Tag: commercial-space
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Rocket Lab Deploys Synspective Radar Satellite on 85th Electron Mission (Video)
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a Strix satellite for Synspective, a Tokyo-based Earth-imaging company on Sept. 2, 2026 from New Zealand. Credit: Rocket Lab Rocket Lab launched another synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth-observation company Synspective on September 2, extending a dedicated launch campaign supporting the expansion of the Strix constellation. The Electron…
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When a Satellite Fails, Will Insurers Pay the Claim or Fund a Repair Mission?
In 1984, two communications satellites, Westar 6 and Palapa B2, were placed into incorrect orbits due to an upper-stage malfunction. Their insurers were already facing a massive loss, but instead of simply paying out the claims, they signed an agreement with NASA to have the Space Shuttle retrieve the two satellites from space and return…
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Commercial Space: China’s Domestic Chips Are Winning This Space Race
Ground-based AI chips are a game built around Nvidia’s CUDA ecosystem, and any challenger must contend with developer ecosystems, compute benchmarks and framework compatibility. But in space, an opportunity has emerged to reshuffle the AI compute chip landscape — the competitive dynamics of space-based computing differ from those on the ground, and Nvidia holds no…
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Pallas-1 Y1: Another New Rocket from a Chinese Private Launch Company Reaches Orbit
At 10:00 a.m. on September 1, 2026, Pallas-1 Y1, a medium-to-large reusable liquid-propellant launch vehicle developed by Galactic Energy, lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone. The rocket successfully entered its designated orbit as planned, performed normally throughout the flight, and achieved all test objectives, marking the successful completion of the mission.…
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How Low Can Satellites Fly? New Opportunities in VLEO and the Companies Already Moving In
Very low Earth orbit, or VLEO, is not a new type of orbital geometry. It is simply the lower portion of low Earth orbit, where satellites fly closer to Earth and encounter a comparatively denser residual atmosphere. Commercial space companies are paying renewed attention to this regime for a straightforward reason: Earth observation satellites can…
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Intuitive Machines Expands Satellite Manufacturing Business with Order for Two IM-300 Spacecraft
Intuitive Machines has secured a contract to build two IM-300 satellite platforms for an undisclosed customer, marking another step in the company’s effort to expand beyond lunar exploration and establish itself as a broader spacecraft manufacturer and space infrastructure provider. The Houston-based company announced Sept. 1 that the order covers two satellites based on its…
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China Releases First Nationwide Geometric Reference Imagery, Creating a Common Spatial Standard for Satellite Data and Cutting Processing Costs
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources has released the country’s first set of geometric reference imagery covering its entire land territory, establishing a common spatial reference for the production and geometric correction of satellite remote-sensing imagery. Announced in late August, the dataset has a spatial resolution better than 0.5 meters and is intended to address a…
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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…
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China’s First Cross-Border Satellite Data Processing and Trade Zone Unveiled in Wenchang
The Hainan Aerospace Data Cross-Border Processing and Trade Zone was officially unveiled at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Wenchang International Aviation and Aerospace Forum on Aug. 25. As China’s first trade zone dedicated to the cross-border processing of satellite data, it will leverage the policy advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port and Wenchang’s…
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SpaceX Ends Florida Falcon 9 Starlink Era as Dawn Launch Creates Spectacular ‘Jellyfish’ Visible Over New York
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying a new batch of Starlink satellites marked the end of an era on Aug. 25, completing what the company says will be its final dedicated Starlink launch from Florida. The early-morning mission also produced a striking “space jellyfish” effect that was visible hundreds of miles from the launch site, including…