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Thermal imaging startup SatVu reported an anomaly that is expected to impact further operations on its pathfinder satellite, HOTSAT-1. The satellite launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission in June and has been operational for six months, securing initial thermal images for SatVu.  The company did not share specifics about the anomaly, but said it is...

Eutelsat OneWeb is beginning to see the benefits of offering multi-orbit services. It has won a new contract to deliver connectivity services, on both Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), to Libya. Rawafed Libya for Telecommunications & Technology (RLTT) has decided to expand its partnership with the Eutelsat Group as it adds new exclusive...

Orbex has secured another 3.3 million pounds ($4.14 million) in funding, the company announced Dec. 13. The funding is from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ‘Boost!’ initiative. The initiative, which is part of ESA’s Commercial Space Transportation Services and Support program, is designed to further the development...

Thuraya is releasing a new generation version of its XT-PRO DUAL satellite phone. It is a dual-mode, dual-SIM satellite-cellular phone that allows users to move in and out of terrestrial coverage and seamlessly connect regardless of their location. The Thuraya XT-PRO DUAL will be available from mid-December 2023 onwards, and pre-orders are open via Thuraya’s...

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) wants companies to submit proposals by Jan. 19 for a four to eight satellite constellation to detect/track hypersonic and other advanced missiles of potential U.S. adversaries. The SDA’s customary Other Transaction Authority agreement seeks “the design, fabrication and launch” of four to eight satellites with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR)...

ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket won’t debut until early 2024, after it encountered routine issues during the first wet dress rehearsal. ULA announced Thursday that it fixed the issues, ran a successful wet dress rehearsal, and is now targeting a Jan. 8 launch date. The launcher was previously targeting a Christmas Eve debut.  CEO Tory Bruno...

Starlink continues to make progress in the in-flight connectivity arena. Air New Zealand has become the latest major airline to start working with Starlink. It will work with Starlink to introduce free internet onboard domestic aircraft. Air New Zealand announced the collaboration, Dec. 13. The first Air New Zealand aircraft will have Starlink installed in late 2024...

Intellian Technologies debuted the OW130L satellite terminal for Eutelsat OneWeb customers, the company announced Tuesday. The dual parabolic terminal is particularly suitable for customers requiring high-capacity connectivity, such as those operating critical national infrastructure.  It is part of a suite of six parabolic terminals Intellian designed for Eutelsat OneWeb land and maritime customers. The terminals...

Europe’s meteorological satellite agency Eumetsat has awarded Spire Global a contract to provide radio occultation (RO) data. Spire will provide the data in near-real time, and it will be distributed to the Eumetsat user community globally for use in weather forecast modeling. Eumetsat previously had a pilot program with Spire to evaluate the benefits of...

SES Space & Defense has won a five-year deal with the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to deliver global video and audio programming. USAGM awarded the five-year Global Satellite Services (GSS) contract through the General Services Administration (GSA) Complex Commercial SATCOM Solutions (CS3) contract vehicle. SES announced the deal, Dec. 12. The global...