Technology

Mynaric has a new customer — Loft Federal, the government subsidiary of Loft Orbital, which ordered Mynaric laser terminals for its work on the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Experimental Testbed.  The companies announced Tuesday that Loft Federal ordered Mynaric CONDOR Mk3 terminals, ​​with deliveries​ mostly scheduled for the first half of 2024​. ​Mynaric received the...

Astra Space will supply engines for spacecraft to startup spacecraft manufacturer Apex, the company announced Thursday. Astra has a deal to provide five spacecraft propulsion kits for Apex’s satellite platform, and expects to begin deliveries this year.  Apex recently came out of stealth mode with $7.5 million in funding. The company’s CTO is Max Benassi,...

Satellite terminal manufacturer Intellian has opened a new Advanced Development Center (ADC) in Montgomery County, Maryland, and is making a $100 million investment into R&D for satcom technologies. This new site in Maryland is officially open and is the company’s first and only U.S. research and development center.  The center will host radio frequency (RF)...

Thuraya, a Yahsat owned company, has launched a new multi-language software for Thuraya MarineStar, its maritime voice, tracking and monitoring solution. The company announced the upgrade, April 25. Thuraya has so far sold over 29,000 MarineStar devices since its launch in 2019, across Asia, Africa and Europe. MarineStar’s new 2.0 ML firmware upgrades the terminal’s...

Gilat Satellite Networks has received “significant multimillion dollar orders” from Intelsat for its platforms and terminals, the company announced Monday. The orders mark an expansion of Intelsat and Gilat’s deals to support in-flight connectivity (IFC) and cellular backhaul.  Intelsat will use the technology to serve additional aircraft and expand managed services for mobile network operators...

A lot can happen in a few months. It wasn’t that long ago that Apple was not part of the satellite ecosystem. It is one of the most revered companies in the world, and while a lot of the industry uses Apple products in their daily life, connecting Apple and the satellite industry had never...

NASA has selected The Aerospace Corporation to lead a consortium to develop in-space servicing capabilities collaborating with government, industry, and academia.  The consortium will focus on in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) — capabilities in space that can extend the life of missions, or manufacturing in space.   The Aerospace Corp announced the Consortium for Space...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Following the launch of two small satellites last fall, Lockheed Martin in relatively short order demonstrated its ability to maneuver the satellites closer together for future on-orbit servicing to sustain spacecraft and even upgrade them in space, the company said Monday. Under the self-funded Lockheed Martin In-space Upgrade Satellite System (LM LINUSS) technology demonstration,...

Maxar Technologies is rebranding its lineup of satellites to show the company’s broad manufacturing capabilities, Maxar announced April 17. The rebrand includes new names to commercialize two spacecraft buses. The new portfolio consists of the Maxar 300 series, Maxar 500 series, and the Maxar 1300 series.  The Maxar 300 series is its smallest and most...

Hughes Network Systems is introducing a software-defined networking product geared toward defense needs called Hughes Smart Network Edge.  The software serves as a virtualized SD-WAN router and can remotely manage multi-transport modems across any combination of commercial and military communication networks – including cable, fiber, 5G, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. It...