Author: starpathwp-production
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SpaceX Completes 33-Engine Static Fire of Booster 21 Ahead of Starship Flight 14
SpaceX fired all 33 Raptor engines on Super Heavy Booster 21 during a full-duration static-fire test at Starbase, Texas, on August 28, completing a major propulsion milestone ahead of Starship’s 14th flight test. The roughly 15-second firing took place on the launch mount at Pad 2. Booster 21 remained restrained while its engines, propellant systems,…
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SpaceX Asks FCC to Restrict ViaSat-3 F2 Over Starlink Interference Risk
SpaceX has asked the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider its authorization for Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 broadband satellite, arguing that the geostationary spacecraft should not be permitted to operate in portions of the Ka-band where non-geostationary systems such as Starlink have regulatory priority. The petition, filed on August 28, targets ViaSat-3 F2’s proposed use of the…
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NASA Administrator Backs Solar-Powered AI Data Centers in Earth Orbit
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has endorsed placing artificial intelligence data centers in Earth orbit, arguing that space-based computing could draw directly on abundant solar energy while reducing pressure on terrestrial power grids, water supplies and land. Isaacman outlined the concept in an August 26, 2026, interview with Nexstar DC. He described the sun as a…
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Space Force Deploys Project Enigma Digital Engineering Platform for Nuclear Command Satellite Program
Space Systems Command has placed a secure digital engineering environment into operation to support development of the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications system, the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation satellite network for nuclear command, control and communications. Announced on July 28, 2026, Project Enigma connects contractor engineering environments with a government-hosted platform designed for classified collaboration. The…
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Pentagon Expands Starshield Satellite Internet to Military Aircraft Under Fleet-Wide SpaceX Contract
The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a fleet-level service contract to expand Starshield satellite connectivity to military aircraft, extending the Pentagon’s use of the low Earth orbit network from ground-based terminals to airborne platforms. The task order, awarded July 28 under the Starshield Custom Fleet Aviation Services requirement and posted by the Space Force’s…
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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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NBN’s Starlink Alternative Slips to Mid-2027 as Amazon Kuiper Deployment Lags
Australia’s national broadband provider NBN Co has pushed back the launch of its next-generation low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband service to mid-2027, delaying a program intended to replace its aging Sky Muster satellite offering and provide a government-backed alternative to SpaceX’s rapidly expanding Starlink network. The service was originally expected to be fully available…
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NASA Chief Floats Orbital Data Centers as AI Infrastructure Push Extends Into Space
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has publicly endorsed the idea of placing data centers in orbit, arguing that space-based computing infrastructure could eventually address growing concerns over the energy consumption, land use, and local opposition associated with terrestrial AI facilities. Speaking on a recent podcast appearance, Isaacman suggested that future data centers could take advantage of…
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SpaceX Recovers First Intact Starship Upper Stage After Month-Long Indian Ocean Ordeal
SpaceX has achieved a major milestone in the development of its fully reusable Starship system, successfully loading the upper stage from Starship Flight 13 onto a semi-submersible transport vessel in the Indian Ocean more than a month after the spacecraft completed its mission and splashed down at sea. The recovery marks the first time a…
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Ariane 6 Delivers MTG-I2 Weather Satellite on First Geostationary Mission, Expanding Europe’s Next-Generation Forecasting Network
Europe’s Ariane 6 launcher successfully placed the Meteosat Third Generation Imager-2 (MTG-I2) weather satellite into its intended transfer orbit on Aug. 27, marking the rocket’s first mission to a geostationary destination and a major milestone for both the Ariane 6 program and Europe’s next-generation meteorological infrastructure. The launch took place from the ELA-4 pad at…