder rocket. Before then, AstroForge intends to fly Solo in a monitoring…
-
NASA Simplifies Axiom Lunar Suit to Keep 2028 Artemis Landing on Schedule
NASA is developing a simplified version of Axiom Space’s lunar spacesuit to reduce schedule risk ahead of the first Artemis crewed landing, now planned for early 2028. Reportedly known internally as the “sortie suit,” the configuration would remove or defer some of the mass, complexity and long-duration capabilities included in the original Axiom Extravehicular Mobility…
-
SiriusXM Puts SXM-11, Its Most Powerful Broadcast Satellite, Into Commercial Service
SiriusXM confirmed on September 15 that its SXM-11 geostationary communications satellite has completed in-orbit testing and entered full commercial service. The spacecraft, described by the company as the most powerful broadcast satellite in its fleet, is designed to improve signal reception, expand coverage in Alaska and strengthen the delivery of satellite audio and information services…
-
Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan Develop Architecture for In-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Repair
Danish satellite manufacturer Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan announced on September 16, 2026, that they are developing a joint spacecraft architecture intended to enable in-orbit satellite servicing, maintenance and repair. The system combines Space Inventor’s modular small-satellite platforms with Astroscale’s rendezvous, proximity-operations and docking technologies, aiming to address spacecraft failures and propellant depletion in low…
-
ESA and ISRO Extend Space Cooperation Agreement Through January 2032
The European Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation signed an exchange of letters in Paris on September 10, 2026, extending their bilateral Cooperative Agreement for five years, through January 8, 2032. Signed during the International Space Summit, the extension adds space weather and human and robotic exploration to a framework that already supports…
-
Commercial GEO Satellite Orders Rebound to 14 in 2026 as C-Band Transition Drives Fleet Renewal
Commercial geostationary communications satellite orders reached 14 spacecraft through September 21, up from 10 during all of 2025 and the highest annual total since 2020, according to market intelligence firm Novaspace. The recovery is being driven partly by satellite operators preparing for another U.S. C-band spectrum transition while replacing aging broadcast and connectivity assets. The…
-
Aerospacelab Turns Profitable Before Securing €2.4 Billion IRIS² Satellite Contract
Belgian satellite manufacturer Aerospacelab said September 21 that it had reached profitability in early 2026, before winning a €2.4 billion ($2.75 billion) contract to design, manufacture and deliver 264 low Earth orbit satellites for the European Union’s IRIS² secure communications constellation. The contract, announced September 10, gives Aerospacelab responsibility for approximately 76% of the 348…
-
FCC Sees More Than $100 Billion From Spectrum Auctions Through 2028
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said September 16 that a series of U.S. spectrum auctions planned over the next two years could generate more than $100 billion, as the agency prepares to release additional frequencies for terrestrial wireless networks, space-based broadband and future 6G services. The estimate covers a multi-year auction program beginning with…
-
Space-Based Optical Communications Move From Flight Demonstrations to Operational Networks
Space-based optical communications are moving from experimental missions toward operational deployment as satellite operators seek higher-capacity alternatives to congested radio-frequency links. An industry assessment published September 20 said space-qualified laser terminals are now supporting data rates of up to 10 gigabits per second in orbital applications, while standardized optical inter-satellite links are becoming part of…
-
SpaceX Rolls Super Heavy to Launch Pad for Starship’s First Orbital Flight
SpaceX moved the Super Heavy booster assigned to Starship Flight 14 to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, on September 21, advancing preparations for the vehicle’s first orbital mission. Targeted for September 28 pending regulatory approval, the flight is expected to complete six Earth orbits and deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites. The booster, identified…