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17 Sep 25. HawkEye 360 Inc., the global leader in signals intelligence data and analytics, today announced that Cluster 12 has officially reached Full Operational Capability (FOC). The three formation-flying satellites, launched on June 26 (ET) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket, are now fully calibrated, commissioned, and integrated into HawkEye 360’s constellation — delivering mission-ready signals intelligence across key global regions. The mission also included Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite designed to evaluate emerging capabilities that inform HawkEye 360’s next generation of technologies. Kestrel-0A is progressing well, with ongoing contact and early-stage mission milestones being achieved.
“Achieving FOC for Cluster 12 strengthens our ability to deliver timely, mission-critical signals intelligence to defense, intelligence, and commercial partners,” said Todd Probert, President, U.S. Government. “This cluster enhances our ability to monitor complex operating environments, detect signals of interest, and drive informed decisions across land and sea.”
Cluster 12 adds further depth and coverage to HawkEye 360’s constellation, supporting expanded frequency detection, improved revisit rates, and broader global reach. These advancements directly support the growing demand for signals intelligence to address challenges such as maritime domain awareness, air defense system detection, and GNSS interference monitoring.
“This milestone reflects the outstanding performance of our engineering, operations, and mission management teams,” said Eric Haengel, Vice President of Space & Ground Systems. “Cluster 12 is now fully integrated into our constellation and contributing to the seamless delivery of high-impact RF data for our customers worldwide.”
With Cluster 12 now operational, HawkEye 360 continues to scale its capabilities to support government and allied partners with consistent, trusted RF geolocation data — providing the strategic awareness needed to navigate increasingly contested and complex domains. (Source: PR Newswire)
17 Sep 25. FLANQ and CIS Form Strategic Partnership for USV-Launched UAVs. FLANQ, a German maritime defence solutions provider, and CiS, a Spanish developer of autonomous aerial systems, have announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop and deploy an integrated capability enabling the launch and recovery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). The announcement follows successful trials of a CiS Orka tactical air surveillance and reconnaissance drone being hosted, deployed and recovered aboard a 12-foot FLANQ USV operating autonomously in open water at an undisclosed test site. By merging FLANQ’s proven USV platforms and mission payloads with CiS’s expertise in long-endurance UAV systems, the partnership will deliver a modular, scalable system-of-systems designed to provide rapid-response surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence-gathering capabilities, critical to strengthening Europe’s autonomous defence capabilities.
Key objectives of the partnership Include:
- Development of a fully integrated UAV launch-and-recovery systems from medium to large USV platforms
- Persistent over-the-horizon ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) enabled by AI-based mission autonomy
- Seamless interoperability with NATO maritime command-and-control frameworks
- Deployment-readiness for dynamic threat environments, including hybrid and grey-zone conflict scenarios
“This partnership with CiS reinforces our commitment to delivering maritime domain advantage to Europe and its allies,” said Daniel Esser, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of FLANQ. “Together, we are enabling a new level of operational flexibility and responsiveness through intelligent, aerial and uncrewed surface systems.”
Tom Kaufmann, Managing Partner and CEO at CiS, added: “Europe’s maritime borders face increasing threats – from illicit trafficking to shadow fleet sabotage. Through our collaboration with FLANQ, we will deliver an agile, intelligent system that enhances situational awareness and supports decision-makers across the maritime security domain.”
The joint system’s capabilities will be showcased this month at REMPUS 2025 in Portugal, the annual NATO-led military exercise where both companies are participating.
17 Sep 25. Vilnius, Lithuania. GPS jamming and spoofing is no longer just a problem in war zones. On August 12, Latvia’s Electronic Communications Office confirmed that Russia is disrupting satellite navigation systems from three permanent sites in Kaliningrad, Leningrad, and Pskov Oblasts, creating widespread risks for civil aviation and critical infrastructure across the Baltic Sea region. The agency described the issue as a “growing problem” that has outgrown national borders, forcing pilots to rely on fallback navigation methods and even grounding flights. Estonian ministers have previously called the interference a “deliberate hybrid attack” reaching into everyday life. According to space industry experts from Astrolight, a space-tech startup from Lithuania that develops laser communication solutions for space and Earth, we need to put our focus on jamming-resistant technology.
“The Baltics are on the frontline of electronic warfare, and this could spread to other regions soon,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO of Astrolight. “Satellites, navigation, and communications are experiencing regular attacks. We need jamming-resistant technology now – and it must be addressed across NATO, not just locally.”
Traditionally, GPS jamming and spoofing was considered a localized threat, disrupting signals for aircraft or ground forces. But in July 2025, reports from Ukraine disclosed that Russian systems are now powerful enough to interfere with GPS signals over 1,200 miles above ground, causing satellites in low-Earth orbit to lose navigation accuracy. Experts say this is the first widely reported case of ground-based systems interfering with satellites directly.
UN agencies warn that ground-based jamming now threatens military operations, disrupts airline navigation, and interferes with maritime shipping. Civilian infrastructure, from power grids to banking systems that rely on GPS timing, is also at risk, exposing how vulnerable conventional radio-frequency (RF) links are to high-power interference.
The European Space Agency is dealing with the issue by investing €1 bn in a new military-grade satellite network. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius is pushing for stronger EU-wide coordination to counter Russian hybrid attacks, including electronic warfare that now reaches into space.
“Russia’s hybrid and total war strategy in Europe is clear – from attacks on Ukraine to sabotage in Germany, disruption of Baltic communication lines, and ongoing interference in political processes across the region,” said Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space. “These actions show that hybrid threats are happening now, and we must respond with higher investments and even stronger technology.”
The risks extend beyond political and physical infrastructure, according to Mačiulis.
“We believe that low Earth orbit satellites will be the next target of the enemy’s electronic warfare efforts. In warzones and global hot-spots, these satellites are now essential for providing real-time intelligence on troop movements and monitoring critical infrastructure,” he said.
Earlier, Ukraine’s defence Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported that more than 1,500 Russian targets worth bns of dollars have been destroyed over the past two years thanks to imagery from Ukraine’s radar satellite.
“Laser based communication is the only technology today that offers true immunity against these new-generation electronic warfare threats and can reliably protect our satellites from jamming and interference,” Mačiulis said.
Unlike RF, laser communications are highly directional and resistant to such attacks – because laser beams are less than thousands of degrees wide, they are hard to detect or intercept.
Astrolight, based in Vilnius, has developed a next-generation laser communication system designed to operate in contested environments, providing unjammable, high-speed links between satellites and the ground. According to Mačiulis, the technology can be used both on the ground, between space and earth, and in space alone. Astrolight already showcased secure ship-to-ship communication with their POLARIS during a test with the Lithuanian Navy this summer. In September, they are heading to waters together with NATO Allies for a REPMUS mission.
15 Sep 25. Space Norway Signs New Launch Agreement with SpaceX. Space Norway has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of the new communications satellite, THOR 8, into geostationary orbit. The mission, which will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2027, will strengthen Space Norway’s communications capacity for both governmental and commercial clients.
“The Falcon 9 launch service was selected after a competitive process. SpaceX has an impressive track record of launches, and we count on their reliable services for THOR 8, just as we did for last year’s successful launch of the two ASBM satellites”, says Peter Olsen, Head of Satcom Division at Space Norway.
“We’re proud of the trust Space Norway has in SpaceX and Falcon 9 to safely launch their THOR 8 spacecraft to orbit,” said SpaceX Vice President of Commercial Sales, Stephanie Bednarek. “We look forward to this exciting mission.”
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SpaceX was the first company to commercialize the reuse of its rockets, and to date, they have completed more than 500 successful launches and recoveries of Falcon first stage boosters.
Expanding Capabilities
THOR 8 is a major undertaking for Space Norway. The satellite will both replace older satellites being phased out in the coming years and provide increased capacity and service offerings for our customers. THOR 8 is part of Space Norway’s multi-orbit strategy, with satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), and highly elliptical orbit (HEO). This portfolio allows us to serve a broad spectrum of customers with widely varying needs.
Operated from Oslo
THOR 8 will be operated by Space Norway from Oslo, and the company is well underway in the preparations needed to incorporate the new satellite into the overall service offering, both at the satellite operations facility and at the teleport where service platforms will be located. The French company Thales Alenia Space has started building the satellite, and Space Norway is establishing a local presence at the satellite manufacturing facilities to closely monitor the construction process.
Capacity
THOR 8 is a multi-purpose satellite that offers capacity for both data services and broadcasting. Intelsat has already secured lifetime usage—at least 15 years—for its broadcasting customers. Read more.
THOR 8 carries two dedicated payloads for broadcasting in Europe and the Nordics, as well as payloads for data services to commercial and governmental customers. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Sep 25. SpaceX finally launches Indonesia’s Nusantara Lima mission on 9/11 from the Cape. The weather at the Cape in Florida finally cooperated after three unsuccessful scrubs as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on Thursday, September 11 launched the Nusantara Lima mission to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch took place 7:59 p.m. ET, with additional opportunities available until 9:56 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is avail
The Nusantara Lima mission, led by Indonesia’s Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), involves launching a high-throughput telecommunications satellite to provide enhanced broadband services across Indonesia and surrounding regions. Built by Boeing on the 702MP satellite platform, Nusantara Lima will augment the capacity of the SATRIA-1 satellite, offering a total capacity of over 160 Gbps.
This satellite is designed to support underserved areas, providing reliable connectivity to remote regions, including rural hospitals and schools. Around 80 Gbps of its bandwidth will serve Indonesia, with additional capacity aimed at neighboring countries like Malaysia and the Philippines.
The satellite is part of Indonesia’s efforts to bridge the digital divide, providing internet access in areas where terrestrial communication infrastructure is not feasible. The mission will also rely on ground systems developed by partners such as Hughes Network Systems and Kratos Communications, ensuring operational efficiency and scalability.
This was the 23rd flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously supported Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-b, USSF-124, BlueBird 1-5, and 18 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. (Source: Satnews)
10 Sep 25. SpaceX launches Space Development Agency’s top secret Tranche 1 mission on Wednesday from California. On Wednesday, September 10 at 7:12 a.m. PT the Falcon 9 launched the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) first Tranche 1 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Photos captured by Satnews unless otherwise accredited. The SDA’s first spacecraft, Tranche 0, launched in 2023 and 2024 demonstrated capabilities such as laser communication between satellites, with the ground, and recently between a commercial partner’s satellite and an SDA terminal installed on an aircraft in flight.
The 21 satellites, built by York Space Systems, are the first, fully operational spacecraft for the constellation known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). It was formerly called the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), but the name was changed in 2023.
The launch is a new phase for SDA, which since 2019 has been planning a large constellation of government-owned missile tracking and data transport satellites in low Earth orbit.
21 satellites manufactured by York Space Systems for Space Development Agency’s upcoming Tranche 1 Transport Layer launch. Image: York Space Systems
The SDA said it was renamed “to more specifically reflect the agency’s mission to deliver needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of a proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO) constellation of satellites.”
In 2019 the SDA was formed as an independent agency to safeguard the United States against hypersonic weapons. The agency also planned on offering a network of satellites and ground support systems that could unify the Department of Defense’s capabilities across a “resilient, threat-driven space surveillance and communications architecture,” according its establishing memorandum. It became a part of the U.S. Space Force in October 2022.
This was the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean. (Source: Satnews)
08 Sep 25. Aechelon + partners Niantic Spatial, ICEYE, BlackSky and Distance debut Project Orbion. Aechelon Technology has announced ‘Project Orbion,’ together with its partners — a groundbreaking, new initiative that will integrate best-of-class technology solutions to create a live Digital Twin of the Earth.
All of this is complete with accurate physics, real-time weather and more in full Synthetic Reality (SR). Aechelon’s Project Orbion is a living synthesis of real-time satellite imagery, radar intelligence, video photogrammetry and AI all combined with the most accurate rendition of the Earth, reconstructing and distributing our world in dynamic 3D. From monitoring wildfires to floods, from wartime troop movements to shipping routes in peacetime, from urban rescues to remote disasters—Project Orbion helps situational awareness, understanding and safe human decision making.
Synthetic Reality data supplied from Project Orbion is designed to train leading-edge defense and corporate AI models with real-world data -not just human-generated data, but actual ground truth conditions data. It’s where cutting-edge AI is fused into a digital twin of the planet. Project Orbion is capable of penetrating darkness, clouds and smoke to enable users to react to natural disasters and defense-oriented use cases—all with the most up-to-date 3D representation of the world.
Project Orbion partners include..
Niantic Spatial® (San Francisco) for its Large Geospatial Model reconstruction and visualization service
ICEYE® (Helsinki) for space-based imaging radar
BlackSky (Herndon, Virginia) for very high resolution, high-cadence Earth Observation (EO) imagery
Distance Technologies™ (Helsinki) for their Light Field 3D Displays.
(Source: Satnews)
08 Sep 25. ST Engineering iDirect achieves 1st 5G NTN PoC milestone. ST Engineering iDirect has achieved interoperability between the company’s ground system and the 5G Core through its Interworking Gateway Function. This demonstrated a non-3GPP satellite network connecting seamlessly with the 5G ecosystem, while appearing fully 3GPP-compliant. This proof of concept (PoC) highlights ST Engineering iDirect’s progress in its hybrid strategy for 5G NTN, validating its capability to seamlessly integrate satellite and terrestrial networks for scalable and efficient global connectivity to operators. The PoC demonstrates that satellite operators can leverage the operational efficiencies of the 5G Core while continuing to utilize satellite-specific waveforms such as DVB-S2X and Mx-DMA MRC, ensuring reliable performance until the satellite-optimized 5G NR waveform matures. Importantly, this integration will deliver immediate benefits without requiring operators to overhaul their existing infrastructure.
The PoC also demonstrated inter-provider roaming, another key advancement in global connectivity and a critical element for operators to extend coverage to new regions and orbits, capture new revenue streams and accelerate time-to-market. The seamless interoperability of networks across multiple providers, powered by advanced 5G core capabilities, also allows operators to gain enhanced operational flexibility, improved ROI, and the ability to offer differentiated services, while end users will benefit from uninterrupted, secure connectivity and high-quality application performance.
With planned future enhancements including satellite-optimized gNodeB technology and 5G NR (New Radio) to address 3GPP access complexities and hybrid User Equipment (UE) modems to seamlessly switch between non-3GPP and 3GPP systems, ST Engineering iDirect’s hybrid strategy is designed to help operators unlock new interoperability capabilities. It will also pave the way toward a fully standardized 5G-6G future, uniting satellites and terrestrial networks for unprecedented global scalability and coverage.
Our goal is to create a unified, interoperable SATCOM network that enables seamless roaming between terrestrial and non-terrestrial systems, allowing customers to protect their existing investments while transitioning to a scalable, next-generation 5G NTN network,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Technology Officer at ST Engineering iDirect. “The hybrid methodology is foundational to our strategy and this proof of concept demonstrates how we’re making that vision a reality.” (Source: Satnews)
13 Sep 25. Es’hailSat, neXat MENA collaboration. A partnership between Qatari satellite company Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, and neXat, creators of the first satellite-specific open OSS/BSS platform, seeks to improve the way managed services are accessed and delivered across the Middle East and Africa. Es’hailSat will use the neXat platform to make it easier for its channel partners — such as licensed resellers — to purchase its managed services across the region. Es’hailSat will also benefit from improved access to resellers.
As well as managing the provision of managed services, neXat’s advanced tools will be used by Es’hailSat to manage their customer lifecycle. The platform is the first of its kind to unite the management of satcom services, customers and networks virtually.
“Our mission at neXat is to make managing and accessing satellite services easier, simpler and more cost effective. We’re excited for Es’hailSat, a major operator, to take advantage of our platform’s unique offerings to improve the access to their services across an important and growing region,” said neXat’s Senior VP APAC, Rajeev Nair.
Es’hailSat provides managed VSAT services and associated communication solutions for government and enterprises, on two co-located satellites at MENA’s orbital hot slots. Es’hailSat aims to expand its managed services offering across the region, which includes end-to-end satellite connectivity with customizable bandwidth, data volume, and SLA options, supported by hardware provisioning, network monitoring, field engineering, and 24/7 technical support. The service operates in Ku-band and Ka-band, offering high-speed data transfer and seamless integration with other telecom networks for applications like cellular backhaul and maritime communications.
“At Es’hailSat, we are always looking at ways to enhance our service offerings to deliver the satellite, teleport and managed services needed for customers across Middle East and North Africa,” added Es’hailSat’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari. “We believe that the highly robust and reliable services offered by this partnership between neXat and Es’hailSat, together with our Tier-4 certified teleport infrastructure, provide a strong base needed to serve end customers and our resellers across the region.”
neXat’s platform can help managed services providers address the higher costs and lower revenue per megahertz (MHz) in the current satellite market. The OSS-BBS helps operators reduce operational expenditures as they look to increase revenues by selling their MHz through managed services.
The platform will enable the operator to centralise management of multiple hubs, reduce operational overhead, and accelerate service rollout. (Source: Satnews)
10 Sep 25. Starship business valued at $2.5tn by 2030. A report from ARK Investment Management forecasts that Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship business, which carried out its tenth test flight on August 26th, is likely to be valued at some $2.5 trillion (€2.1tn) by the end of the decade. The rocket’s upper Starship spacecraft, which is designed to one day carry cargo or humans to Earth orbit and beyond but flew with only dummy payloads for this test mission, made a significant stride forward and made a soft water landing in the Indian Ocean.
The Starship team of engineers and technicians is now preparing for Test Flight #11.
ARK says that the August launch achieved all major objectives and extending its ~10-year lead over competitors. For the first time, the rocket launched eight Starlink simulators of next-gen v3 satellites. Stressed intentionally during re-entry, the rocket gathered critical heatshield and structural data before falling into the Indian Ocean.
“After the launch, Elon Musk disclosed plans for Starship v4 and putting SpaceX on track for the commercialization and reusability in ARK’s base case model for 2027 and a ~$2.5 trillion valuation in 2030,” said ARK.“In our model,” added ARK, “measured in bandwidth per kilogram (Gbps/kg), Starlink’s v3 performance is the most sensitive input, with satellite mass still unknown. ARK will be monitoring this performance carefully.” (Source: Satnews)
09 Sep 25 Thales Alenia Space leads 5G D2D demo for CNES with Capgemini + Thales Paris. Capgemini, Thales and Thales Alenia Space have been selected by the French Space Agency (CNES) as part of a government-backed call for projects under the France 2030 program to lead an innovative demonstration of 5G Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity. The project—named U DESERVE 5G— will demonstrate the feasibility of direct communications between satellites and mobile devices or fixed terminals (5G D2D). A demonstrator satellite will be placed in LEO to test interoperability between terrestrial and non-terrestrial 5G networks. The project will use a set of scenarios to evaluate how smoothly devices can switch between satellite and terrestrial 5G coverage, which is a crucial step toward truly global, seamless and uninterrupted connectivity. At a time when anytime, anywhere connectivity has become a strategic priority— both to meet market demand and ensure infrastructure resilience in crisis situations—satellite technology is emerging as a crucial and complementary solution alongside terrestrial networks.
At the heart of the project is an innovative 5G satellite payload with an active antenna. It will enable voice calls and data transmission directly between the satellite and a test mobile device, without routing via a ground station. The demonstrator will include all components of the chain: test satellite, payload, NTN* ground segment and test mobile devices. It will be compatible with Release 17 of the 3GPP 5G standard and will provide an end-to-end test platform to evaluate the performance of the 5G NTN/TN system and trial use cases, especially involving the Internet of Things (IoT).
Drawing on its expertise in telecommunications and its successful efforts to promote satellite 5G standardization, Thales Alenia Space will lead the consortium, which brings together: (Source: Satnews)
14 Sep 25. Airbus, Thales, Leonardo could sign first deal this year on satellite tie-up, Airbus executive says. European aerospace groups Leonardo, Thales and Airbus could sign an initial agreement to combine their satellite businesses as early as this year, the head of Airbus’ defence and space division said in an interview on Sunday, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
Under “Project Bromo,” Leonardo, Thales and Airbus plan to set up a satellite manufacturing company to compete with rivals from China and the U.S., including Elon Musk’s Starlink. “We’re on the right track, but several issues still need to be clarified before taking such a major step,” Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn told Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera.
Schoellhorn added that operations of this kind require a two-step process, comprising of a framework agreement and then a phase leading to the actual closing of the deal. “In this case, I believe the signing (of a first deal) could take place as early as in 2025”, he said. ($1 = 0.8523 euros) (Source: Reuters)
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Founded in 2017, MatrixSpace is creating the next generation of artificial intelligence enabled sensing solutions to digitize the outdoors beyond the limits of human perception.
The company combines novel artificial intelligence and radar technologies to identify movement and provide context in real-time. MatrixSpace sensors are the smallest, lightest and most portable high-performance systems on the market powered by AI. They deliver actionable insights that empower a broad range of public and private enterprises to protect assets and maintain safety with superior situational awareness.
For the modern, mobile battlespace, MatrixSpace provides both high performance 4D radar and jam-resistant mesh networked communications engineered to perform in the harshest conditions—day or night, in any weather, and in remote, rugged locations. Designed for flexibility, our radar systems can be integrated with tactical vehicles or mounted on structures like buildings, TOCs, or stanchions. Offering 360° coverage, they provide unmatched field-of-view advantages, while low energy consumption allows for solar/battery-powered operation in off-grid environments at twice the duration and a fraction the cost of alternatives. The MatrixSpace AI platform removes clutter and classifies objects, so operators can act confidently without specialized radar expertise.
The MatrixSpace expeditionary radar kit fits in a standard daypack and contains everything needed to deliver actionable detections to an ATAK mobile device in less than 5 mins.
MatrixSpace solutions are designed and developed in the United States, without ITAR export restrictions, manufactured under the highest ISO and IATF standards and rigorously tested for quality, reliability and compliance.
Visit maxtrixspace.com
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