Viasat, SES Space & Defense and Astranis win NASA Ka-band relay contracts
NASA picked three companies to develop commercial Ka-band relay concepts succeeding its aging TDRS fleet.
news / procurement
OHB wins 554 million euro ESA contract for Sentinel-3 Next Generation satellites
ESA tapped OHB to build two Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography radar-altimetry satellites, with an option for a third.
Update: India moves to hand Kulasekarapattinam spaceport to private operators
ISRO names a March-April 2027 target for Kulasekarapattinam's first rocket launch.
original 2026-08-09
ESA opens call to fund reusable booster flight demonstrations
ESA's BEST 2 call asks ArianeGroup, MaiaSpace and Isar Aerospace to fly reusable booster demonstrators.
Space Force weighs 5-satellite proliferated cislunar constellation for 2029
The Space Force says it may launch up to 5 seed satellites to cislunar space by late 2029 to shape a future constellation.
Hanwha Systems beats KAI for Korea's 40-satellite SAR constellation contract
Hanwha Systems beat KAI to win a South Korean government contract to build a 40-satellite military SAR constellation.
NASA seeks commercial proposals to save Hubble from reentry
NASA's new RFI asks companies to propose boosting, servicing, or safely deorbiting Hubble before it reenters around 2033.
NASA aims to cut science mission selection time by up to 45%
NASA's Competition Model 2.0 aims to cut science-mission selection timelines by up to 45%, starting with a lighter first review step.
Space Force opens ACES pathway for commercial access to classified programs
Space Systems Command's new ACES program aims to speed security clearances for commercial vendors joining classified space work.
Planet wins NASA evaluation task order for Tanager hyperspectral data
NASA will evaluate over 250,000 square kilometers of Planet's Tanager hyperspectral imagery under its commercial data program.
State Department launches $5M Project Constellation space-diplomacy push
The State Department picked three US organizations to run a $5M, two-year program building space partnerships with 70-plus countries.
U.S. State Department · Meridian International Center · Commercial Space Federation · SPACEAIMS2 sources →
Starlink inks deal to connect schools across 85 Bolivian municipalities
Bolivia will supply free Starlink antennas and 24 months of service to schools in 85 La Paz municipalities under its Aula Conectada program.
GAO flags cost and data-gap risks in NOAA's scaled-back GeoXO satellites
GAO found NOAA's slimmed-down GeoXO weather satellites still lack a verified cost estimate and risk a data-continuity gap.
UK Space Agency targets July 2027 award for space-surveillance radar
UKSA plans to award a split, up to £30 million contract for a Southern-Hemisphere radar that tracks LEO debris, per European Spaceflight.
ClearSpace wins £61.3 million UK Active Debris Removal mission contract
The UK Space Agency picked ClearSpace over Astroscale and Starfish Space to build its first national debris removal mission.
India signs Rs 2,563 crore GSAT-7C satellite deal for its air force
India's defence ministry contracted NewSpace India Limited to build GSAT-7C, the air force's first dedicated comms satellite.
NASA releases final RFP for Commercial LEO Destinations space stations
NASA issued its final request for proposals for commercial space stations, with industry responses due December 8.
NASA eyes bulk rocket purchases for its Moon Base amid Falcon 9 squeeze
NASA's Moon Base program is weighing bulk, multi-rocket launch buys as SpaceX limits new Falcon 9 bookings past 2028.
Kenya signs funding deal for Kipini spaceport feasibility study
Kenya's government and space agency signed a funding deal to study a commercial spaceport on the coast near Kipini.
FEMA signs agency-wide hazard-monitoring subscription with ICEYE
FEMA moved from buying ICEYE satellite data event by event to a standing, agency-wide multi-year subscription.
Modulate Space wins $38 million NASA contract for lunar 5G network
NASA awarded Modulate Space a roughly $38 million contract to develop a 5G and Wi-Fi 6 network for the lunar surface.
EU states endorse space project that could draw EUR24 billion by 2034
EU states endorsed a joint space-defense project the Commission says could draw up to EUR24 billion by 2034.
Update: Space Force picks 15 firms for $981 million space test and training contract
Redwire confirmed its own selection Sept. 24, with President Mike Gold saying the award "underscores Redwire's role as a trusted provider" to Space Systems C...
original 2026-07-31
GomSpace joins ESA-funded study for Arctic satellite constellation
GomSpace and partners will study a future Arctic satellite constellation for secure maritime communication under an ESA-funded contract.
L3Harris completes design review for SDA Tranche 3 tracking satellites
L3Harris finished the preliminary design review for its 18 SDA Tranche 3 missile-tracking satellites.
CNES calls for new rocket-tracking turrets at French Guiana spaceport
CNES wants three automated tracking turrets to replace aging optical systems watching Ariane and Vega launches from French Guiana.
Update: Spire, PlanetiQ, Ethereal Space win $67 million in NOAA weather-data task orders
Spire Global said Sept. 22 that NOAA awarded it a $33.2 million task order to deliver GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) data, including RO profiles with Tempo...
original 2026-09-22
EU commissioner says bloc needs 14 Ariane 6 launches a year by 2031
EU commissioner Kubilius says government demand needs 14 Ariane 6 launches a year by 2031, above ArianeGroup's planned output.
Spire, PlanetiQ, Ethereal Space win $67 million in NOAA weather-data task orders
NOAA's own release shows Spire's $33.2 million task order was one of three simultaneous awards, not a single company plus surge options.
Space Force seeks commercial docking-capable spacecraft for Tactically Responsive Space
Space Force's Space Safari office wants commercial spacecraft that can rendezvous with and dock to other satellites on short notice.
Update: SpaceX wins $2.29 billion Space Force contract for data network backbone
Space Force officials confirmed Sept. 15 that SpaceX may define the SDN Backbone's own satellite count and constellation architecture rather than follow a fi...
original 2026-05-26
Space Force lets SpaceX set its own design for $2.3B network
Space Force set performance targets, not a satellite count, for SpaceX's Space Data Network contract.
Northrop Grumman confirmed as prime for Space Force's RRS-G tracking program
Space Force named its ground-target-tracking program RRS-G and confirmed Northrop Grumman as prime, per Breaking Defense.
Planet wins up to €25 million German federal satellite-tasking contract
Planet's own release: Germany's BKG gets exclusive dedicated satellite tasking access under a deal worth up to €25 million over five years.
Update: Rocket Lab protests NASA's Mars orbiter award to Blue Origin
A re-run corroboration search found two independent trade-press pickups (The Register, SatNews) the original found_none crawl missed three days ago; attached...
original 2026-09-11score 2 → 3
Laser Light opens supplier search for HALO optical satellite fleet
Per Laser Light's release: the company opened a formal RFI seeking a prime contractor for its planned all-optical HALO constellation.
Update: NOAA launches 10-year commercial satellite data contract vehicle
NOAA named 14 initial industry partners across seven data categories, per its own release and Via Satellite's fuller category breakdown: GNSS radio occultati...
original 2026-09-11
NOAA launches 10-year commercial satellite data contract vehicle
NOAA stood up a new $8 billion Space-Based Environmental Monitoring IDIQ running through 2036, with 14 commercial partners.
Rocket Lab protests NASA's Mars orbiter award to Blue Origin
Rocket Lab has filed a GAO protest challenging NASA's $700 million Mars orbiter award to Blue Origin.
UK discloses nearly $40 million in Starlink and Starshield spending
Per Reuters (FOIA): UK defence ministry has spent almost $40 million on SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield satellite services.
Exotrail to lead France 2030 deorbiting demo with Astroscale, Eutelsat
CNES selects Exotrail to prime a sovereign satellite-deorbiting demonstration with Astroscale France and Eutelsat, targeting 2029-2030.
EarthDaily wins standing offer to sell satellite imagery to Canadian government
EarthDaily secured a Government of Canada standing offer streamlining how federal agencies buy its commercial satellite imagery.
NASA names Henry Helgeson as its first Chief Commercial Officer
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman created a Chief Commercial Officer post and named Henry Helgeson to fill it.
Space Force picks Texas site for third Northrop Grumman DARC radar
The Space Force picked Lake Kickapoo, Texas for the third and final Northrop Grumman DARC deep-space radar site.
Hanwha Systems signs on to build Korea's national space debris tracking system
Hanwha Systems will build a surveillance satellite and AI ground system for South Korea's national space situational awareness project.
BAE Systems clears critical design review for Space Force missile-tracking satellites
Space Systems Command completed critical design review for the second batch of BAE-built MEO missile warning and tracking satellites.
ESA calls for bids to build Europe's radioisotope heater plant
ESA opened a tender for a pilot plant to produce Europe's own americium-241 spacecraft heaters, ending reliance on outside suppliers.
Eutelsat and Tusass launch EU-backed satellite project for Greenland
Eutelsat and Tusass launched an EU- and Denmark-funded project extending OneWeb LEO connectivity to remote Greenland communities.
ASD Eurospace CEOs say Europe lacks the industrial model to match its space capabilities
Per ASD Eurospace President Marco Fuchs: Europe needs "strong and determined institutional customers" to anchor a stable space market.
Open Cosmos selected as approved provider for UK's £8bn TacSys framework
Open Cosmos becomes an approved provider on the UK's £8 billion TacSys defence-communications framework.
NASA consolidates launch programs into single procurement office
NASA is merging its launch programs into one office weighing block buys of launch services, per SpaceNews.
Vantor wins Navy contract to support Indo-Pacific maritime awareness
Vantor's Maritime Sentry will feed SAR and optical imagery into the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness.
Blue Origin wins $700M NASA Mars Telecommunications Network contract
NASA picked Blue Origin over Rocket Lab to build and operate a $700 million Mars telecom orbiter due by December 2028.
ESA signs first European Launcher Challenge contracts worth €543.6 million
ESA awarded Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and PLD Space a combined €543.6 million to fly alternatives to Ariane 6.
Spire, Muon Space, Weather Stream win NOAA microwave-sounder awards
NOAA's TMATE program awarded Spire, Muon Space, and Weather Stream a combined $46.5 million to build new microwave sounding instruments.
LeoLabs wins $20.68M Space Force OTA for Scout-S radar
LeoLabs will deliver a modified Scout-S radar system for the Space Force under a $20.68 million prototype award.
Update: India moves to hand Kulasekarapattinam spaceport to private operators
IN-SPACe opened a formal Expression of Interest process for the Kulasekarapattinam handover, with concrete registration/site-visit/meeting dates and a specif...
original 2026-08-09score 2 → 3
Update: SpaceWERX awards $562.5 million across 11 STRATFI startups
Discovery-pass find (via the signals-pass Aviation Week author-page leg) duplicated an already-published item from an earlier sweep today, which had shipped...
original 2026-08-20score 2 → 3
SpaceWERX awards $562.5 million across 11 STRATFI startups
SpaceWERX named 11 STRATFI awardees at the Fed Supernova conference, matching $562.5 million in Space Force and private funding.
Agile Space Industries · Antares Nuclear · EO Solutions · Hydrosat · Kall Morris · Method Security · Muon Space · Scout Space · Sedaro · Star Catcher · ThinkOrbital2 sources →
Update: Space Force awards five satellite firms $60 million for network tests
Rocket Lab said Aug. 18 it will use a Rocket Lab-built Photon spacecraft to demonstrate secure optical inter-satellite links and interoperability with the SD...
original 2026-08-13
HawkEye 360 wins NRO's first operational commercial RF contract
HawkEye 360 became the first commercial RF provider to reach an operational NRO contract after completing three BAA test phases.
CNES seeks industry partner for mass-producible satellite telescope
CNES issued an RFI for a compact, diamond-machined optical telescope meant to scale past 1,000 units for constellations.
Firefly wins NASA payload-processing contract for Vandenberg missions
NASA added Firefly to its Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract, letting it compete for payload-processing task orders at Vandenberg.
Update: Firefly, D-Orbit and Katalyst win Pentagon deorbit-as-a-service study awards
The Space Development Agency and Defense Innovation Unit awarded Firefly Aerospace, D-Orbit USA and Katalyst Space a combined roughly $8.4 million for prelim...
original 2026-08-13
Spire and PlanetiQ win NOAA radio-occultation data contracts
NOAA awarded Spire $3.7 million and PlanetiQ $2.7 million for GNSS radio-occultation weather data through early December.
Space Force awards five satellite firms $60 million for network tests
Amazon Leo, Lockheed, Northrop, Rocket Lab and York Space each get $12M to test linking to Space Force's satellite network.
Firefly, D-Orbit and Katalyst win Pentagon deorbit-as-a-service study awards
SDA and DIU tapped Firefly, D-Orbit and Katalyst for a combined $8.4 million to design commercial satellite-deorbit services.
Firefly's SciTec wins $94 million Space Force radar contract
SciTec, a Firefly Aerospace subsidiary, won a $93.7 million Space Force contract to modernize ground-based radar.
Golden Dome program launches digital hub for commercial engagement
Golden Dome opened a public web portal letting companies submit concepts and access unclassified program data before formal solicitations.
Update: EU Commission signs deal expanding IRIS2 constellation to 348 satellites
Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said the deal will "boost secure governmental capacity by more than 60% within the Union." Payload reported the division of lab...
original 2026-08-06
Voyager Technologies wins Space Force space-to-space comms deal
Voyager Technologies won a Space Force contract to develop space-to-space communications; value undisclosed.
India moves to hand Kulasekarapattinam spaceport to private operators
India has begun transferring operation and maintenance of the Rs 986 crore Kulasekarapattinam launch facility to private companies.
Update: NRO awards Capella, ICEYE and Umbra new commercial radar-imagery contracts
Via Satellite's own write-up independently confirms the same NRO Commercial Radar Capabilities awards to Capella, ICEYE US and Umbra, with additional detail...
original 2026-08-05score 2 → 3
EU Commission signs deal expanding IRIS2 constellation to 348 satellites
The European Commission and SpaceRISE concluded a deal adding 66 satellites to IRIS2, taking the program to EUR15.6 billion.
European Commission · SES · Eutelsat · Hispasat · Airbus Defence and Space · Thales Alenia Space · OHB5 sources →
Update: Telesat signs $2.3 billion Canadian Arctic military satcom contract
Telesat signed a definitive $2.3 billion CAD contract with Canada's Defence Investment Agency for 15 years of Military Ka-band Arctic connectivity under the...
original 2026-07-08
NRO awards Capella, ICEYE and Umbra new commercial radar-imagery contracts
The NRO awarded Capella Space, ICEYE U.S. and Umbra new contracts to expand government use of commercial SAR imagery.
Telesat wins C$2.3 billion Arctic satcom contract from Canada
Canada awarded Telesat a C$2.3 billion Arctic military satcom contract, expanding Lightspeed by 69 satellites to 225 total.
Spire wins $3 million NOAA extension for hyperspectral sounder data
NOAA extended its evaluation of Spire's Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder data with a $3 million contract add-on.
Rocket Lab wins $397 million Space Force contract for AMTI Flatellites
Rocket Lab and STR split $615 million to build airborne-target-tracking satellites for the Space Force's SB-AMTI program.
Space Force picks 15 firms for $981 million space test and training contract
Rocket Lab, Firefly, Redwire, Sierra Space, Viasat and York join legacy primes competing for NITE-STAR training-range task orders.
Amentum · BAE Systems · Boeing · CACI · Firefly Aerospace · L3Harris · Lockheed Martin Space · Northrop Grumman · Pacific Crest Alliance · Parsons Government Services · Redwire · Rocket Lab · Sierra Space · Viasat · York Space Systems · Space Systems Command3 sources →
Hisdesat contracts Airbus and Thales Alenia Space to build SpainSat NG III
Spain's satellite operator signed the industrial contract for a replacement secure-comms satellite after SpainSat NG II's total loss.
Planet Labs wins Scottish government contract for farmland monitoring
Scotland's government picked Planet, via reseller Computacenter, for a one-year, seven-figure satellite-monitoring deal.
SpaceX wins $1.6 billion Space Force order for 18 Falcon 9 launches
The Space Force ordered 18 Falcon 9 launches through 2027 for missile-tracking, targeting and comms satellites, worth $1.6B.
All Points wins $250 million Space Force satellite-processing contract
All Points Logistics will build a new satellite processing center at Vandenberg, the largest Space Force award of its kind to date.
OHB Italia to lead Italy's PRISMA second-generation satellite build
OHB Italia, Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo will build Italy's next hyperspectral satellite, tripling ground resolution to 10 meters.
Update: Rocket Lab wins $266 million Space Force contract for HASTE launches
SpaceNews reports the Kodiak site will be Rocket Lab's fourth launch location alongside its existing pads in New Zealand and Virginia, supporting the Pentago...
original 2026-07-21
ESA opens tender to repurpose Gateway's Lunar Link comms module
ESA is soliciting feasibility studies to turn its Gateway-built Lunar Link payload into a standalone lunar comms satellite.
AMOS wins ONERA contract to build French space-surveillance telescope
Belgium's AMOS will build PROVIDENCE, a 2.5-metre telescope giving France's Air and Space Force LEO object-tracking down to 10 cm.
Rocket Lab wins $266 million Space Force contract for HASTE launches
Space Systems Command awarded Rocket Lab $266 million for 12 HASTE suborbital launches from Alaska, with an option for six more.
Arianespace CEO urges EU, Germany to buy Ariane 6 in blocks
Per Hartpunkt: David Cavaillolès says a 10-20-launch block order would 'completely change' Ariane 6's supply chain planning.
SpaceX in early talks to supply Pentagon AI computing power
Per the Wall Street Journal, the multi-billion-dollar computing deal is still being negotiated and could fall apart.
Space Force triples NSSL Lane 1 launch contract ceiling to $17 billion
Space Force raised the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 launch contract ceiling from $5.6 billion to $17 billion for its seven-provider vendor pool.
Space Force · SpaceX · United Launch Alliance · Blue Origin · Rocket Lab · Stoke Space · Impulse Space · Relativity Space3 sources →
Defense Innovation Unit opens commercial contest for space-based power beaming
DIU's solicitation seeks commercial proposals to beam electrical power to and from orbit, aiming for a 2030 capability.
UK Space Agency misses deadline to award debris-removal contract
The UK Space Agency missed its deadline to award a GBP75.6 million debris-removal contract to Astroscale or ClearSpace.
L3Harris and Sierra Space win $1.75 billion SDA missile-tracking award
The Space Development Agency awarded the two companies a combined $1.75 billion to build 36 Tranche 3 missile-tracking satellites.
Update: Space Force adds Relativity, Impulse Space to NSSL Lane 1
Per Via Satellite, Space Systems Command awarded both companies $5 million firm-fixed-price task orders for risk and capability assessments; Impulse said it...
original 2026-07-08
Space Force completes reorganization into nine acquisition portfolios
Space Force finished restructuring procurement around nine mission-focused portfolios instead of individual programs, per SpaceNews.
Space Force awards Pulse Space $40 million for laser power tech
Pulse Space won a $40 million Space Force contract to mature laser-based power and data transmission between spacecraft.
NASA finds Umbra SAR data misses geolocation accuracy spec
NASA's CSDA program found Umbra's SAR data underperforms on geolocation accuracy and radiometric calibration versus reference systems.
Update: GAO flags cost overruns, schedule risk in Space Force satellites
GAO flags cost overruns, schedule risk in Space Force satellites
original 2026-07-02
Update: NASA awards $590 million across four lunar lander missions
NASA awards $590 million across four lunar lander missions
original 2026-06-30
Update: Space Force fields L3Harris's Meadowlands satellite-jamming system
Space Force fields L3Harris's Meadowlands satellite-jamming system
original 2026-06-30
Update: NASA adds three European firms to CSDA data program
NASA adds three European firms to CSDA data program
original 2026-06-23
Space Force adds Relativity, Impulse Space to NSSL Lane 1
Space Force added Relativity Space and Impulse Space to its NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 launch-services pool.
Telesat signs $2.3 billion Canadian Arctic military satcom contract
Telesat signed a firm $2.3 billion CAD contract for Canada's Arctic military connectivity, expanding Lightspeed by 69 satellites.
BlackSky wins US R&D contracts for Gen-3 AI target-recognition analytics
BlackSky says it won multiple US R&D contracts to add AI target-recognition and damage detection to its Gen-3 imagery.
SES wins 5-year Space Systems Command Ku-band deal
SES Space & Defense won a 5-year blanket purchase agreement to supply the US Space Force with managed Ku-band connectivity.
Update: NASA awards $590 million across four lunar lander missions
NASASpaceflight independently covered the same June 30 Moon Base Phase One lander awards (Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Firefly), including a direct on-rec...
original 2026-06-30score 3 → 4
NASA releases draft RFP for Commercial LEO Destinations space stations
NASA issued a draft RFP for Commercial LEO Destinations, planning to fund at least two station builders in early development.
GAO flags cost overruns, schedule risk in Space Force satellites
A GAO assessment found cost overruns and schedule slips across several Space Force missile-warning and satcom programs.
Airbus wins ESA contract to build Aeolus-2 wind-sensing satellite
ESA and EUMETSAT contract Airbus to build a successor to the Aeolus wind-lidar satellite as an operational service.
NASA awards $590 million across four lunar lander missions
Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines split nearly $600 million in new NASA lunar lander task orders.
Space Force fields L3Harris's Meadowlands satellite-jamming system
The Space Force operationally accepted L3Harris's mobile counter-communications jammer.
MDA Space wins C$688 million CSA contract to build RADARSAT replenishment satellite
The award covers build, launch, commissioning and ground upgrades for a CHORUS-based SAR satellite, per SpaceQ.
Parsons wins $245 million Navy contract for satellite ground systems
Parsons' ground-systems unit won a five-year, $245 million Navy IDIQ to keep running NRL's Blossom Point tracking facility.
NASA adds three European firms to CSDA data program
Per SpaceNews, NASA added three European Earth-observation firms to its CSDA commercial-data contract.
Norway's NVE selects ICEYE for nationwide flood monitoring
ICEYE will provide always-on SAR flood tracking across mainland Norway and Svalbard under a one-year government contract.
Portugal orders two more ICEYE SAR satellites for its air force
Portugal is expanding its sovereign SAR constellation from one satellite to four, all built by ICEYE.
DR Congo orders its first Earth observation satellite, RDC-SAT 1, from SPACEBEL
The Belgian firm calls it the first made-in-Belgium commercial satellite; RTBF reports a hyperspectral instrument aboard.
Calian, Kepler and MDA Space win CSA studies for Canada's next-gen EO ground segment
Three contracts of up to C$804,000 each, C$2.4M total, for RADARSAT+ ground-segment concept studies, per SpaceQ.
Starlink wins $8.2 million Louisiana BEAD grant for 10,635 rural locations
ConnectLA signed an $8.2 million BEAD deal with Starlink for 10,635 rural locations too costly to reach with fiber.
ESA awards Thales Alenia Space €700 million contract for Sentinel-1 NG
Thales Alenia Space will build two next-generation Sentinel-1 radar satellites, with Airbus supplying the SAR instruments.
SpaceX wins $4.16 billion Space Force airborne-tracking satellite contract
Space Systems Command awarded SpaceX $4.16 billion for the initial phase of its SB-AMTI airborne-threat-tracking satellite program.
SpaceX wins $2.29 billion Space Force contract for data network backbone
Space Systems Command awarded SpaceX $2.29 billion to build the backbone of its new military Space Data Network.