Tag: Europe
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SpainSat NG II Suffers Irreparable Damage, Hisdesat Seeks Replacement Satellite
Hisdesat said the SpainSat NG II military communications satellite has suffered non-recoverable damage after being struck by a space particle, prompting the company to begin the process of procuring a replacement spacecraft. In a statement issued on January 16, Hisdesat said the satellite was hit by a particle estimated to be only a few millimetres…
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ESA, Liberty Mutual Reinsurance Launch Three-Year Study on Satellite-Based Parametric Insurance
The European Space Agency and Liberty Mutual Reinsurance (LMRe) have agreed to begin a three-year collaboration to explore how satellite data can be used to develop parametric insurance products for terrestrial assets, the organisations said this week. The initiative will assess whether Earth observation (EO) data, analytics and modelling tools can support insurance products that…
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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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Isar Aerospace Eyes Second Spectrum Launch After Failed Debut
German launch services provider Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second flight of its two-stage Spectrum rocket, with maritime safety notices indicating launch opportunities between Jan. 21 and Jan. 23 from the Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. A Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) issued by Andøya Space shows 15-minute launch windows available between 21:05 and 21:20…
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CNES, Île-de-France Launch €1 Million AI Challenge for Satellite Data Analysis
The Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) and the Île-de-France region have launched a €1 million ($1.1 million) challenge aimed at accelerating the use of artificial intelligence to analyse satellite data, as part of France’s broader push to strengthen its space and AI capabilities. The initiative, known as the AI for Space Challenge, was first announced…
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Hydrosat Raises €51 Million Series B to Expand Thermal Satellite Data Business
Hydrosat, a Luxembourg- and U.S.-based provider of thermal infrared satellite data and AI-powered analytics, said it has raised €51 million ($60 million) in a Series B funding round to accelerate expansion across commercial, civil government and defense markets. The round was led by Hartree Partners, Subutai Capital Partners and Space 4 Earth, with new participation…
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Arianespace to Launch First Amazon LEO Satellites on Ariane 6 in February 2026
Arianespace said it will launch 32 low Earth orbit satellites for Amazon on Feb. 12, 2026, marking the start of Europe’s role in deploying Amazon’s broadband satellite constellation and the first flight of the Ariane 6 rocket in its full-power configuration. The mission, designated VA267 and also known as LE-01 for Amazon LEO, will lift…
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Spanish Start-Up’s Reentry Capsule Survives PSLV Failure, Sends Back Flight Data
A small reentry capsule demonstrator built by Spanish space logistics start-up Orbital Paradigm survived a launch vehicle failure earlier this month and successfully transmitted flight data, marking an unexpected technical milestone despite the overall mission being declared a failure. The capsule, known as KID (Kestrel Initial Demonstrator), was launched on Jan. 12 aboard a PSLV…
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Sweden Commits €121 Million to Build Sovereign ISR Satellite Capability
The Swedish government has committed SEK 1.3 billion (about €121 million) to procure ten Earth observation satellites as part of efforts to establish a sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability, the defence ministry said. The satellite investment forms part of a broader SEK 5.3 billion defence spending package announced on Jan. 12, aimed at…
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ESA and ClearSpace Launch Prelude In-Orbit Proximity Operations Demonstration
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Switzerland-based startup ClearSpace have begun the Prelude technology demonstration mission, a step aimed at validating close-proximity spacecraft maneuvers needed for future satellite inspection, life-extension and debris-removal operations. Planned for launch next year, Prelude will test navigation and control technologies that allow two small spacecraft to maneuver together at close…