Tag: Commercial Satellites
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China Launches Four PIESAT-2 Radar Satellites With Onboard Data Processing
China launched four PIESAT-2 synthetic aperture radar satellites on September 19, expanding a commercial Earth-observation constellation designed for high-resolution, all-weather monitoring. A Long March 2D rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 6:50 p.m. Beijing Time and placed the PIESAT-2 13–16 satellites into their planned orbits. The four satellites belong to Zhuzhou…
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China Launches Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 Satellites on Kuaizhou-11 Rocket
At 10:40 a.m. Beijing time on September 17, 2026, China launched the Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 satellites aboard a Kuaizhou-11 Y3 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Both satellites entered their planned orbits, completing the mission successfully. The satellites form a commercial, mid-inclination interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) pair designed to monitor changes in the…
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NOAA Selects 14 Commercial Satellite Data Providers for Expanded Weather Contract
NOAA has selected 14 commercial satellite companies to compete for orders across seven environmental-observation categories under a new Space-Based Environmental Monitoring contract. Announced on September 10, 2026, the procurement expands NOAA’s use of privately operated constellations to support weather forecasting, climate monitoring, space-weather services and satellite orbit prediction. The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract began its five-year…
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Private Satellites and AI Reshape Earth Observation as Security and Privacy Risks Grow
Commercial operators controlled 270 of the 472 Earth observation satellites identified by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2024, overtaking the 202 spacecraft operated by governments and accelerating a shift toward privately supplied imagery, analytics and geospatial intelligence. An OECD assessment published on February 10, 2026, said advances in sensors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence are…
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China’s New Space Contest Will Be Fought With Commercial Satellites
Over the past decade, the commercial space industry has transformed satellites from assets reserved for national-level missions into industrial products that can be mass-produced and deployed on demand. As thousands of low-Earth-orbit broadband, remote-sensing and navigation satellites form constellations, space is taking on the characteristics of infrastructure for the first time—continuously providing connectivity, observation and…
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The New Space Race Will Be Won by Commercial Satellites
Over the past decade, commercial space has transformed satellites from “national-level missions” into industrial products that can be mass-produced and deployed on demand. As thousands of low-Earth orbit broadband, remote-sensing and navigation satellites form interconnected constellations, space has acquired the characteristics of infrastructure for the first time. It can continuously provide connectivity, observation and positioning…
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Loft Orbital and NASA JPL Partner to Demonstrate AI Software in Orbit
Loft Orbital has entered into an agreement with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to host and operate artificial intelligence software demonstrations in orbit as part of a NASA-funded Earth science technology program. The collaboration supports the Federated Autonomous MEasurement (FAME) project, which is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) and focuses on advancing…
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York Space Systems to Acquire Solar Cell Maker Solestial
York Space Systems has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Solestial as the company continues a broader strategy to strengthen control over key spacecraft technologies and supply chains. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition marks York’s third announced deal this year following its planned $355 million acquisition of satellite terminal manufacturer…