Technology

Honeywell is teaming up with Aegiq, a quantum networking and computing company, to bring better technology solutions for small satellites. Honeywell announced the collaboration, Sept. 13. The two companies are going to look to create a comprehensive solution to enable more precise and cost-effective design and deployment of space payloads and related ground assets. The...

Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operator OneWeb launched a new “person-portable” lightweight user terminal (UT) for military operations and emergency response teams working in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. The new FoldSat Leo Ku OW Mil terminal is ruggedized and designed to fit in most common backpacks, measuring 452L x 374W x 114H...

The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Benchmark Space Systems a $2.81 million award to further develop and test thrusters running on ASCENT fuel. ASCENT stands for Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic fuel, and it is an AFRL-developed fuel.  The award announced Wednesday is a Space Propulsion Research and Innovation for Neutralizing Satellite Threats (SPRINT) award...

MDA is acquiring SatixFy’s digital payload division in a $40 million acquisition to increase its offerings in the digital satellite communications market, the Canadian manufacturer announced Thursday.  SatixFy is headquartered in Israel and is known for developing user terminals and modems and its in-house chipsets. The digital payload division, SatixFy Space Systems UK Ltd., is...

Starfish Space reported success in stabilizing its first ‘Otter Pup’ mission, after the servicing spacecraft was deployed from an orbital transfer vehicle spinning in space.  The Otter Pup rode to space on the June 12 SpaceX rideshare mission on Launcher’s Orbiter SN3 space tug. But the space tug fell into an uncontrollable rotation after it...

In 2017, when dozens of commercial airlines adopted next-generation, satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi service across their fleets, high-speed satellite communications were pretty limited to a single orbit: GEO. Six years later, satellite equipment provider ThinKom Solutions — which powered many of those flights with its ThinAir terminals — has significantly expanded its horizons: This year, the...

Muon Space selected Exotrail to supply five of its “spaceware” electric propulsion systems for the company’s climate monitoring constellation, the companies announced Aug. 24.  Exotrail’s spaceware is a high-thrust, electric Hall-effect propulsion system designed to perform orbit raising and anomaly phasing, as well as orbit maintenance and collision avoidance. It will also deorbit spacecraft at...

The Inmarsat-6 F2 satellite could be a total loss due to an anomaly with the power subsystem that occurred during orbit raising, Viasat said in an update Thursday afternoon. Viasat and manufacturer Airbus are investigating the cause of the issue and if the satellite will be able to perform its mission.  Airbus advised the anomaly...

Sidus Space is acquiring Exo-Space to expand into the AI sector and improve its solutions for the Earth observation market. Sidus Space is a satellite manufacturing and space services company developing the multi-mission LizzieSat constellation.   Sidus Space said that Exo-Space’s technology in AI edge computing for software and space hardware complements its own. The company...

Private equity firm Trive Capital is acquiring Hypergiant Industries to advance its AI solutions for the defense sector. Trive Capital, based in Dallas, announced the acquisition on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.  Thrive Capital Partner David Stinnett said that Hypergiant has a geospatial data visualization capability that puts the company at the...