The first satellite of the Google-backed FireSat constellation successfully made it to orbit over the weekend, kicking off what promises to be a new era in wildfire detection and monitoring. The constellation will keep a close eye on wildfires. When fully operational, the constellation’s more than 50 satellites will be able to image nearly all […]
Anduril speeds up launch of defense payloads by buying Apex satellite buses off the shelf
Anduril is expanding even further into the “ultimate high ground.” The company, which is best known for AI-powered defense products that span air, land and sea, is partnering with satellite bus manufacturing startup Apex Space to rapidly deploy payloads on orbit for the U.S. Department of Defense. It is a rare instance of the growing […]
Loft Orbital forms joint venture with UAE-based firm to scale satellite production in the Middle East
A holding company affiliated with an Emirati royal family is injecting a new joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Marlan Space and startup Loft Orbital with over $ 100 million to grow the region’s domestic satellite manufacturing capabilities. The joint venture, called Orbitworks, will be the first commercial firm in the United Arab Emirates to mass […]
TechCrunch Minute: Lockheed Martin rescues satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital
Lockheed Martin is acquiring satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital, taking the smaller company private and potentially rescuing it from running out of cash while facing of serious debt. Although Terran Orbital itself wasn’t founded until 2013, its history goes back to the late ’90s, to the development of the CubeSat, which became the flagship in a […]
UK satellite startup Blue Skies Space wants to sell astronomy data ‘as a service’
A U.K. space startup has revealed plans to launch its first satellite as part of SpaceX’s rideshare program, ushering in what it claims will be a “new era of space research,” where astronomy data is collected, packaged and sold “as a service.” Similar to previous missions, SpaceX’s Transporter 15 program next year will use a […]