SpaceX welcomes and celebrates successfully rescuing NASA’s stranded astronauts – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth after their SpaceX capsule spectacularly splashed down off the coast of Florida. Wilmore and Williams had been stuck at the ISS for nine months after problems with Boeing’s new capsule Starliner. The Nasa control room erupted in cheers as the capsule touched down safely on the vast blue waters, accompanied by four parachutes.
KONGSBERG launches and is now operating their 1st satellite – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has launched their first microsatellite. The satellite, named ARVAKER 1 N3X, was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. In 2024, KONGSBERG was awarded a contract from the Norwegian Armed Forces on behalf of the Norwegian government to provide maritime surveillance data.
Startical launches their first satellite—IOD-1 – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Startical launched its first satellite, the IOD-1 (In-Orbit Demonstrator-1), via launch integrator Exolaunch. IOD-1 aims to demonstrate the feasibility of real-time communications between air traffic controllers and aircraft using signals transmitted from space. The satellite is part of ECHOES project, which aims to gather evidence on how this satellite-based solution can enhance ATM services and generate positive environmental effects.
2025 Independent + Hybrid Teleport Operators + Teleport Technology of the Year award winners announced by World Teleport Association – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-19 00:00
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has announced the winners of the 30th annual Teleport Awards for Excellence. The awards are presented each year to organizations and individuals in the teleport industry whose achievements have been deemed exceptional. The 2025 recipients are: Independent Teleport Operator of the Year: Calian Pacific Teleports.
Viasat’s contract with ATLAS Space Operations to provide NASA with mission-critical support – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Viasat is one of four commercial companies named in the first round of NASA Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract Task Order awards. Viasat will employ its global Real-Time Earth (RTE) network to support the agency’s expansion of Direct-to-Earth (DTE) capabilities. Viasat’s initial Task Order is for support of low Earth orbit (LEO) science missions using RTE’s resilient, scalable, and high throughput architecture.
General Atomics OTB satellite completes scheduled five-year mission – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Orbital Test Bed satellite (OTB) launched in June of 2019 has successfully completed its five-year mission. The OTB spacecraft will now begin an estimated two-decade deorbit phase. GA-EMS’ OTB spacecraft hosted multiple payloads, including NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock.
Sidus Space’s lucky LizzieSat™-3’s successful launch will expand AI-driven on-orbit capabilities – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 00:00
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) announced the successful launch, deployment and operation of LizzieSat™-3 into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as part of the Transporter-13 rideshare mission with SpaceX. The satellite is equipped with a suite of advanced sensors and the next generation of Sidus’ proprietary artificial intelligence ecosystem.
NASA Turns Off 2 Voyager Science Instruments to Extend Mission
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 remain the most distant human-made objects ever built. Voyager 1 reached the edge of the heliosphere and the beginning of interstellar space in 2012; Voyager 2 reached the boundary in 2018. No other human-made spacecraft has operated in interstellar space.
Dream Chaser completes more pre-flight milestones
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-18 16:55
Sierra Space has outlined the remaining steps ahead of the first flight of its Dream Chaser spacecraft. Tenacity, the first Dream Chaser flight vehicle, will fly cargo missions to the ISS under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 round of NASA contracts. The vehicle is set to launch atop United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) newest launch vehicle, Vulcan.
Launch Roundup: Electron, Falcon 9, and Ceres-1 launches flying this week
Original Publication Date: 2025-03-17 22:42
Rocket Lab’s Electron successfully launched from New Zealand on the heels of last week’s “The Lightning God Reigns” mission on Electron. China’s Galactic Energy was preparing a pair of Gushenxing-1 flights from Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert, with one of them already flown. The debut launch of a European orbital rocket is also now set for the end of this week.