Tag: Airbus Defence and Space
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Applied Atomics Emerges From Stealth With $500 Million in Demand Commitments for Space Mobility Network
Space technology startup Applied Atomics has emerged from stealth mode, unveiling plans to develop a new orbital mobility infrastructure platform backed by more than $500 million in demand commitments from prospective customers and partners. The company announced on June 11 that it has secured over $500 million in Letters of Intent (LOIs) and Memoranda of…
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ESA Member States Seek Cancellation of Mars Earth Return Orbiter
Member states of the European Space Agency have called for the cancellation of the Earth Return Orbiter, a central component of the joint Mars Sample Return programme with NASA. The Earth Return Orbiter was intended to capture Martian samples launched into orbit and transport them back to Earth. ESA had awarded Airbus Defence and Space…
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Eutelsat Completes €5 Billion Refinancing to Support OneWeb Constellation Upgrade
Eutelsat has completed a €5 billion refinancing package, including the issuance of a new €1.5 billion bond, as the satellite operator seeks to lower borrowing costs and fund the modernization of its OneWeb satellite constellation through 2029. The bond issuance, finalized last week, forms the final step in a broader financial restructuring aimed at reshaping…
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ESA Advances Aeolus-2 Weather Satellite with €70 Million Development Award
The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved the selection of a prime contractor for its Aeolus-2 weather satellite program and is preparing to issue an initial €70 million contract to begin the next phase of development, according to project officials. Aeolus-2 is intended as the operational successor to the original Aeolus mission, which was built…
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Eutelsat Secures French-Backed Financing to Expand OneWeb Satellite Constellation
European satellite communications operator Eutelsat has secured nearly €1 billion in government-backed financing from France to support the expansion of its OneWeb low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation, the company said. The €975 million agreement, announced on Feb. 11, is backed by the French Export Credit Agency and will fund a recently signed contract with Airbus Defence and…
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Unions Oppose Airbus Plan to Absorb Constellation Satellites Unit
French labour unions are pushing back against Airbus as it moves to consolidate its satellite manufacturing activities, with Airbus Defence and Space set to absorb Airbus Constellations Satellites (ACS). In a statement, the Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes (UNSA) described the planned move as “industrial, economic and social nonsense,” arguing that there was no justification…
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MaiaSpace Signs Multi-Launch Deal With Eutelsat for OneWeb Constellation
French launch vehicle developer MaiaSpace has signed a multi-launch agreement with satellite operator Eutelsat to support the expansion of the OneWeb low Earth orbit broadband constellation, the company said on Jan. 15. The agreement will see MaiaSpace conduct multiple launches to deploy OneWeb satellites into low Earth orbit and could represent the majority of Maia’s…
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Eutelsat Adds 340 Satellites to Airbus Order for OneWeb LEO Network
Eutelsat has expanded its order with Airbus for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, increasing the total to 440 units as it moves to strengthen and expand the OneWeb constellation following a recent capital raise. The latest agreement, announced on Jan. 12, 2026, adds 340 satellites to an initial order of 100 placed in December 2024.…
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ESA Weighs New Roles for Orion Service Module and Mars Orbiter Amid U.S. Budget Uncertainty
The European Space Agency (ESA) is assessing options to repurpose two of its major spacecraft programmes after growing uncertainty over continued U.S. support for the NASA missions they were originally built to serve, ESA officials told ministers during the agency’s Ministerial Council in Bremen this week. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher presented proposals that would…
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Yahsat Chooses SpaceX for $1.1 Billion Satellite Launch Program
Yahsat, the Emirati satellite operator, announced on Friday that it has selected SpaceX to launch its Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 geostationary communications satellites as part of a $1.1 billion program. The Al Yah 4 satellite is scheduled for launch in 2027, followed by Al Yah 5 in 2028, both aboard SpaceX’s Falcon…