Sponsored by MatrixSpace
http://matrixspace.com
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16 Oct 25. ICEYE, the global leader in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operations for Earth observation, and IHI Corporation (“IHI”), the Japanese leader in aerospace and defense industries, have signed a procurement contract to build an Earth observation satellite constellation for security, civilian, and commercial use. Under the terms of the contract, IHI has placed an initial order for four satellites and associated image acquisition system, with the option to procure a further 20 satellites at a later stage. The first satellites are expected to begin phased commissioning and data delivery from around April 2026. The agreement marks a significant step in the partnership between ICEYE and IHI. ICEYE’s satellites use radar to produce detailed images regardless of clouds or darkness, ensuring uninterrupted monitoring for defense, disaster response, and environmental management.
Rafal Modrzewski, Co-founder and CEO of ICEYE, said: “ICEYE has built a trusted partnership with Japan since 2018, grounded in shared values and innovation. This agreement with IHI marks a new milestone in strengthening our partnership and enhancing shared security and resilience. By combining IHI’s engineering excellence with ICEYE’s SAR technology, we’re enabling sovereign access to critical Earth observation data and advancing Japan’s leadership in space-based intelligence.”
Hiroshi Ide, President and CEO of IHI, commented: “At IHI, we are committed to contributing to the realization of a safe and secure society in a rapidly changing world. This initiative represents an investment in IHI’s future. In collaboration with ICEYE, we are taking on the challenge of creating new value through cutting-edge satellite technology. Through the development of an Earth observation satellite constellation, we aim to address not only national and economic security but also a wide range of societal challenges. By harnessing the full strength of the IHI Group’s manufacturing capabilities, we will lead the construction of essential infrastructure that will be indispensable for the society of the future.”
Two of the initial four satellites are planned to be assembled and tested in Japan, with preparations already under way between IHI and ICEYE. Subject to successful demonstration results, IHI plans to exercise options for the remaining 20 satellites in phases from fiscal year 2026, targeting completion of the 24-satellite constellation by fiscal year 2029. The contract follows the memorandum of understanding signed between ICEYE and IHI in May 2025 to jointly develop the constellation and establish domestic production facilities in Japan. This cooperation builds on the companies’ shared vision to combine ICEYE’s SAR technology and rapid satellite deployment capabilities with IHI’s engineering heritage to advance Japan’s manufacturing and space capabilities. (Source: PR Newswire)
15 Oct 25. Germany and France on Wednesday signed an implementation agreement for a satellite-based early warning system called Odin’s Eye, which is meant to significantly improve Europe’s ability to detect missile launches.
“It remains crucial for our joint defence that we can detect and counter threats as swiftly as possible,” German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said at a signing ceremony with his new French counterpart Catherine Vautrin on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels.
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“From space, we aim to spot hostile missiles the moment they are launched. Only then we can intercept them in time.”
German space company OHB has been coordinating the development of an architecture for Odin’s Eye. (Source: Reuters)
15 Oct 25. New Zealand confirms acceleration for space, advanced aviation sectors. The New Zealand government has announced intentions to further accelerate the value of its space and advanced aviation sectors by 2030. NZ Minister for Space and Minister of Defence Judith Collins made the comments during this year’s New Zealand Aerospace Summit in Christchurch earlier this week. The space and advanced aviation sectors are entering a phase defined by scale, ambition and global relevance, according to Minister Collins.
“At this summit a year ago, I released the New Zealand Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy, which set out our ambition to double the value of the sectors by 2030,” Minister Collins said.
“An economic report released earlier this year shows space sector revenues increased 53 per cent to $2.68 bn in the five years to 2024, and the advanced aviation sector, which overlaps with the space sector, had a total estimated revenue of $530 m in 2024.
“Our space and advanced aviation sectors are more than just rockets, drones and satellites. They’re about advanced manufacturing, AI and autonomy, Earth monitoring and next-generation mobility.
“The sectors are also about building a high-tech economy that delivers high-value jobs and solutions to global challenges.
“We are on track to establish a world-leading regulatory environment for the sectors. By the end of this year, we will have put in place a regulatory sandbox where tests can be carried out freely and safely.
“New Zealand’s approach to advanced aviation regulations is proving to be world-leading and will attract more interest from overseas players keen to take advantage of a safe and responsive and regulatory environment.
“In July we passed new legislation to deter foreign interference and protect New Zealand’s national interests and national security through a new regulatory regime for operators of ground-based space infrastructure.
“In terms of a national space mission, our first objective is to develop our sovereign space capabilities and I expect I will have more to say about this by the end of the year.
“All of this is evidence New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors are no longer emerging, they’re here and they’re accelerating.” (Source: Space Connect)
14 Oct 25. Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), a leading provider of global voice, data, and PNT satellite services, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI) today announced that they have successfully integrated Iridium® data services into the Snapdragon® Mission Tactical Radio (MTR) and intend to make these services available for adoption and use by U.S. government customers and approved allied partners. By integrating Iridium data services, Snapdragon MTR-equipped devices, ranging from handheld and mounted radios to autonomous vehicles, stand to benefit from flexible, highly reliable, and secure L-band satellite communications in environments where terrestrial networks are congested, compromised, or unavailable. To meet diverse mission needs, the Snapdragon MTR can integrate multiple Iridium services into a single chipset: Short Burst Data® (SBD®), for proven low-latency messaging and telemetry, and Iridium Burst®, for receipt of simultaneous broadcasts to an unlimited number of enabled devices. The Iridium waveform, coupled with QTI’s leadership in commercial wireless capabilities such as cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GNSS, will enable powerful global connectivity in devices with strict size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements.
Iridium Executive Vice President of Government Programs Scott Scheimreif said, “The Snapdragon MTR positions Iridium and QTI at the forefront of next-generation communications architectures while equipping warfighters and coalition partners with scalable solutions.”
11 Oct 25. Amazon’s KF-03 mission now planned for Sunday by SpaceX with calmer seas. After postponing the KF-03 since Monday, SpaceX is now targeting Sunday, October 12 for a Falcon 9 launch of the KF-03 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 8:29 p.m. ET with additional opportunities available until 10:44 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Monday, October 13 starting at 8:08 p.m. ET. Facing rough seas offshore along the Eastern Seaboard, SpaceX is now targeting 8:29 p.m. Sunday, October 12, for liftoff from Launch Complex 40. The mission for Amazon is to deploy Amazon’s 28 satellites into low-Earth orbit. According to weather officials, there’s a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch. Officials are monitoring weather conditions with concerns related to Cumulus Cloud Rule. The forecast calls for a temperature of 75°F, few clouds, 22% cloud cover and a wind speed of 15mph. A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app. This will be the second flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched KF-02. After stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. (Source: Satnews)
08 Oct 25. Ground Control joins CLS to advance satellite IoT for environmental and infrastructure monitoring. Ground Control, the UK and U.S.-based specialist in satellite IoT devices and cloud-based platforms, has been acquired by CLS, the global provider of satellite services for environmental monitoring and resource management. Since 2006, CLS has been supporting humanitarian organizations with HUMANAV, a digital solution co-developed with field-active agencies. The acquisition strengthens CLS’s position in the rapidly growing satellite IoT market and enhances its ability to deliver solutions for environmental protection, climate adaptation, and the security of people, assets and critical infrastructure. The company’s sustained growth underscores the effectiveness of CLS’s strategy and its resilience in an increasingly competitive global market. This acquisition marks the group’s 18th since it began external growth initiatives in 2008. As the long-standing operator of the Argos satellite-based data collection and localization system, CLS was tracking objects long before the advent of GPS. A subsidiary of CNES (French Space Agency) and CNP, an investment company, CLS pioneered satellite data collection and geolocation services, which remain at the core of its activities. Over the years, the company has become a global player in satellite IoT solutions. Ground Control brings expertise in rugged satellite hardware, from cost-effective RockBLOCK modules to advanced RockREMOTE devices, and its Cloudloop platform for device and data management. Ground Control’s technologies enrich CLS’s already extensive ecosystem, which includes beacons, services, decision-support cloud platforms, forecasting models and artificial intelligence tools. While CLS and Ground Control sometimes operate in the same strategic sectors, they address complementary customer bases and offer distinct yet interoperable technologies. The acquisition adds four operational sites to CLS’s existing network of 31 offices across five continents, bringing the total to 35 locations and more than 1,100 employees. Clients of both companies will benefit from an integrated ecosystem, expanded local presence, increased R&D capacity, and a shared commitment to sustainable innovation.
Stéphanie Limouzin, President of The CLS Group, said, “Combining CLS’s space-based IoT services with Ground Control’s hardware and cloud platforms allows us to provide clients with a broader range of solutions, faster support, and more operational flexibility.”
Alastair MacLeod, CEO of Ground Control, said, “Joining CLS is a natural step for Ground Control. Together, we offer complete end-to-end solutions with stronger global coverage and shared environmental values.”
About Ground Control
Ground Control is a UK- and US-based company specialized in reliable, rugged satellite and hybrid IoT communications solutions for remote and mission-critical operations. Founded nearly 30 years ago, the company has built a strong reputation for designing and manufacturing compact, low-power satellite IoT devices and two-way messaging trackers, used across industries where connectivity is essential, no matter how remote the location. At the heart of Ground Control’s offering is Cloudloop, a flexible and secure device and subscription management platform that enables seamless provisioning, data routing, and operational visibility across diverse global asset fleets. With teams based in the UK and California, Ground Control serves a broad range of sectors. Now part of the CLS Group, Ground Control continues to develop robust, field-proven technology while benefiting from the global reach, environmental mission, and scientific legacy of its new parent company. (Source: Satnews)
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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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