Rocket Lab launches “The Nation God Navigates” to join SAR constellation for Japn – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 00:00
Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) has announced the launch window for its next mission for multi-launch customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company. ‘The Nation God Navigates’ is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window that opens on November 5, 2025 UTC. The mission will deploy QPS-SAR-14, nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I for the Japanese god of nation-building, to a 575km circular Earth orbit. IQPS aims to build a constellation of 36 SAR satellites that will provide near-real-time images of Earth every 10 minutes.
Three Chinese astronauts stranded at the Chinese space station as the return capsule hit by debris – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 00:00
Three Chinese taikonauts will be delayed on China's Tiangong space station. Their return capsule was struck by a presumed piece of orbital debris. There return date was to be Wednesday. The replacement crew arrived on October 31 so there will be a full house until return transportation is resolved.
UPDATE: Scrubbed for ULA’s launch of ViaSat-3 F2 mission due to technical difficulties – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-06 00:00
Launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V carrying the ViaSat-3 F2 mission for Viasat is scrubbed for tonight’s launch attempt due to an issue encountered while cycling the booster liquid oxygen tank vent valve during final checkouts. The team will require additional time for troubleshooting and is setting up for a 24-hour recycle. The launch is now planned for Thurs., Nov. 6 at 10:16 p.m. EST at the opening of a 44-minute window. According to weather officials, there’s a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch.
Starlink Group 6-81 successful launching 29 smallsats on Wednesday from the Cape – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 00:00
On Wednesday, November 5th at 8:31 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched 29 Starlink smallsats to low-Earth orbit to join the Starlink constellation. This was the fifth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ax-4, Crew-11, NG-23, and now two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Voyager acquires ExoTerra – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 00:00
Voyager Technologies recently acquired ExoTerra Resource, a developer of electric propulsion systems. ExoTerra’s proprietary technology delivers precise maneuvering, extended lifetimes and high efficiency delta-V. Voyager is well positioned for strategic initiatives such as Golden Dome.
ICEYE launches Tactical Access—guaranteed satellite tasking for time-critical missions – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 00:00
ICEYE has launched their Tactical Access, a new commercial SAR product. Tactical Access is a subscription tasking product for customers with large annual imagery volumes. Customers gain full tasking control over the industry’s largest and highest-resolution commercial SAR imaging fleet. Tactical Access includes an optional customer ground station, which provides users with direct downlink and imagery delivery within minutes.
Trump re-nominates Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator
Original Publication Date: 2025-11-05 02:42
Jared Isaacman, 42, is the founder of Shift4 Payments, a global payment processing company he started at age 16 in his parents’ basement. Isaacman is an accomplished aviator and private astronaut. He led the Polaris Dawn mission, becoming the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk.