October 27, 2025

Sidus Space Finalizes Commercial Pathfinder Mission Agreement with Lonestar for LizzieSat-5 Mission (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the execution of a Commercial Pathfinder Mission Agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings for the design and integration of Lonestar’s high-capacity Digital Data Storage Payload, featuring edge processing capabilities, onto LizzieSat-5, a Low Earth Orbit satellite within Sidus’ LizzieSat micro-constellation. Sidus will design, develop, and integrate one Lonestar payload onto LizzieSat-5, along with arranging deployment and payload commissioning in coordination with Lonestar. (10/27)

China's Stellerus Uses Satellites to Visualize 3D Wind Data for Weather Forecasts, Insurance Risks (Source: SCMP)
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) start-up Stellerus Technology aims to be the world’s first provider of satellite-enabled three-dimensional wind data to help wind power, transport and insurance firms boost revenues, cut costs and manage risks, according to its founders. (10/26)

Starlink to Establish Nine Gateway Stations Across India (Source: Economic Times)
US-based Starlink plans to set up nine gateway earth stations across India as the company readies infrastructure ahead of the commercial launch of its satellite communication services in the country, said people with knowledge of the matter. The company has applied for 600 gigabit per second capacity over India through its Gen 1 constellation. (10/24)

Final Assembly of Vinci Engines for Ariane 6 Transitions to Germany (Source: Space News)
ArianeGroup Germany will assume responsibility for assembling the Vinci upper stage engine of the Ariane 6 launcher at DLR's Lampoldshausen location. The site will handle the integration of key components such as turbopumps, valves, and thrust chambers. Final testing on the fully assembled Vinci engines will be conducted using the P4.1 test stand at Lampoldshausen to ensure performance, reliability, and flight readiness. (10/25)

The Quest for Corrosion Proof Satellites (Source: Universe Today)
Low Earth orbit might seem like empty space, but for the thousands of satellites circling our planet between 95 and 1,900 km up, it's actually a surprisingly hostile environment. Every moment, these spacecraft are bombarded by highly reactive oxygen atoms that corrode their surfaces, while collisions with atmospheric molecules create drag that gradually pulls them back toward Earth. Most satellites last only about five years before these relentless forces take their toll, and the spacecraft tumbles back through the atmosphere.

Now, a team at the University of Texas in Dallas is developing a protective coating that could fundamentally change how long satellites survive in orbit. One approach uses atomic layer deposition, a method originally developed for manufacturing microelectronics. This process builds up protective coatings one atomic layer at a time, offering unprecedented control over the material's structure and properties. The precision matters enormously when you're trying to create a surface that can withstand the unique conditions of space.

Their second technique, called sol-gel processing, creates solid materials from liquid solutions. This method, commonly used to make optical coatings like the anti-reflective layers on eyeglasses, allows researchers to engineer surfaces smooth enough to minimize atmospheric drag while maintaining protective properties. By combining these approaches, the team has developed a coating that, according to independent testing, can withstand atomic oxygen conditions even more extreme than those actually found in space. (10/27)

Space Radiation Can Produce Some Organic Molecules Detected on Icy Moons (Source: Space.com)
New laboratory research suggests that some organic molecules previously detected in plumes erupting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus may be products of natural radiation, rather than originating from the moon’s subsurface ocean. This discovery complicates the assessment of the astrobiological relevance of these compounds.

Enceladus hides a global ocean buried beneath its frozen crust. Material from this liquid reservoir is ejected into space from cracks in the ice near the south pole, forming plumes of dust-sized ice particles that extend for hundreds of kilometers. While most of this material falls back onto the surface, some remains in orbit, becoming part of Saturn’s E ring, the planet’s outermost and widest ring. (10/26)

Dual Use, Dual Benefit: International Agreements Facilitate Commercial Space Integration (Source: SFA)
Leveraging commercial capability is a key space acquisition strategy that multiplies when we combine it with international space partnerships. Through endeavors such as the Global Commercially Contracted Satellite Communications Support Partnership (GCC SATCOM SP), the USSF’s International Affairs Office is breaking new ground in multi-national contracting to streamline commercial integration into Allied space architectures. Click here. (10/27)

Minister Warned About Possible Israeli Use of NZ-Launched Satellites (Source: 1News)
Space Minister Judith Collins was warned as the war in Gaza began in 2023 that if new BlackSky satellites were launched from New Zealand they could be used by Israel. Documents obtained by 1News show officials recommended the launches go ahead, saying there were no restrictions on trade with Israel. Collins gave the green light and RocketLab began launching the the Gen-3 BlackSky satellites from Mahia Peninsula earlier this year. (10/24)

Korea-France Space Forum Highlights Growing Partnership in Space (Source: AJP)
Government officials, scientists, and industry leaders from South Korea and France gathered in Seoul on Monday for the fifth Korea-France Space Forum, underscoring the two nations’ expanding collaboration in space exploration and technology. The forum brought together representatives from the Korea Space Agency and France’s National Centre for Space Studies, known as CNES, as well as executives from major aerospace companies and research institutions. (10/27)

Catalyx Space Secures $5.4 Million to Redefine How the World Moves in Space (Source: Bharat Fast)
Catalyx Space, an emerging spacetech startup with Indian roots, has raised $5.4 million in a seed funding round. The investment marks a major milestone for the young company as it works toward building a full-stack space logistics platform that can manage both the launch and recovery of payloads in space. With operations spread across San Francisco and Ahmedabad, Catalyx is blending global expertise with India’s growing technical talent to redefine how space missions are executed. (10/27)

India Preps for Navy Satellite Launch on LVM-3 Rocket (Source: Times of India)
India on Sunday moved the LVM-3 launch vehicle slated to launch the CMS-03 or Gsat-7R satellite meant for the Indian Navy, to the launchpad in Sriharikota. The satellite, which was initially expected to be launched in late 2024 was delayed. Utilizing multiple bands to transmit voice, video and data between naval ships, submarines and aircraft, the satellite is expected to boost India’s maritime defense capabilities. (10/26)

New Moon Lander to Carry Human Knowledge, In Case Humans Blow Themselves Up (Source: AutoEvolution)
On the list of upcoming landers is something called the Griffin, a piece of hardware being assembled by Pittsburgh-based space startup Astrobotic Technology for the American space agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. That's the same crew behind the failed Peregrine Mission One from last year. The Griffin has been in the news before, sporadically, as it was to be the means through which one of NASA's most ambitious rovers yet, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), would have reached the Moon.

The recent back and forth with VIPER's fate killed those plans, but not the lander, which now marches on with a refreshed cargo manifest that will fly up there under the same CLPS effort, one of the pillars of the Artemis Moon exploration program. At the time of writing, the Griffin targets a launch date sometime in the summer of next year (2026), when it will be carried into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida. (10/27)

Iridium Chip Could Protect GPS Signal (Source: Space News)
Iridium says it has developed a chip that uses signals from its satellites to provide protection to GPS services. The company announced Monday that it has started inviting partners to test a thumbnail-sized chip that can be embedded directly into products, from mobile devices to major infrastructure systems such as power grids, enabling them to use positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) signals from its 66 low Earth orbit satellites. The company cited several recent incidents underlining a growing need to do more to protect GPS and other satellite navigation services from jamming and spoofing. The chip helps reinforce one of the L-band operator’s core strengths as SpaceX’s Starlink encroaches on other parts of its business. (10/27)

Kymeta to Provide Flat-Panel Satellite Antennas to Army (Source: Space News)
Kymeta won a contract to provide flat-panel antennas to the U.S. Army. The contract covers 138 Osprey u8 flat-panel terminals and spares to the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division for a pilot program to improve ground connectivity. Kymeta did not disclose the value of the contract but said it is one of the biggest military orders yet for the Osprey terminal. Kymeta says that if the pilot is successful, the Army could move forward and equip all 10 of its active-duty divisions with new hardware. Kymeta is also working on a newer version that supports Ka- and Ku-band communications, rather than the current model that handles only Ku-band. (10/27)

Australia's HEO Provides Insights on Chinese Test Satellite (Source: Space News)
An Australian company has provided insights into a mysterious Chinese technology test satellite. HEO took images of the Xinjishu Yanzheng-7 (XJY-7) satellite, launched in late 2020 and described by Chinese officials only as a remote sensing technology test satellite. The imagery shows XJY-7 has a synthetic aperture radar antenna and fixed solar arrays that required the entire spacecraft to rotate to maintain power. HEO uses commercial remote sensing satellites to take images of other spacecraft in low Earth orbit, with plans to expand to geostationary orbit. XJY-7 reentered earlier this month. (10/27)

Russia Plans First Launches for New Constellation Before 2026 (Source: TASS)
Roscosmos says it may start launching the first satellites for a communications constellation before the end of the year. Dmitry Bakanov, the head of Roscosmos, said last week that launches of the constellation for an unnamed Russian company will begin in December or January. The system, the size of which he did not disclose, would provide communications services comparable to “foreign analogues.” (10/27)

Kratos Tapped to Build Hypersonic Testing Facility, Somewhere (Source: SatNews)
Kratos Defense Security Solutions has secured a $68.3 million contract to build a hypersonic materials testing facility under the Pentagon's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program. The investment aims to address gaps in defense infrastructure and provide essential capabilities for thermal protection systems testing, supporting all branches of the Armed Forces. Kratos has not publicly disclosed the physical location of "Project Helios." Full Story: Satnews (10/26)

Labor Groups Lukewarm on European Mega Merger (Source: European Spaceflight)
European labor unions are lukewarm about the proposed space joint venture of Airbus, Leonardo and Thales. Unions representing some of the 25,000 employees who would be part of the joint venture, codenamed “Project Bromo,” raised concerns about it, including “medium-term” impacts on employment and potential plant closures. Other unions were more positive about the plans, saying the joint venture could strengthen the European space industry. The companies announced last week they had reached an agreement on the joint venture but noted it will require antitrust and other regulatory reviews that won’t be completed until 2027. (10/27)

Blue Origin's Big Plans for Florida - How the Company is Expanding (Source: Slashgear)
Blue Origin is now looking ahead with several projects, including a new rocket refurbishment facility and a payload processing facility, both at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida. Blue Origin has a solid foothold in Florida, as the company has nearly 4,000 employees in the state. It's also invested over $2.3 billion through various partnerships with hundreds of local suppliers across the state.

The payload facility is part of a $78 million tie-up with the U.S. Space Force and will help address a problem that's been growing worse for years: With more than 200 space launches expected throughout 2025, there's simply not enough room for all the payloads to be prepared and stored. This cooperative effort will help Blue Origin expand its overall launch capacity, with up to 16 launches per year expected from the new facility alone. Blue Origin's secure facility will also allow for launch preparations, including fueling, battery charging, and more. (10/26)