Tag: satellites
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China Launches Seven Satellites on One Rocket, Including Thai CubeSat
At 11:21 a.m. Beijing Time on August 25, a Long March 6C carrier rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, successfully placing seven satellites into their designated orbits. The payloads included AIRSAT-14, AIRSAT-15, GISTDA CubeSat 1, Muduo-1A, Muduo-1B, Jing’an Dream Satellite and Bayi-04. The launch marked the 665th flight of China’s Long March…
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Why Is China Going to Such Lengths to Send Computing Power into Space?
China is working to give satellites an additional “brain” by combining artificial intelligence and onboard computing with traditional space capabilities. The objective is not simply to process data in orbit, but eventually to enable autonomous spacecraft, robotic servicing and the construction of large-scale computing infrastructure and human bases in space. What Is Space-Based Computing? Space-based…
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SpaceXAI Selects Nvidia Vera CPUs to Power Agentic AI on Earth and Future Orbital Computing Systems
SpaceXAI has selected Nvidia’s Vera CPU architecture and the broader Vera Rubin platform to support its next-generation agentic artificial intelligence infrastructure, marking a significant expansion of the partnership between Elon Musk’s AI ambitions and Nvidia’s rapidly growing AI computing ecosystem. The announcement positions Nvidia’s first CPU specifically designed for AI agents at the center of…
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Beyond Reach Unveils FlareWing Deployable Structures to Bring High-Power Capability to Small Satellites
A new generation of space infrastructure—from commercial space stations to orbital data centers and lunar systems—is driving demand for spacecraft capable of generating far more electrical power than traditional small satellites can provide. Seeking to address that challenge, Beyond Reach Technologies has introduced FlareWing, a family of deployable structural systems designed to dramatically increase the…
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How Brutal Is a Satellite Launch? G-Loads, Vibration, Shock, Noise and Vacuum Explained
A satellite is often treated as an exceptionally delicate object on the ground: temperature and humidity are tightly controlled in cleanrooms, lifting speeds are limited, connectors are fitted with protective caps, and optical surfaces cannot be exposed casually. But once sealed inside a payload fairing, it must endure engine ignition, liftoff, transonic flight, maximum dynamic…
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NASA Backs 18 Visionary Space Concepts, Including a Swarm of 10,000 Femtosatellites for Saturn Exploration
NASA has selected 18 early-stage technology concepts for funding under its 2026 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, supporting a diverse portfolio of futuristic ideas ranging from lunar cave exploration and Venus-hardened spacecraft to a proposed fleet of 10,000 miniature satellites designed to probe Saturn’s rings. The agency announced on July 29 that the 18…
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SpaceWERX Backs 11 Space Startups in $562.5 Million Push Toward Operational Fielding
SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, has selected 11 companies for a new round of Strategic Funding Increase, or STRATFI, agreements intended to move space technologies beyond prototype development and toward operational military use. The agreements are expected to mobilize a combined $562.5 million from government organizations, private investors and other matching…
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White House Strategy Elevates Space to Top Tier of U.S. Military Technology Priorities
The White House has elevated space, alongside undersea warfare and artificial intelligence, to the highest tier of U.S. military science and technology priorities, signaling a sharper focus on maintaining technological superiority in orbit and extending that advantage from very low Earth orbit to the cislunar environment. Released this week, the 24-page National Security Science and…
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Starcloud Secures $250 Million to Expand Orbital Data Center Ambitions Amid Growing Launch Capacity Crunch
Starcloud has raised a $250 million extension to its Series A financing round, giving the orbital computing startup fresh capital as it races to deploy space-based AI infrastructure in an increasingly competitive launch market. The new funding values the company at approximately $2.3 billion and comes just months after Starcloud achieved unicorn status with a…
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Portal Space Systems Buys Dedicated Falcon 9 Mission for Supernova Debut, Expands Rideshare Opportunities
Portal Space Systems has secured an entire SpaceX Falcon 9 launch for its first Supernova spacecraft mission, a move that gives the Washington-based company direct control over launch timing while creating new rideshare opportunities for other satellite operators. The company announced on Aug. 20 that Falcon 9 will launch its Motus Via Sol mission in…