Author: starpathwp-production
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ABL Space Systems Advances Responsive Orbital Access with the RS1 Launch Vehicle
ABL Space Systems is developing the RS1 launch vehicle to provide deployable and high-cadence access to orbit for commercial, government and defense missions. Designed from the inception for operational simplicity and rapid deployment, RS1 combines a modular launch architecture, in-house propulsion technology and streamlined manufacturing processes to support responsive launch operations from a wide range…
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Astronauts Complete Final Mounting Kit for Space Station Solar Array Upgrade
The spacewalk assembled the modification kit for one of the station’s eight power channels, allowing for the future addition of an ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, or iROSA. Since 2021, astronauts on prior spacewalks have deployed six of the iROSA assemblies. The iROSA wings sit forward of the legacy solar arrays, augmenting their electricity generation rather…
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Gilat Demonstrates Interference Detection and Cancellation Technology
Gilat Satellite Networks reports a demonstration of an interference detection and cancellation technology for satellite communication links, calling it a milestone toward improved operations in contested spectrum environments. Gilat said its patent-pending solution uses AI-based signal processing designed to run on standard AI for edge neural processing unit (NPU). The company said it was demonstrated…
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Redwire To Fly Drug-Crystallization Labs On SpaceX Starfall Mission In 2028
Redwire plans to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing research in orbit through an agreement between its SpaceMD subsidiary and SpaceX to fly up to 32 drug-crystallization laboratories on a 2028 Starfall mission. The contract, announced during Redwire’s second-quarter earnings call, represents the first dedicated commercial mission for SpaceX’s Starfall reentry capsule. The spacecraft made its debut in…
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Op-ed: Aging Weather Satellites Are Raising Risks for America. It’s Time for a Hybrid Solution.
Next month, United States weather forecasting capabilities are set to hit a troubling milestone—the formal end of the DoD’s Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s lifespan. Those satellites have orbited hundreds of miles above the Earth for decades, collecting data on cloud patterns and other atmospheric parameters. When those sensors go silent this fall, the country will…
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Space Force Seeks to Double Budget to $71 Billion for Orbital Combat Mission
The proposed expansion reflects a transition from passive orbital surveillance and launch support toward managing active theater support roles in contested operational environments. The request comes as space operators move from theoretical planning to real-world combat support across multiple combatant commands. Outgoing Chief of Space Operations General B. Chance Saltzman pointed to recent operations in…
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Senate Confirms Schiess as Space Force’s Top Officer Amid Push to Match China
Schiess succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service’s top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has served as the Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025. The six-year-old service is seeking a major increase in resources to support new missile warning and tracking satellites,…
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BlackStar Orbital Takes SPAC Deal
Blackstar Orbital Technologies, a company developing a reusable spacecraft platform, plans to go public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger. BlackStar announced the deal with SPAC Pono Capital Four on Thursday that values the company at $380 million. The company is developing the SpaceDrone, which is designed to launch on a traditional rocket…
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Europe’s IRIS² Constellation Grows by 66 Satellites as Cost Climbs to 15.6 Billion Euros
The European Commission selected the SpaceRISE consortium, led by satellite operators Eutelsat, Hispasat and SES, in December 2024 for a one-year design phase, followed by negotiations on the implementation agreement that formed part of Rendezvous 1. At that stage, IRIS² principally included 18 satellites in medium Earth orbit and 264 satellites in high low Earth…
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Scaleup Europe Fund Makes ICEYE Its First Bet, Signaling End to Continent’s Capital Drought
The Scaleup Europe Fund was announced in 2025 as part of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, an effort to reshape the region’s regulatory and financial landscape to support local deep-tech industries. While its first investment supported the space sector, the fund’s scope is broader, with managers exploring future investments in AI, robotics, semiconductors, energy,…