Author: starpathwp-production
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SES’s Next O3b mPOWER Satellites Arrive at Cape Canaveral for Launch
SES’s seventh and eighth O3b mPOWER satellites have arrived at Cape Canaveral where they will be readied for launch by SpaceX in December. Both satellites feature redesigned payload power modules and will join the first six O3b mPOWER satellites already operating in medium earth orbit (MEO). The two additional satellites will bolster the second-generation MEO system,…
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SES to Provide Managed, Multi-Orbit Satcom Service to USEUCOM
Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded SES Space & Defense a blanket purchase agreement to deliver multi-orbit, multi-band satellite capabilities to United States European Command (USEUCOM). The purchase agreement announced Monday has a ceiling value of $117 million. USEUCOM is one of 11 Unified Combatant Commands in the U.S. military. It provides command and control of…
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BAE Systems and Rocket Lab Secures Funding under the US CHIPS Incentives Program
After completing due diligence, the US Department of Commerce has finalized two direct funding awards under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities (following the preliminary memoranda of terms, announced on 11 December 2023 and 11 June 2024 respectively): The first is the funding of up to $35.5m for BAE Systems Electronic Systems (a business unit…
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Skyservice and Starlink by SpaceX Partners to Offer In-Flight Connectivity Solutions
Skyservice Business Aviation, a provider company of business aviation services, announced its status as an Authorized Starlink Dealer. This collaboration extends the availability of SpaceX Starlink’s fast and reliable, in-flight connectivity to more business aircraft owners and operators. “At Skyservice, we are committed to growing our avionics offerings and ensuring our customers have access to the…
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After critics decry Orion heat shield decision, NASA reviewer says agency is correct
Within hours of NASA announcing its decision to fly the Artemis II mission aboard an Orion spacecraft with an unmodified heat shield, critics assailed the space agency, saying it had made the wrong decision. “Expediency won over safety and good materials science and engineering. Sad day for NASA,” Ed Pope, an expert in advanced materials…
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Thaicom Gains Regulatory Approval in India
Thaicom has a made a key regulatory breakthrough in India. Its subsidiary Ipstar India has obtained an authorization to provide satellite services with Thaicom satellites in India from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe). IN-SPACe is an autonomous nodal agency under Department of Space, Government of India to promote, enable, authorize and…
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Two European satellites launch on mission to blot out the Sun—for science
Two spacecraft developed by the European Space Agency launched on top of an Indian rocket Thursday, kicking off a mission to test novel formation flying technologies and observe a rarely seen slice of the Sun’s ethereal corona. ESA’s Proba-3 mission is purely experimental. The satellites are loaded with sophisticated sensors and ranging instruments to allow…
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Rocket Report: NASA delays Artemis again; SpinLaunch spins a little cash
Welcome to Edition 7.22 of the Rocket Report! The big news is the Trump administration’s announcement that commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman would be put forward as the nominee to serve as the next NASA Administrator. Isaacman has flown to space twice, and demonstrated that he takes spaceflight seriously. More background on Isaacman, and possible changes,…
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Neo Space Group to Acquire Airbus’ UP42 Earth Observation Platform
Neo Space Group (NSG), a Public Investment Fund-owned company and Saudi Arabia’s leading commercial space services provider has announced that the company has entered into a definitive agreement with Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus) to acquire its UP42 business, a next-generation earth observation digital platform, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including required…
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How did the CEO of an online payments firm become the nominee to lead NASA?
President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday his intent to nominate entrepreneur and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman as the next administrator of NASA. For those unfamiliar with Isaacman, who at just 16 years old founded a payment processing company in his parents’ basement that ultimately became a major player in online payments, it may seem an odd…