Plus: SpaceX readies for a Starship launch attempt
By Jeff Foust
In today's edition: the FCC approves spectrum and licensing changes, the curious orbit of a Chinese satellite, SpaceX is ready to try to launch Starship again and more.
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FROM SPACENEWS |
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Someone you know belongs on this list: Whatever category fits — technology, sustainability, defense, advocacy or an entire career's worth of impact — the Icon Awards are built to recognize achievements across the industry. Tell us about the innovators, collaborators and change-makers whose contributions have left a lasting mark. Nominations for this year's awards are open now through Aug. 14, and we want to hear from you. Submit your picks. |
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Top Stories
The FCC approved on Wednesday satellite spectrum changes and licensing reforms. Commissioners approved an order that sets up an auction next July of 160 megahertz of C-band satellite spectrum for terrestrial 5G applications. That follows a sale of 280 megahertz of lower C-band in 2020 that generated more than $80 billion from telcos such as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. C-band incumbents, mainly Europe's SES and Eutelsat, that use the frequencies to distribute TV services in the United States will need to relocate to the remaining 40 megahertz of upper C-band or other spectrum such as Ku-band. Commissioners also approved an order to streamline satellite licensing, creating an "assembly line" process. The order replaces the FCC's legacy Part 25 satellite rules with a new Part 100 framework that aims to process applications faster and more predictably, including extending the types of minor license modifications that can be made without prior authorization. [SpaceNews]
A classified Chinese satellite is operating in a unique orbit that could allow it to monitor activities in GEO. Shijian-31 launched on a Long March 3B June 16 from Xichang spaceport and initially appeared to go into a standard geostationary transfer orbit. However, Shijian-31 has since been tracked in a version of a highly elliptical Molniya orbit with its apogee over the Equator. That allows the spacecraft to monitor satellites in GEO, sweeping across the entire GEO belt every 23 days. There is little information on what payloads Shijian-31 may carry or its overall mission. [SpaceNews]
Airbus Defence and Space executives say reforms to its space business came just in time to meet growing demand for satellites. At a business update this week, company officials said reforms in how it manages space programs, prompted after incurring nearly 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in charges in 2023 and 2024, have yielded benefits in terms of better performance on projects. That turnaround comes amid growing civil and military demand for its space systems, particularly in Europe, as countries there are "doubling down" on constellations. Airbus didn't go into financial details, citing next week's release of results from the first half of 2026. Airbus said little about the status of Project Bromo, the planned joint venture of its space business with those from Leonardo and Thales Alenia Space, but noted its long-term financial projections are "robust" regardless of whether Bromo goes forward. [SpaceNews]
Commercial space station developer Vast has created a division for national security work. The company announced the new division Wednesday that will be led by Melanie Stricklan, co-founder and former CEO of Slingshot Aerospace. The company said that division "will deliver space-based capabilities for the U.S. national security enterprise, including the defense and intelligence communities." Vast is working on commercial space stations and seeking NASA as an anchor customer, but also announced in May a line of high-power satellites that could be used for national security applications. [SpaceNews]
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Other News
As SpaceX gears up for another Starship launch from Starbase, several groups are suing to block a land transfer there. SpaceX is planning a launch of Starship at 6:45 p.m. Eastern tonight on the Flight 13 mission, one week after a last-second abort on the previous launch attempt caused by engine problems with the Super Heavy booster. SpaceX says that weather is a "significant watch item" for the launch. As SpaceX presses ahead with the launch, several environmental and indigenous groups filed for an injunction this week to block a planned land transfer between SpaceX and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The transfer would give SpaceX 727 acres of land adjacent to Starbase in exchange for 683 acres elsewhere. The injunction is intended to halt the transfer until the court can take up a suit filed by the groups in June that argues the transfer violates federal law. [Space.com]
The Japanese space agency JAXA successfully performed a static-fire test of a solid-fuel motor for the Epsilon-S rocket. The test, performed Thursday, used a version of a second-stage motor developed for an earlier version of the Epsilon rocket. An upgraded version intended for Epsilon-S suffered failures in static-fire tests in 2023 and 2024, prompting JAXA to switch back to the older design. The Epsilon small launch vehicle has not flown since a 2022 launch failure, but JAXA wants to resume launches with the new Epsilon-S design by the end of its current fiscal year in March. [Kyodo]
Iridium reported an increase in revenue in the second quarter as it prepares to be acquired by Rocket Lab. The company reported Wednesday a 4% increase in revenues in the second quarter compared to a year ago, to $225.2 million. Net income fell from $22 million to $9.7 million because of increased transaction costs. Iridium announced last month it agreed to be acquired by Rocket Lab for $8 billion in a deal expected to close in the middle of next year. Because of that pending transaction, Iridium did not hold an earnings call to discuss the financial results. [Iridium]
Astronomers are debating when an exoplanet may instead be an exomoon. In a paper published this week, astronomers reported discovering a Jupiter-sized object orbiting a brown dwarf, or failed star, that itself is orbiting a M-class star. Researchers who led the study argue that the newly discovered object should be considered an exomoon and the brown dwarf an exoplanet. Others, though, argue the brown dwarf is part of a binary star system, making the new object instead an exoplanet. The International Astronomical Union has yet to make a formal definition of "moon" and its definition of "planet" applies only to those bodies in our solar system. [Sky & Telescope]
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Good for Business, At Least
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"It doesn't look like the planet's going to take a different trajectory anytime soon in terms of becoming more peaceful."
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– Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn, discussing strong demand for space systems from European governments at a business update on Tuesday.
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