Forrester’s Digest: Australia’s NBN could switch to LEO from GEO – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-02-19 00:00
Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN), which trades as ‘Aussie Broadband’, currently uses geostationary satellites to beam broadband signals to businesses, government and private individual across Australia. NBN says it could switch from geostationary to low Earth (LEO) orbiting satellites. Currently NBN uses capacity (Sky Muster) from two craft at 140 and 145 degrees East.
China surveys Vietnamese naval base using U.S. satellite data – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-02-19 00:00
Vietnam has added nearly 500 acres to Barque Canada Reef in just two years. The reef has about 16,000 acres of natural coral flats that could be converted to support strategic military uses. The Spratly Islands are contested by Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Malaysia.
L3Harris completes assembly of 1st RS-25 engine for NASA’s Artemis V mission – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-02-19 00:00
The first RS-25 engine for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is now fully assembled at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The engine is one of four new RS-25s that will help power the core stage of the heavy-lift exploration rocket during the Artemis V mission. The first four Artemis missions are launching on SLS rockets equipped with repurposed engines from NASA’s Space Shuttle Program.
Gilat launches Gilat Defense Division to meet mission-critical SATCOM solutions – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-02-19 00:00
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. Has formed their new Defense Division. Gilat Defense provides secure, rapid-deployment SATCOM solutions for military and HLS organizations, government agencies, and defense integrators. Gilat Defense will be showcasing its solutions at the upcoming Satellite 2025 show in Washington, D.C.
GEM-63XL motor test fired at Promontory as part of Vulcan Cert-2 investigation
Original Publication Date: 2025-02-18 18:59
Vulcan's second certification mission (Cert-2) was marred by a nozzle separation on one of the rocket’s GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters. The third Vulcan flight was supposed to start the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) launch schedule for 2025, but it has now been replaced by an Atlas V mission flying a Kuiper payload. On Thursday, Feb. 13, as part of the investigation of the “observation” on Vulcan’s Cert-2 flight, Northrop Grumman and ULA conducted a test firing of a GEM-63 XL motor.