News

The U.S. military is preparing to award several high-stakes contracts for commercial satellite communications services this fall, signaling a growing reliance on private-sector capabilities for battlefield connectivity and global coverage. Among the key deals are a $500 million contract to support Marine Corps communications and a new procurement of services from geostationary small satellites.

French antenna manufacturer Anywaves announced plans March 27 to begin producing satellite antennas and radio-frequency payloads in-house, a prelude to establishing a U.S. facility.

The space economy is booming, with thousands of satellites now in orbit. But as congestion increases, how can the space community ensure that space remains a sustainable and viable environment for business, exploration, and innovation? Join us on Apr. 3 for an exclusive one-on-one conversation with Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations’ Office for Outer Space Affairs.

Spain is investing nearly 14 million euros ($15 million) in Sateliot to help the Spanish startup scale its constellation to at least 100 nanosatellites, the low Earth orbit operator announced March 25. Sateliot, which plans to start commercial services this year after deploying six satellites, said the investment is part of a Series B funding round that has reached almost 60 million euros of a 70 million euro target.

U.S. Space Force Col. Nick Hague is back on Earth after living on the International Space Station (ISS) for the last five-plus months.

While the presence of these molecules is not proof of ancient life on Mars, scientists say it shows we could detect chemical signatures of past life, if it ever existed.

The European Space Agency has officially kicked off a competition to support new launch vehicles, but the winners, if any, won’t be known for at least eight months. ESA formally published a call for proposals, known by the agency as an invitation to tender (ITT), for the European Launcher Challenge March 24. Proposals are due on May 5, with up to 169 million euros ($183 million) available to each selected vehicle.

Germany-based Isar Aerospace is targeting no earlier than Monday, March 24, for the maiden voyage of its brand new Spectrum rocket. As Spectrum's first test flight, Isar has opted not to fly any customer payloads onboard the rocket, and instead is focusing on collecting as much data from the flight as possible. This will also be the first launch from Europe's Andøya Spaceport, which opened in 2023.

Spanish propulsion startup Pangea Aerospace has raised 23 million euros ($25 million) to further development of advanced rocket engines for use in launch vehicles and spacecraft. The funds will allow Pangea, based in Barcelona and with offices in Toulouse, France, to accelerate its growth in the European market for propulsion systems, seeking both institutional and private customers.

The European Commission has started investing in space research in order to strengthen Europe’s capabilities in critical technologies. One of the key framework programmes to support this mission is the Horizon Europe 2021-2027, where EU Space Research and Innovation (R&I) Work Programme has a dedicated topic covering Critical Space Technologies aimed at building stronger, resilient EU-based space capabilities.

Giuseppe Santangelo returned to Turin, Italy to establish Space Industries, a business focused on rapid assembly, integration and testing of satellites as large as eight cubic meters. By 2030, Space Industries will employ 300 people and produce one satellite per workday.

The European Space Agency has released a strategy for its next 15 years that includes a greater emphasis on autonomy amid broader geopolitical changes. The strategy includes five goals: protect our planet and climate, explore and discover, strengthen European autonomy and resilience, boost European growth and competitiveness, and inspire Europe.