Author: starpathwp-production
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Blue Origin Wins $700 Million NASA Contract for Mars Telecommunications Network (Video)
The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) “will provide NASA with a high-speed, low cost” communications relay network, according to Blue Origin. Credit: Blue Origin NASA has selected Blue Origin to develop, launch and operate a dedicated communications orbiter for Mars, awarding the company a firm-fixed-price contract with a maximum potential value of approximately $700 million. Announced…
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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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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites as Falcon 9 Booster Completes 35th Flight (Video)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 27 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sept. 2, 2026 at 1:42 a.m. PT (4:42 a.m. ET). Credit: SpaceX SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband satellites from California on September 2, extending the company’s low Earth orbit communications network while…
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After the Rocket: How Electric Propulsion Moves Satellites
A successful rocket launch is followed by satellite separation. At this point, many people assume the mission is essentially complete: the rocket has delivered the satellite into space, and the satellite only needs to power on and begin operations. However, for many low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation missions, the orbit delivered by the rocket is…
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Why Are Satellites “Oxidized” in Near Vacuum? How Aggressive Is Atomic Oxygen and How Can It Be Prevented?
A satellite entering low Earth orbit (LEO) may lead people to assume that there is almost no atmosphere outside, so how could oxygen still exist? However, for spacecraft operating in LEO, oxygen is not only present but can become one of the most challenging environmental factors for materials. It can gradually thin polyimide films, create…
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From Blueprint to Delivery: The Work Behind a Satellite That Never Appears in Product Photos
On the day of delivery, the people most likely to appear in photos are usually the product, the customer, and the technical leaders. Once testing is completed, the shipping container is sealed, and the handover documents are signed, a product finally moves from the development site to the customer. But outside the camera frame, many…
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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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NASA Awards Blue Origin $700 Million Contract to Build First Commercial Mars Telecommunications Network
NASA has selected Blue Origin to develop and operate a next-generation Mars communications infrastructure under a contract worth up to $700 million, marking one of the agency’s most significant steps toward commercializing deep-space communications services beyond Earth orbit. The firm-fixed-price contract, announced Sept. 1, calls for Blue Origin to design, build, integrate, launch, and operate…
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Fermi Explorer Seeks to Launch an Interstellar Probe Toward Alpha Centauri in 2029 on a $15 Million Budget
A Private-Sector Bid to Begin Humanity’s First Interstellar Journey A newly announced private initiative called Fermi Explorer aims to launch a small spacecraft toward the Alpha Centauri star system as early as 2029, pursuing what its organizers describe as a practical and affordable first step into interstellar exploration. Unlike high-profile concepts that rely on breakthrough…
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Hainan Could Become the Hub of China’s Commercial Space Future
The global launch industry is entering a new phase, one defined less by whether rockets can reach orbit and more by how quickly launch capacity can scale. Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim recently pointed to a widening imbalance between the number of satellites waiting to fly and the amount of launch capacity available to carry…