Editorial desk

Industry

Private companies, public-private programmes and the commercial capacity emerging across India’s space economy.

Diagram showing Planet imagery flowing through Rwanda Space Agency to government agencies, public universities, selected startups and development partners

Earth observation

Rwanda’s Planet data programme targets public services and universities

Rwanda Space Agency will manage access to near-daily imagery and an archive for state bodies, public universities, selected startups and development partners. The August 14 newsletter item was follow-on coverage of Planet’s August 10 announcement, not a second programme launch.

20 August 20265 min read

Flow diagram showing a phone connecting to an Elveo low-Earth-orbit satellite, a planned relay through an SES medium-Earth-orbit satellite to SES ground gateways, and a separate geostationary-orbit support path for tracking, command and monitoring; an inset lists undisclosed investment terms

Satellite communications

SES expands Elveo investment for multi-orbit D2D

The companies plan to connect Elveo’s LEO network with SES’s MEO, GEO and ground assets, but disclosed no deal value, ownership percentage or rollout date.

20 August 20265 min read

Editorial diagram contrasting Telesat GEO obligations due at the end of 2026 with financing available for the separately held Lightspeed programme

Satellite finance

Lightspeed financing sits outside Telesat’s looming GEO debt

The first-half filing separates the LEO project’s financing from about C$2.3 billion of Telesat GEO obligations due at the end of 2026, while retaining a first-quarter 2028 service target.

20 August 20265 min read

Editorial diagram separating the anticipated $600 million-plus programme value and IM-1300 work scope from customer, schedule, mission specifications and terms that remain confidential

Satellite communications

Intuitive Machines outlines $600m-plus IM-1300 satellite programme

The IM-1300 will underpin design, manufacturing, integration and support for multiple spacecraft. The customer, delivery calendar and most programme terms remain undisclosed.

19 August 20265 min read

Diagram showing the Flatellite award covering spacecraft development, Neutron launch, secure operations and tracking-data delivery, with quantities and dates marked undisclosed

Military space acquisition

Rocket Lab’s $397m Flatellite award spans satellites, Neutron launch and operations

The Space Force deal covers multiple spacecraft and includes an option for more, but the number of Flatellites, Neutron flights and launch dates remain undisclosed. SB-AMTI’s later operational capability depends on programme-wide sensing, processing and orchestration work.

19 August 20265 min read

Diagram showing five prototype vendors testing common interfaces and a Space Exchange Point before connecting to the separately awarded Space Data Network Backbone

Military satellite communications

Space Force awards five vendors to test shared data-network interfaces

Five companies will each receive a $12 million prototype package to show that independently built satellites and terminals can exchange data through the Space Data Network. The demonstrations are integration tests, not orders for an operational fleet, and they sit beside a separate $2.29 billion backbone award made to SpaceX in May.

18 August 20265 min read

Diagram showing the U.S. Space Force as customer, Viasat as prime contractor and Rocket Lab as spacecraft-bus supplier for one PTS-G Swarm 1 satellite

Defence satellites

Viasat selects Rocket Lab bus for its first PTS-G satellite

Lightning-GEO supplies the spacecraft platform around Viasat’s X/Ka-band payload. Viasat remains the Space Force prime, and no follow-on satellite order was disclosed.

18 August 20264 min read

Editorial diagram showing eight deployed Globalstar 2-R satellites and nine still being integrated

Satellite communications

First eight Globalstar 2-R satellites reach orbit

The replenishment spacecraft have established contact and begun commissioning, opening the orbital phase of a 17-satellite refresh without yet entering operational service.

17 August 20265 min read

Editorial diagram separating confirmed details of VinSpace’s SpaceX booking from mission details that remain undisclosed

Industry

VinSpace plans first satellites for 2027 SpaceX Transporter launch

The contract gives the young Vietnamese venture a named route to orbit, but no mission number, spacecraft count or specifications, price, or fixed launch date is public.

17 August 20265 min read

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet handling protein-crystallisation experiment containers aboard the International Space Station

In-space manufacturing

Serendipity Space details balloon-based drug-crystallisation test

The recovered Alchemy module exercised avionics and a return sequence, but the disclosed record does not establish microgravity production or orbital qualification.

15 August 20265 min read

GalaxEye's Mission Drishti webpage showing the mission name, launch date, Falcon 9 vehicle and California launch site

Commercial Earth observation

GalaxEye loses contact with Drishti before OptoSAR payload test

The spacecraft proved early-orbit systems and in-house mission operations, but GalaxEye says imaging never began; its solar-storm explanation remains preliminary as two larger follow-on satellites are planned.

13 August 20265 min read

Editorial illustration of a mixed Earth-observation constellation scanning the Indian subcontinent

Industry

Inside India’s privately led national Earth-observation constellation

A Pixxel-led consortium plans a 12-satellite system spanning optical, multispectral, radar and hyperspectral imaging under a five-year public–private programme.

21 January 20268 min read