Author: starpathwp-production
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L3Harris Signs On for 20 More Firefly Alpha Launches
L3Harris Technologies signed a new launch agreement with Firefly Aerospace for up to 20 launches on Firefly’s Alpha rocket. The deal announced Wednesday includes two to four missions per year from 2027 to 2031. This is in addition to a three-launch deal with L3Harris announced in September 2023. The missions will launch L3Harris spacecraft into…
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ISS prepares for Starliner contingencies and resumption of EVAs
The last month has been an eventful one for the Expedition 71 crew on the International Space Station and their two helpers from the Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT). It is still not known when – or even if – CFT will return to Earth with crewmembers Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two veteran astronauts…
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NASA says Boeing Starliner test crew may have to return in SpaceX capsule in 2025
An image captured through the window of a docked SpaceX Dragon capsule shows Boeing’s Starliner capsule hooked up to the International Space Station. (NASA Photo) Continuing concerns about the thruster system on Boeing’s Starliner space capsule may lead NASA to decide against letting astronauts take the craft back down to Earth from the International Space…
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Rocket Lab Introduces Advanced Satellite Dispenser at Small Satellite Conference
Rocket Lab USA, Inc., a global launch services and space systems company, introduced its next generation satellite separation system, the Advanced Satellite Dispenser (ASD), at the Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah. The ASD is a cost-effective, versatile, and reliable deployment mechanism for small satellites in the CubeSat form factor and builds upon Rocket Lab’s…
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China begins launching a megaconstellation, and it sounds a lot like Starlink
Chinese officials have long signaled their interest in deploying a satellite network, or maybe several, to beam broadband Internet signals across China and other nations within its sphere of influence. Two serious efforts are underway in China to develop a rival to SpaceX’s Starlink network, which the Chinese government has banned in its territory. The…
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Aalto Signs HAPS Deal in Indonesia
Aalto HAPS (AALTO) has broadened its reach into one of the largest markets in Asia. The company signed an MoU with PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi Tbk (Mitratel), an Indonesian digital infrastructure telecoms company to explore how to provide commercial HAPS solutions in Indonesia. The companies said the combination of Mitratel’s digital infrastructure portfolio that includes more than 38,000…
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Princess Cruises Debuts New, MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi With Starlink
Princess Cruises is launching a new, higher tier of onboard Wi-Fi for cruise customers using SpaceX‘s Starlink service. The new service tier MedallionNet Max will offer prioritized access and the highest performance bandwidth, which Princess Cruises said is “typically Starlink.” The cruise line is a longtime customer of satellite connectivity. The brand touts being the…
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ViaSat-3 F1 Satellite Enters Commercial Service for Aviation Customers
Viasat, Inc., a global company in satellite communications, announced that ViaSat-3 F1 (VS3 F1) has entered commercial service and is now available for aviation customers operating over North America, including routes servicing Hawaii. This follows a period of testing and live trials, which took place during the first half of the calendar year (2024). “This…
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NASA ‘getting more serious’ about backup plan to bring Starliner astronauts home if needed
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft that launched astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station is pictured docked to the Harmony module’s forward port. Image: NASA. As NASA debates the safety of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in the wake of multiple helium leaks and thruster issues, the agency is “getting more serious” about a backup…
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AST SpaceMobile Receives FCC License for Space-Based Cellular Broadband Operations
AST SpaceMobile, Inc., the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, announced that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted an initial license for space-based operations in the United States. With this initial license, AST SpaceMobile is now authorized…