Author: starpathwp-production
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Commercial GEO Satellite Orders Rebound to 14 in 2026 as C-Band Transition Drives Fleet Renewal
Commercial geostationary communications satellite orders reached 14 spacecraft through September 21, up from 10 during all of 2025 and the highest annual total since 2020, according to market intelligence firm Novaspace. The recovery is being driven partly by satellite operators preparing for another U.S. C-band spectrum transition while replacing aging broadcast and connectivity assets. The…
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Aerospacelab Turns Profitable Before Securing €2.4 Billion IRIS² Satellite Contract
Belgian satellite manufacturer Aerospacelab said September 21 that it had reached profitability in early 2026, before winning a €2.4 billion ($2.75 billion) contract to design, manufacture and deliver 264 low Earth orbit satellites for the European Union’s IRIS² secure communications constellation. The contract, announced September 10, gives Aerospacelab responsibility for approximately 76% of the 348…
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FCC Sees More Than $100 Billion From Spectrum Auctions Through 2028
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said September 16 that a series of U.S. spectrum auctions planned over the next two years could generate more than $100 billion, as the agency prepares to release additional frequencies for terrestrial wireless networks, space-based broadband and future 6G services. The estimate covers a multi-year auction program beginning with…
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Space-Based Optical Communications Move From Flight Demonstrations to Operational Networks
Space-based optical communications are moving from experimental missions toward operational deployment as satellite operators seek higher-capacity alternatives to congested radio-frequency links. An industry assessment published September 20 said space-qualified laser terminals are now supporting data rates of up to 10 gigabits per second in orbital applications, while standardized optical inter-satellite links are becoming part of…
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SpaceX Rolls Super Heavy to Launch Pad for Starship’s First Orbital Flight
SpaceX moved the Super Heavy booster assigned to Starship Flight 14 to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, on September 21, advancing preparations for the vehicle’s first orbital mission. Targeted for September 28 pending regulatory approval, the flight is expected to complete six Earth orbits and deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites. The booster, identified…
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Exolaunch Books Customer Payloads on Starship-Launched Starfall Reentry Mission
German launch integrator Exolaunch announced Sept. 22 that it will aggregate and integrate customer payloads for a SpaceX Starfall reentry mission scheduled to launch aboard Starship no earlier than 2029. The agreement represents both Exolaunch’s first commitment to a Starship mission and its first move into services designed to return commercial payloads from orbit. Exolaunch…
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NASA Powers Up Roman’s 300-Megapixel Camera, Checks Coronagraph Systems
NASA has activated the 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument aboard the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and completed initial checks of its Coronagraph Instrument, confirming that both payloads survived launch and are operating in space. The commissioning milestones, including activation of Roman’s 18 infrared detectors on September 11, keep the observatory on schedule to release its…
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Katalyst Selected to Build and Launch Orbital Power-Beaming Demonstrator for Pentagon
Katalyst Space has been selected by the Pentagon’s Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund to develop and launch a robotic spacecraft that will assemble a large-format solar power-beaming system in low Earth orbit and transmit energy to Earth. Announced on September 21, the Advanced Scalable Growth Architecture for Robotic Deployment program will pair Katalyst’s NEXUS spacecraft…
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SSC Space and Airbus Expand Ground Segment Support for Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next
On Sept. 21, 2026, space operations provider SSC Space signed a multi-year contract with Airbus Defence and Space to serve as the prime ground segment provider for the Pléiades Neo and next-generation Pléiades Neo Next Earth observation programs. Under the expanded partnership, SSC Space will deliver telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) services, high-throughput payload data…
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Russian Satellite Imagery Reportedly Supports Iranian Targeting of U.S. Bases
Russian Earth observation satellites are providing imagery to Iranian military forces to support targeting of U.S. and allied installations across the Middle East, according to defense intelligence assessments reported on September 17, 2026. The reported cooperation involves synthetic aperture radar and high-resolution optical imagery used to refine information on fixed military sites, air-defense positions and…