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08 Apr 26. Astroscale Ltd (“Astroscale UK”), the UK subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Ministry of Defence’s Orpheus mission, marking a major milestone in delivering new UK capability in support of Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) thereby strengthening the UK’s long-term resilience in space.
The Orpheus mission requires Astroscale UK to operate two spacecraft, to be built by subcontractor Open Cosmos, flying in close formation delivering critical data on the space domain. The development of the spacecraft builds on Open Cosmos’s small satellite heritage and incorporates significant design input from Astroscale UK. It is a highly collaborative partnership with critical technical support from Dstl and contributions from international partners including the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Defence Research and Development Canada. These satellites will collect in-situ and remote-sensing data that will deepen the UK’s ability to anticipate and mitigate emerging threats in orbit.
The CDR confirms the maturity of the mission design and authorises the programme to progress to spacecraft integration readiness. The £5.15m contract was awarded to Astroscale UK by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) via BAE Systems under the Serapis framework.
Astroscale UK will operate the mission from Harwell, Oxfordshire, drawing on extensive in-orbit heritage from the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions, which have demonstrated the company’s world-leading expertise in Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). This capability is central not only to Orpheus, but to the UK’s broader ambitions in in-orbit servicing and space securityl, supporting freedom of operation in space while protecting against interference.
“Passing CDR is an important achievement for the Orpheus programme and a demonstration of Astroscale UK’s ability to deliver missions that enhance national resilience,” said Nick Shave, Managing Director, Astroscale UK. “This mission will provide vital insights for both the UK and its international partners as we work together to ensure the security and stability of the space environment.”
“Passing Critical Design Review marks a major achievement for the Orpheus mission and for everyone involved,” said Andrew Robinson, Dstl Space Systems Programme Manager. “As a Dstl procured CubeSat mission carrying a suite of international payloads, Orpheus reflects over a decade of close collaboration with our international allies and showcases the strength of our partnerships with UK industry. This mission will deliver vital research and development outcomes for Dstl’s Space Systems Programme and play a key role in advancing the UK’s ability to design, build, and deliver space systems for the future.”
The CDR milestone comes at a time of increasing national focus on space. Over the past year, UK Government has placed greater emphasis on space as a domain of strategic importance – from last year’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Strategic Defence Review to growing commitments to international programmes, including the European Space Agency’s Space Safety Programme.
Orpheus contributes directly to this momentum, combining sovereign UK capability development with deep international collaboration, reflecting the UK’s commitment to partnering with allies to advance shared SDA and ISR objectives.
With CDR now complete, Astroscale UK and its industrial partners, including Open Cosmos, will move into the next phase of programme delivery, progressing towards system integration and mission readiness. The Orpheus mission remains on track for a planned launch in 2027, as the programme continues to mature under close collaboration with government and industry partners. This next phase will focus on preparing the mission for flight while maintaining the rigorous assurance required to deliver a resilient new UK capability in space domain awareness. (Source: Satnews)
02 Apr 26. WISeSat.Space Expands IoT Constellation with 21st Satellite Launch via SpaceX.
On March 30, 2026, WISeKey International Holding Ltd announced that its space-focused subsidiary, WISeSat.Space, successfully deployed its 21st satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of a rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This milestone reinforces the company’s position in the rapidly growing satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) market.
The newly deployed satellite is part of a strategic roadmap to provide secure, global connectivity for industrial and government assets. By utilizing a picosatellite form factor, WISeSat.Space is able to maintain a high-cadence deployment schedule while minimizing launch costs. The mission successfully achieved orbital insertion, and ground teams have established stable communications with the spacecraft.
Secure IoT and Cryptographic Integration
A key differentiator for the WISeSat constellation is the integration of WISeKey’s proprietary cryptographic “Root of Trust” technology. This hardware-based security layer ensures that data transmitted from IoT sensors on the ground to the satellite—and back to end-users—remains encrypted and authenticated.
The system is designed to support a variety of use cases, including:
- Maritime and Logistics: Real-time tracking of containers and vessels in remote oceanic regions.
- Agriculture: Monitoring soil moisture and crop health in areas without terrestrial cellular coverage.
- Infrastructure: Securing data transmission from remote energy grids and water management systems.
- Environmental Monitoring: Collecting data from climate sensors in polar or high-altitude environments.
Strategic Partnership and Launch Dynamics
The continued use of SpaceX for constellation deployment highlights the current reliance on high-cadence, heavy-lift providers to clear payload backlogs. As WISeSat.Space scales toward its goal of a full operational constellation, the ability to secure frequent launch slots is critical for maintaining network latency and coverage targets.
The launch also marks a deeper collaboration between WISeSat.Space and its manufacturing partners. Each successive satellite in the series features iterative improvements in power management and software-defined radio (SDR) capabilities, allowing for more efficient spectrum utilization and higher data throughput for low-power sensors.
Executive Perspective
“The successful launch of our 21st satellite is a testament to the scalability of our secure IoT platform,” said Carlos Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey. “By combining our long-standing expertise in cybersecurity with advanced picosatellite technology, we are providing a unique, end-to-end secure communication channel that addresses the vulnerabilities of traditional terrestrial networks.” (Source: Satnews)
02 Apr 26. AAC Clyde Space Expands Orbital Presence with Transporter-16 Launch .
On March 30, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched its Transporter-16 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying a diverse manifest of 119 payloads. Among the spacecraft deployed were seven satellites designed and built by AAC Clyde Space, marking another significant milestone for the Swedish-headquartered space technology provider.
The mission continues AAC Clyde Space’s streak of having its technology on every SpaceX Transporter flight to date, underscoring its integrated role within the small satellite ecosystem.
VIREON Constellation and EPIC Platforms
The launch featured the first two satellites of AAC Clyde Space’s proprietary Earth Observation constellation, VIREON-1 and VIREON-2. These 16U-class satellites are optimized for high-resolution land and vegetation monitoring, providing multispectral imagery with a 1.5-meter ground sample distance. The VIREON system is designed to deliver analysis-ready data for sectors such as agriculture and forestry, enabling resource-conscious decision-making through frequent revisits and detailed canopy-level insights.
In addition to its own constellation, the mission included several spacecraft built for commercial and institutional customers using the EPIC satellite platform family. This modular architecture allows for the rapid manufacturing of high-reliability satellites tailored for either Earth observation (EPIC VIEW) or communications (EPIC LINK). One notable customer mission on this flight is Io-1, a 4U EPIC satellite developed for Iota Technology as part of the MagQuest competition to advance global magnetic field measurements.
Advancing High-Speed Data with CubeCAT
A major technological highlight of the mission is the inclusion of CubeCAT laser communication terminals on multiple spacecraft. These compact subsystems represent a transition from traditional radio frequency (RF) to optical communications, which allows for significantly higher data throughput without the complexities of radio spectrum licensing.
The CubeCAT terminal is designed specifically for the size, mass, and power constraints of nanosatellites. It enables bidirectional space-to-ground links with downlink speeds reaching up to 1 Gbps. By incorporating an onboard data management system with a large storage buffer, the subsystem acts as a plug-and-play solution for data-hungry missions that require the rapid offloading of high-resolution imagery or large sensor datasets.
Strategic Impact of Rideshare Access
The Transporter-16 mission illustrates the importance of the SpaceX rideshare program as a reliable and cost-effective access route for small satellite operators. For AAC Clyde Space, the mission demonstrates a vertically integrated business model that spans satellite components, complete mission services, and space-based data delivery.
Luis Gomes, CEO of AAC Clyde Space, noted that the launch highlights the company’s breadth across the space value chain. By supporting both its own data-as-a-service initiatives and providing advanced subsystems for third-party missions, the company is positioning itself at the center of the push for more accessible and actionable space-based intelligence. (Source: Satnews)
08 Apr 26. 4iG and Northrop Grumman sign multimillion dollar agreement for first Hungarian communications satellite.
- During the visit of J. D. Vance, Vice President of the United States, and his delegation to Budapest, several major space and defence industry agreements involving 4iG Space and Defence Technologies (4iG S&D) are signed, enhancing economic, security and technological cooperation between Hungary and the United States.
- As part of these agreements, 4iG S&D and Northrop Grumman entered into the following:
o Under the HUSAT programme, Northrop Grumman begins working on Hungary’s first geostationary communications satellite (HUGEO), based on the flight-proven GEOStar-3 platform. Scheduled for delivery in 2030, the project represents the largest international collaboration within the HUSAT programme.
o In addition, the companies are expanding the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed last December, extending the intention to cooperate beyond space industry projects to include joint programmes in counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), advanced weapons and precision guidance systems.
- As part of transatlantic cooperation, 4iG S&D also signed an agreement with L3Harris Technologies, opening new opportunities in defence digitalisation and local industrial integration of HIMARS systems, while reinforcing its role in the regional development of NATO-compatible technologies.
- 4iG S&D also signed an agreement with leading U.S. small satellite platform manufacturer Apex Technology on the framework conditions for establishing a joint venture. The initiative aims to develop a European-based, scalable small satellite manufacturing capacity, designed to support multi-satellite systems (constellations).
In the presence of Márton Nagy, Minister for National Economy of Hungary, 4iG Space and Defence Technologies (4iG S&D) and Northrop Grumman signed multimillion dollar agreement, reinforcing 4iG S&D’s position within transatlantic space and defence industry value chains.
The HUSAT programme, the flagship satellite programme of 4iG S&D, is designed to ensure Hungary’s technological sovereignty in communications and Earth observation. Within the programme, a geostationary communications satellite (HUGEO) and eight low Earth orbit (LEO) Earth observation satellites (HULEO) are planned to be deployed in 2030. The geostationary satellite will be manufactured by Northrop Grumman, while the eight Earth observation satellites will be produced by 4iG S&D, leveraging its own development and manufacturing capabilities at its technology centre located in Hungary, scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2026. The supplier structure has already been established: the ground antenna system will be provided by Vertex (Germany), imaging systems by TelePIX (South Korea), and SAR radar technology by MetaSensing (Italy).
As the manufacturer of the geostationary satellite component of the HUSAT programme, Northrop Grumman will deliver a solution built on the GEOStar-3 platform, proven in national security and dual-use environments and representing state-of-the-art technology.
The agreement covers the entire geosynchronous satellite programme including design, manufacture, assembly, integration, testing, and on-ground delivery of the HUGEO satellite; transportation to a U.S. launch site, launch integration and early operations support services, and in-orbit testing. The satellite is scheduled for delivery in 2030. The HUGEO mission is designed to provide Hungary with critical dual-use communications capabilities.
The companies also expanded their strategic cooperation, extending the scope of their MoU beyond space projects to include defence technologies such as counter-UAS systems, advanced weapons and precision guidance systems, through joint development, manufacturing and system integration programmes.
„Today, we signed a landmark agreement with Northrop Grumman to secure Hungary’s access to critical dual-use satellite communications capabilities, a key enabling technology in today’s geopolitical environment. Our agreements with L3Harris Technologies and Apex Technology, together with our existing partnerships and investments with Lockheed Martin and Axiom Space, demonstrate our ability to collaborate with leading global technology partners while integrating Hungarian industrial and engineering capabilities to deliver new, export-ready and NATO-compatible solutions in Hungary and across the region. We believe transatlantic cooperation will be a key driver of space and defence innovation in the coming decade, in which 4iG S&D aims to play a pioneering role among other Hungarian and regional companies” – said István Sárhegyi, Chairman and CEO of 4iG S&D.
4iG S&D and Apex Technology agreed on the framework conditions for establishing a joint venture focused on scalable production of small satellites. The collaboration aims to develop a manufacturing model tailored for satellite constellations by adapting standardised and scalable mass production approaches proven in the automotive industry. The initiative is expected to create a unique, scalable satellite manufacturing capacity in Europe, capable of meeting the rapidly growing global demand for satellite constellations.
Under the preliminary agreement with L3Harris Technologies, 4iG S&D plans to integrate Lockheed Martin HIMARS rocket system onto Tatra 6×6 military trucks manufactured by RÁBA, as part of the HUMARS programme, incorporating L3Harris technologies. The programme can be implemented under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework, for which the Hungarian Defence Forces have already submitted a Letter of Request (LoR).
The agreement also positions L3Harris Technologies as a strategic technology partner in regional defence digitalisation projects, leveraging its battlefield-proven tactical communications and networking systems. Through specialised networks supporting the modernisation encrypted communications, simulation and training systems for armed forces, 4iG S&D plans to integrate advanced defence solutions based on L3Harris NATO-compatible technologies. L3Harris delivers similar solutions to the German armed forces as part of ongoing digitalisation programmes.
US partnerships – ranging from its investment in Axiom Space to its collaborations with Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman and Apex Technology – underscore a clear strategic direction: strengthening 4iG S&D’s position in transatlantic space and defence industry cooperation while expanding Hungary’s sovereign defence and space technology capabilities.
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