Space & Technology 

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — The U.S. Space Force has awarded Impulse Space a $28 million contract for a future space domain awareness mission scheduled to launch no earlier than 2029. Under the agreement, a government-provided launch will place an Impulse Space Mira spacecraft into low Earth orbit (LEO). The spacecraft will host a government-furnished optical payload developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory to support monitoring of objects in geostationary orbit (GEO), approximately 36,000 kilometers above Earth.   Mira to provide a maneuverable observation platform Mira is designed for precise orbital maneuvering and uses a chemical propulsion system. Impulse Space says the spacecraft can provide up to 850 meters per second of delta-v when carrying a 100-kilogram payload. This maneuverability will allow the spacecraft to reposition the hosted optical sensor and change its viewing geometry while conducting space domain awareness activities. The mission is intended to support the detection, tracking and characterization of objects in orbit. The optical payload for the mission will be supplied by the U.S. government and built by MIT Lincoln Laboratory.   Funding includes $19.75 million APFIT award The contract is being funded in part through a $19.75 million award from the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program for fiscal year 2026. The award is sponsored by U.S. Space Command. The APFIT program is intended to accelerate the procurement and transition of innovative technologies into operational use. For this mission, the funding supports procurement of the Mira spacecraft.   Mira has already flown three missions Impulse Space's Mira spacecraft has completed three missions in low Earth orbit. The company has also demonstrated the vehicle's maneuvering capabilities through proximity operations. Earlier in September, two Mira spacecraft from the LEO Express 2 and LEO Express 3 missions conducted a targeted flyby and approached to within approximately 200 meters of each other. Impulse Space used its own guidance, navigation and control software for the operation. The company says Mira has demonstrated both long-duration and rapid engine burns, giving operators different maneuvering options for missions in orbit.   Part of Impulse Space's expanding government work The new Space Force award adds to Impulse Space's growing portfolio of U.S. government contracts. The company was selected in July for a position in the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program for its Helios upper stage. It has also received additional work from the Space Force's Space Safari program for the VICTUS SALO 2 and VICTUS SALO 3 missions. Impulse Space, founded by Tom Mueller, is based in Redondo Beach, California. On September 16, the company announced a $308 million extension to its Series D funding round, bringing the total Series D round to $808 million. The company said the additional funding would support product development, workforce growth and expansion of its facilities and capabilities. The planned 2029 mission will use Mira's maneuverability to host an optical sensor in LEO and support Space Force space domain awareness activities focused on objects operating in GEO.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-23 15:34:20

 Space & Technology 

BROOMFIELD, Colo. — The Pentagon has selected Katalyst Space to develop and launch a robotic spacecraft that will assemble a large-format space-based solar power system in low Earth orbit and transmit electricity back to Earth. The project is being carried out under the Advanced Scalable Growth Architecture for Robotic Deployment (ASGARD) program and is funded through the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF). Katalyst announced the selection on September 21.   NEXUS to Assemble Solar Power System in Orbit Katalyst will use its NEXUS multi-mission robotic spacecraft for the mission. The spacecraft is designed for mobility, manipulation and autonomous operations in space. NEXUS will carry modular power-generation and power-beaming tiles being developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). After reaching low Earth orbit, NEXUS will use its robotic arms to assemble the tiles into a large-format power-beaming system. The assembled system will collect solar energy, convert it into radio-frequency microwave energy and transmit the energy to a receiving station on Earth. The orbital assembly approach is intended to overcome the volume limitations of individual launch vehicles. Large power-beaming structures can exceed the space available inside a single launch vehicle, so separate components can instead be launched and assembled after reaching orbit. Katalyst said the system is designed to be resupplied, expanded and scaled over time. The company's longer-term vision is to increase the capability from kilowatts toward megawatts of power.   Intended Operational Applications OECIF focuses on developing energy technologies for future military operations. According to Katalyst, space-based power generation could provide electricity to remote operational locations and areas where electrical grids are constrained or disrupted, without depending on fuel supplies or conventional terrestrial infrastructure. The technology is also intended to provide resilient power for on-orbit missions and could have applications in disaster areas or other locations where terrestrial power infrastructure is unavailable or damaged.   NRL Power-Beaming Research The ASGARD effort builds on NRL's previous work on solar-to-microwave power conversion. NRL previously flew a Photovoltaic Radio-frequency Antenna Module (PRAM) experiment aboard the U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane to study solar-to-microwave conversion in orbit. NRL has also conducted a ground demonstration in which 1.6 kilowatts of power was transmitted across approximately one kilometer using microwaves. ASGARD will combine this power-conversion work with robotic assembly capabilities to demonstrate the construction and operation of a larger power-beaming system in orbit.   Katalyst's Expanding Robotic Spacecraft Work Katalyst Space was founded in 2020 and is developing autonomous robotic spacecraft for operations in orbit. Its NEXUS platform is intended for tasks involving spacecraft mobility, manipulation, docking and servicing. The company is also developing the LINK robotic spacecraft. LINK launched on July 3, 2026, aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket and is being used for a mission involving NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. A program kickoff event for ASGARD was held at Katalyst's Broomfield, Colorado, facility on September 2, 2026. Katalyst and the Pentagon have not disclosed the contract value or launch date for the ASGARD mission. The next major work will involve development of the NEXUS spacecraft and the NRL power-beaming tiles.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-22 15:17:28

 Space & Technology 

WARSAW — A Polish software developer has launched Zuckoff, an app that detects nearby camera-equipped smart glasses by scanning their Bluetooth signals. The app was developed by 30-year-old software engineer Paweł Szydłowski and has gained approximately 5,000 users in its first month on Apple's App Store. The app was created amid growing privacy concerns over the use of smart glasses to record people without their knowledge. It primarily detects Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. The glasses look similar to conventional eyewear but include a forward-facing camera, microphones and onboard artificial intelligence.   How Zuckoff Works Zuckoff scans Bluetooth Low Energy broadcasts and compares them with a database of known smart-glasses signatures. Szydłowski built the database by purchasing several models and recording their Bluetooth fingerprints, including device identifiers, manufacturer codes and service UUIDs. The project lists codes including 0x0D53 for Luxottica, covering Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta devices, 0x058E for Meta Platforms Technologies wearables, and 0x03C2 for Snap Spectacles. The app can also flag some devices based on advertised product names, but with lower confidence. The free version provides an estimated proximity reading while scanning. Zuckoff Pro adds background detection, push notifications, a Home Screen widget, Lock Screen Live Activity, longer sighting history and CSV export. It costs $9.99 annually, with a free trial week, or $24.99 for a lifetime license with Family Sharing. Scanning takes place on the device. The app does not require an account or access to personal data, location, camera or microphone. Logs remain local unless users export them or voluntarily report an unidentified device.   Detection Limitations Zuckoff can detect compatible hardware but cannot determine whether the camera is recording or identify the wearer. Bluetooth strength provides only a rough proximity estimate and does not show the device's direction. Signals can be stronger when glasses start up, pair or are removed from their charging case, while some devices may broadcast less noticeably during normal use. Therefore, an alert indicates that compatible camera-equipped glasses may be nearby, not that recording is taking place. The app currently supports iOS 18 or later, while an Android version is in closed testing.   Privacy Concerns Privacy concerns around smart glasses have increased following examples of people being recorded without their knowledge. In late 2024, two Harvard students demonstrated I-XRAY, which used Meta Ray-Ban glasses to stream video while software performed facial recognition to identify people. Meta's glasses use a small LED to indicate camera activity. After discovering that some users had covered or removed the indicator, Meta disabled the cameras on thousands of affected glasses. The company said those devices represented less than 0.1% of glasses sold and introduced software updates to improve detection of attempts to obstruct or damage the LED. It also removed online instructions showing how to bypass the indicator. European Union regulators have reportedly contacted Szydłowski for information about Zuckoff's functionality and privacy implications, although details of the reported inquiry have not been independently confirmed. Zuckoff is an independent project with no affiliation with Meta, Luxottica, Ray-Ban, Oakley or Snap. Szydłowski continues to expand its detection database using signals collected from physical hardware and accepts reports of additional smart-glasses models.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-13 15:20:23

 Space & Technology 

PARIS, — Eutelsat plans to invest about €1 billion to procure 229 additional OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites from Airbus Defence and Space, supporting constellation replenishment and expansion through 2034. Eutelsat and Airbus have signed an Authorisation to Proceed (ATP) for initial industrial work. The agreement was announced at the International Space Summit in Paris in the presence of French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste. The order follows two earlier contracts covering 440 OneWeb satellites, awarded to Airbus in late 2024 and early 2026. Together, the three commitments bring the total number of second-generation OneWeb satellites to be manufactured by Airbus to 669. Production will take place at Airbus Defence and Space's facility in Toulouse, France. The first satellites from the existing 440-unit order are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2026, with launches expected shortly afterward. The additional 229 satellites will be introduced over the following decade to replace first-generation spacecraft approaching the end of their design life and to increase capacity for commercial and government customers.   Upgraded Satellites The new spacecraft will feature advanced digital channelisers for improved onboard processing, dynamic beam steering and flexible bandwidth allocation based on traffic demand. They will also include interfaces for hosted payloads, allowing institutional or commercial customers to fly sensors such as Earth-observation or thermal-infrared instruments alongside the communications payload. Structural and power improvements are also intended to improve operational economics over the satellites' service cycle. OneWeb currently operates more than 600 satellites in 12 synchronized orbital planes at roughly 1,200 kilometers altitude. Eutelsat is the only European operator with a fully operational global LEO broadband network. Eutelsat said the approximately €1 billion investment is covered by its existing multi-year capital budget and does not change its capital expenditure forecast through the 2029 financial year. Separately, Eutelsat selected Arianespace for two dedicated Ariane 64 launches of OneWeb satellites in 2027 and 2028 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.   Preparing for IRIS² Eutelsat is positioning OneWeb as its near-term LEO platform ahead of Europe's IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) programme. Eutelsat is expected to lead the design, deployment and operation of the programme's commercial Ku-band LEO segment, which is expected to enter service by mid-2032. IRIS² is expected to provide more than twice OneWeb's current capacity, with both constellations planned to operate alongside each other through the mid-2030s. Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher said the additional satellites will strengthen OneWeb while IRIS² will provide new capacity and capabilities. Airbus Defence and Space Head of Space Systems Alain Fauré said the contract demonstrates the maturity of the product, supply chain and Airbus' capability to manufacture large-scale LEO constellations at high rates. The replenishment programme will support service continuity and capacity for government, enterprise, maritime, aviation, defense and telecommunications customers while preparing Eutelsat for Europe's next phase of sovereign satellite connectivity.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-12 14:16:35

 Space & Technology 

TORRANCE, Calif. — The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration has awarded California-based nuclear energy startup Antares $161 million under a Strategic Breakthrough contract to develop a nuclear reactor designed to power operational spacecraft. Antares said the award is the largest defense contract to date focused specifically on space-based nuclear power. The contract covers two parallel technical tracks. Under the first, Antares will conduct a ground demonstration of its R1-S reactor, a compact system that uses solid-state heat pipes instead of mechanical pumps to transfer heat from the reactor core. After ground validation, the reactor will be integrated into a spacecraft and prepared for flight certification ahead of an orbital launch. The second track involves the Mark-1 reactor, an electricity-producing design scheduled to begin multi-month operational testing in 2027 using a closed Brayton cycle power-conversion system. The reactor will be used to power a ground-to-space military asset. “Space has been core to the Antares thesis since the company was founded,” said Jordan Bramble, CEO and co-founder of Antares. “This partnership with the Space Force turns that long-held vision into a codified space mission. Fission will unlock strategic capabilities that are impossible today.”   Nuclear Power for Spacecraft Most modern satellites use solar arrays and batteries. Antares says a compact fission reactor could provide continuous multi-kilowatt or megawatt-class power regardless of sunlight, orbital shadows or distance from the Sun. The company identifies potential applications including high-throughput edge computing and automated data processing, long-range active radar, directed-energy payloads, and high-power electronic warfare and electromagnetic-spectrum operations. Greater onboard power could also support more flexible spacecraft maneuvering. The United States has not operated a nuclear reactor in orbit since NASA launched SNAP-10A in 1965, leaving a six-decade gap in U.S. space fission systems.   Mark-0 Reached Criticality The contract follows Antares' June 4, 2026, milestone at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where its Mark-0 microreactor reached criticality, meaning the fission reaction became self-sustaining. The test was conducted under Department of Energy authorization with INL and nuclear fuel supplier BWX Technologies (BWXT), with U.S. Army personnel observing. Antares said it became the first private entity to achieve criticality under the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program and that Mark-0 was the first newly designed reactor to reach criticality at the Idaho site in more than 50 years. The test provided validation of core physics and safety profiles for Antares' HALEU TRISO fuel compacts, which use ceramic coatings designed to retain fission products and withstand high temperatures without melting.   Other U.S. Defense Programs Antares is also using its reactor architecture across other military programs. Data from Mark-0 is supporting Project Pele, the Department of Defense's effort to develop a transportable terrestrial microreactor. The company is also a supplier under the U.S. Army's Project Janus, which focuses on fixed microreactors for domestic military installations, including Fort Moore, Georgia, formerly Fort Benning. Earlier in 2026, Antares was selected through the Defense Innovation Unit to build a prototype installation system at Joint Base San Antonio.   Space Nuclear Power Plans Antares linked the Air Force award to Executive Order 14369, “Ensuring American Space Superiority,” and the National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power outlined in NSTM-3. These policies call for demonstrating an operational nuclear reactor in orbit as early as 2028, followed by deployment of a surface power reactor on the Moon by 2030. Founded in 2023 in Torrance, California, Antares has engineering and testing facilities in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Aiken, South Carolina. The company has raised more than $600 million in private capital, including a $470 million Series C round completed in July 2026. The Air Force and Antares have not disclosed the target launch date for the R1-S, the specific spacecraft bus or mission profile, or how the $161 million contract will be divided between the R1-S flight demonstration and Mark-1 ground testing.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-12 13:29:57

 Space & Technology 

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has demonstrated a spacecraft propulsion architecture that combines chemical and electric propulsion in a single system using a shared propellant tank and feed system. The ground test was conducted under the Propulsion Optimization UNifying Chemical and Electric (POUNCE) program at AFRL’s Space Propulsion Environment Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The demonstration validated the feasibility of Modular Multimode Propulsion (MMP). MMP is designed to allow both high-thrust chemical thrusters and high-efficiency electric thrusters to operate from the same propellant supply. This can reduce the need for separate tanks, valves, regulators, feed lines and other hardware normally required when a spacecraft carries both propulsion types. Chemical propulsion provides high thrust for rapid maneuvers, while electric propulsion offers much higher fuel efficiency but produces relatively low thrust. The combined system allows the propellant supply to be used for rapid maneuvers when necessary and for longer-duration, fuel-efficient orbital operations.   ASCENT propellant The demonstration used Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic (ASCENT), previously designated AF-M315E. Developed by AFRL, ASCENT is a hydroxylammonium nitrate-based ionic liquid propellant that can be used as a chemical monopropellant and in electrospray electric propulsion. AFRL states that ASCENT provides approximately 50 percent higher density specific impulse than hydrazine and has lower handling hazards. It is classified as Department of Transportation Class 1.3C, with Class 1.4 for shipping, allowing simpler ground handling than hydrazine. ASCENT has previously flown on NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission and Lunar Flashlight.   Commercial partners Three companies supplied major components for the demonstration. Flight Works provided the composite conformal tank and propellant feed system, Igneon Aerospace supplied the chemical thrusters, and Revolution Space provided its PALOMINO ion-array electrospray thruster for electric propulsion. The testing was performed in a high-vacuum facility simulating orbital conditions. AFRL evaluated whether the feed lines and valves could reliably switch between the chemical and electric propulsion systems under representative operating pressures. The concept of combining high-thrust and low-thrust propulsion has been studied since the 1960s, but practical implementation has been limited by challenges involving propellant compatibility and shared feed systems. The POUNCE architecture uses modular interfaces that can allow propulsion components to be exchanged or reconfigured without redesigning the spacecraft's core propulsion system. AFRL’s related Modular Propulsion (ModProp) effort uses the Propulsion Unit for Modular Applications (PUMA) approach with ASCENT and focuses on standardized interfaces for applications including sustained maneuvering, tactically responsive space, and space mobility and logistics. Dr. Javier Urzay, chief of AFRL’s Rocket and Space Propulsion Division, said the objective is to accelerate the development of integrated propulsion capabilities for dynamic space operations. AFRL and its industry partners will use data from the Edwards AFB testing to further refine the system as the technology progresses toward potential on-orbit flight testing.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-12 13:14:03

 Space & Technology 

MAHENDRAGIRI, Tamil Nadu — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a flight acceptance hot test of the CE20 cryogenic engine at an uprated thrust level of 220 kN (22 tonnes) on September 9, 2026. The test was carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The engine is earmarked for the C32 upper stage of an upcoming LVM3 mission. During the same test, ISRO also successfully demonstrated the LOX Tank Pressurization Module (LTPM) intended for the C32 stages of future Gaganyaan missions. The LTPM maintains the required pressure inside the liquid oxygen tank during flight to support the proper flow of propellant to the engine. ISRO announced the test through its official X account on September 10. CE20 and LVM3 upgrade The CE20 is an indigenously developed cryogenic engine that powers the upper stage of the LVM3, India's heavy-lift launch vehicle. It uses liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) and operates on a gas-generator cycle. The engine is qualified to operate across a thrust range of 19 to 22 tonnes. ISRO is preparing future LVM3 missions with an uprated C32 stage, using the CE20 at the 22-tonne thrust level. The upgraded C32 also carries a higher propellant load than the earlier configuration. These changes are intended to increase the LVM3's payload capability. The latest test follows earlier CE20 testing at Mahendragiri. In March 2026, ISRO conducted a 165-second sea-level hot test of the CE20 at the 22-tonne thrust level using a Nozzle Protection System and multi-element igniter. Another flight acceptance hot test was conducted in July 2026 on an engine designated for the LVM3-M7 mission. According to reports based on ISRO information, the engine tested on September 9 will be refurbished and assembled into the C32 flight stage for the LVM3-M7 mission, planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. The CE20 has already flown successfully on multiple LVM3 missions and has completed the human-rating requirements for use in the Gaganyaan programme. The latest 220 kN flight acceptance test is part of ISRO's ongoing effort to qualify the uprated CE20 and C32 configuration for future LVM3 missions.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-10 16:34:44

 Space & Technology 

NEW DELHI — The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), through its Technology Development Fund (TDF), has invited industry participation to develop an Air-Breathing Space-Based Electric Propulsion (ABEP) system for satellites operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). The proposed system is designed for satellites operating at 180–230 kilometres, where residual atmospheric gases create significant drag and can shorten the operational life of conventional satellites. VLEO offers advantages including higher-resolution Earth observation, lower communication latency and reduced radiation exposure compared with higher orbits. The ABEP system will collect residual atmospheric gases at altitudes below 250 km, ionise them and accelerate the ions through an electric thruster to generate continuous thrust. Ambient atmospheric air will be the primary propellant, with Xenon available as a supplementary or alternative propellant. DRDO has listed a Hall-effect thruster as the preferred technology.   Key Requirements The propulsion system must generate 12–25 mN of thrust, consume less than 1,500 watts of power and have a total mass of under 40 kg. It must support a mission life of at least three years. The RFP also requires a minimum of 75 per cent indigenous content. The system must use materials compatible with atomic oxygen exposure and include closed-loop control and limited redundancy. By continuously using atmospheric gases as propellant, the system is intended to reduce dependence on stored propellant while providing thrust to counter atmospheric drag and maintain the satellite's orbit. The TDF scheme, executed by DRDO under the Ministry of Defence, provides financial support to Indian industries, start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for developing indigenous defence and aerospace technologies. The ABEP project is part of DRDO's efforts to develop indigenous electric-propulsion technologies for sustained satellite operations in challenging low-altitude orbital environments. Interested Indian entities were invited to submit proposals through the TDF portal during the designated application window in late 2025, with subsequent stages including detailed project reports and selection of development partners following standard TDF procedures.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-08 16:37:46

 Space & Technology 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force has awarded $50 million to Space Kinetic Corp. to develop Whirlwind, a space maneuverability and deployment system designed to release small spacecraft from a larger host vehicle at high velocity without using a thruster for the initial boost. Space Kinetic announced the award on August 13, 2026, describing it as the largest award in the company's history. The agreement was made through an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) mechanism.   Using centrifugal acceleration to deploy satellites Whirlwind takes a different approach from conventional satellite deployment. The system uses an electromechanical mechanism on a host spacecraft to spin and accelerate ruggedized microsatellites before releasing them on independent trajectories. The company describes the concept as a "space-based David sling." Rather than using chemical propulsion to provide the initial change in velocity, Whirlwind uses centrifugal acceleration to provide most of that initial Delta-V. After deployment, the individual microsatellites can use their own limited propulsion and communications systems for further adjustments. The approach is intended to shift much of the initial propulsion requirement from each individual payload to the host spacecraft. Space Kinetic says this could reduce the mass, cost and complexity of individual micro-payloads.   One host spacecraft, multiple missions Space Kinetic refers to Whirlwind as a "one-to-many" architecture, in which one host spacecraft can deploy multiple mission-specific micro-payloads. The company is targeting several potential dual-use applications, including: Space domain awareness sensors Electro-optical imaging Rapid-response communications nodes Space debris characterization Scientific research probes Inspection missions Elements of asymmetric space-based missile-defense concepts The system is designed to support different payload types and orbital regimes, according to Space Kinetic.   Applying "drone economics" to space A central part of Space Kinetic's concept is reducing the cost of individual spacecraft enough to enable missions that would not require a satellite to operate for years. CEO and co-founder Ryan Sullivan has described the idea as bringing "drone economics" to orbit. Under this concept, some small spacecraft could be designed for short-duration missions rather than long-term operation. Sullivan has discussed scenarios in which a payload could have a useful life measured in 30 minutes if its cost were low enough. The company says this could allow a host spacecraft to distribute different capabilities when and where they are required.   Space Kinetic expands its government work The $50 million Space Force award follows a $12 million seed funding round in 2025, led by Balerion Space Ventures, with participation from Industrious Ventures, Marque Ventures and CerraCap Ventures. Space Kinetic also received a multi-million-dollar DARPA contract related to an asymmetric space-based missile-defense architecture and was selected for the SpaceWERX Adaptive and Intelligent Space Challenge in July 2026. The company currently has about 50 employees. It operates a prototyping laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, maintains a multi-year partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory, and is expanding its presence in El Segundo, California. The company is also hiring as it works to expand its team.   No in-orbit test date announced Space Kinetic has not announced a firm date for an in-orbit demonstration of Whirlwind. The company is currently focused on technology maturation and discussions with government and other partners about system integration. The Space Force award gives the company funding to advance a deployment architecture that could allow a single host spacecraft to release multiple small payloads without requiring each payload to provide the full initial propulsion needed for its mission.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-07 15:01:25

 Space & Technology 

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, — Engineers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed miniature robots and ultralight flying devices that generate thrust from sound waves without using onboard motors, batteries, electronics or conventional actuators. The research, published on August 12, 2026, in Science Advances, uses a well-known acoustic effect called Helmholtz resonance. The same phenomenon produces a tone when air is blown across the opening of an empty bottle. At a suitable frequency, air inside a cavity oscillates strongly. Researchers from EPFL’s MicroBioRobotic Systems (MICROBS) Laboratory, led by Selman Sakar, designed hollow acoustic cavities using 3D-printing techniques. When exposed to sound at their resonant frequency, the cavities produce a concentrated air jet. The difference between the outgoing and returning airflow generates directional thrust.   Sound-controlled miniature boats At the centimetre scale, the team built small boats fitted with up to three acoustic resonators. Each cavity was tuned to a different audible frequency and positioned to produce thrust in a specific direction. By changing the frequency from a nearby speaker, researchers could activate individual resonators to move the boats forward or turn left or right. The boats were also able to navigate around obstacles and follow programmed paths. The researchers demonstrated the same principle using both airborne sound and structure-borne sound, where a transducer excites the cavity through physical contact.   Microfliers use ultrasound The team then applied the technology at a much smaller scale. Using two-photon polymerisation, a high-resolution 3D nanoprinting technique, researchers produced ultralight devices called microfliers. Because the sound levels required for comparable operation with audible frequencies would be unsuitable for humans, the microfliers were designed to respond to ultrasound at around 40 kHz, which is above the human hearing range. One microflier weighed 150 micrograms and used three microscopic cavities to generate upward thrust. It achieved a thrust-to-weight ratio of 4.9, meaning the generated thrust was nearly five times its weight. A second design weighed 184 micrograms and combined three acoustic resonators with small blades. When activated by ultrasound, the blades reached speeds of up to 13,000 revolutions per minute, producing stable aerodynamic lift. No conventional motor components The approach replaces conventional miniature motor components with precisely shaped hollow cavities. The structures can be produced using materials including common 3D-printing plastics, rubber-like polymers and glass. The researchers say the design can be further miniaturised because it does not depend on the magnets, coils, shafts and other components normally found in small motors. The study also presents analytical models, numerical simulations and experimental results to establish design principles for acoustic resonators used as wireless actuators.   Potential future applications EPFL researchers say multiple sound-responsive cavities could eventually be integrated into flexible structures, with different sections responding to different frequencies. Such designs could allow parts of a device to move, bend or vibrate selectively. Potential applications suggested by the researchers include soft robotic structures, contact-free manipulation of small objects and biomedical devices. The team also identified possible applications in medical technology, including components for heart stents. The current work establishes the basic operating and design principles. Further research is expected to focus on practical designs, improved control and navigation.

Read More → Posted on 2026-09-02 16:51:30

 Space & Technology 

NEW DELHI, — The Government of India has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, making Indian Standard Time (IST) the common time reference for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes across the country. The Department of Consumer Affairs notified the rules on August 27, 2026. They will come into force 180 days after their publication in the Official Gazette, giving government departments, businesses, institutions and other organisations time to make the necessary technical and operational changes. The move is part of the broader “One Nation, One Time” initiative and is aimed at establishing a common and synchronised time reference for systems that depend on accurate timestamps.   Why the new rules matter India already uses IST for civil time, but many digital and technology-based systems obtain timing information through different sources. The government said the growing use of such systems has increased the need for a common time reference. Accurate and synchronised time is important for banking and digital payments, telecommunications, power systems, transportation, computer networks and government records. A common reference can help systems maintain consistent timestamps and establish the sequence of events across different networks and locations. It can also assist in analysing technical failures and other time-dependent events.   180-day transition period The rules do not require organisations to change their systems immediately. The government has provided a 180-day period between publication of the rules and their commencement. During this period, government departments, businesses, institutions and other organisations can review their existing timing systems and make the technical changes required to comply with the new framework. The exact commencement date will depend on the date of publication in the Official Gazette.   Banking, telecom and critical infrastructure The new framework covers systems where precise time references are important. In banking and digital payments, synchronised timestamps can help maintain accurate records of transactions. Telecommunications and computer networks also depend on coordinated clocks for system operations and event logging. Transport and power infrastructure are other areas where accurate time synchronisation is important. Government records and other official systems will also use the common IST reference under the new rules.   CSIR-NPL remains responsible for India's national time scale The CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) maintains India's primary time scale, known as UTC(NPLI). Indian Standard Time is derived from this national time scale. The government is developing domestic mechanisms to distribute IST to users and critical systems. These include Indian satellite navigation infrastructure and other authorised sources. The objective is also to provide alternatives to dependence on foreign satellite-based timing sources for critical systems.   White Rabbit technology for precise time distribution As part of the One Nation, One Time initiative, the government commissioned a White Rabbit Technology-based Indian Standard Time Dissemination Demonstration Network at the Regional Reference Standard Laboratory (RRSL) in Bengaluru in July 2026. White Rabbit is a high-precision network timing technology designed to synchronise clocks over fibre-optic networks. The Indian demonstration has been used to distribute IST to sectors including banking, telecommunications, power, transportation and digital governance. The government also demonstrated secure dissemination of IST between RRSL Bengaluru and NSE Chennai. The demonstration involved CSIR-NPL, ISRO, SEBI, NSE, BSNL and other stakeholders.   Reducing dependence on foreign timing sources The government has highlighted the development of Indian time-dissemination infrastructure as a way to provide additional options for critical systems and reduce dependence on external time sources. India's NavIC satellite navigation system is among the domestic sources that can support the dissemination of Indian Standard Time, alongside other authorised Indian systems. This approach is intended to strengthen the availability of a nationally controlled time reference for systems that depend on accurate timing.   What changes for organisations The new rules establish IST as the common reference for official time-dependent systems across the country. Organisations will have the 180-day transition period to examine their existing systems and prepare for implementation. The rules do not create a new civil time zone for India. Instead, they standardise the authoritative time reference used for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes. The government said the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 are intended to provide a common Indian Standard Time reference for time-dependent systems and official purposes nationwide.

Read More → Posted on 2026-08-31 16:36:40

 Space & Technology 

BREMEN, Germany — German satellite manufacturer OHB SE has signed a contract worth nearly €1 billion with European satellite operator SES to develop and build 18 medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite platforms for the European Union’s IRIS² secure connectivity programme. The contract is the first major industrial order under the IRIS² concession and follows the formal launch of the programme’s implementation phase on August 6, 2026.   OHB to Build 18 MEO Satellite Platforms SES is responsible for delivering the MEO segment of IRIS² through the SpaceRISE consortium, which was selected by the European Commission to develop and deploy the system. SpaceRISE includes SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat. OHB has been part of the SpaceRISE industrial core team since the beginning of the programme. Under the new contract, the company will develop and manufacture the 18 satellite platforms that will form a central part of the MEO segment. Each platform is planned to have a maximum power output of about 15 kilowatts and a launch mass of approximately 2.6 tonnes, according to OHB.   IRIS² to Use 348 Satellites The expanded IRIS² constellation will consist of 348 satellites, including 330 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 18 satellites in MEO. The programme will also include a dedicated secure ground segment. The European Commission says the multi-orbit architecture is intended to provide global coverage while requiring fewer satellites than a system based entirely on LEO. The architecture is also designed to maintain short signal transmission times. The EU expanded the planned constellation by adding 66 LEO satellites during the negotiations that led to the implementation agreement in August. The programme has now moved from the planning stage into full-scale deployment.   Secure Communications for Europe IRIS² — the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite — is intended to provide secure and high-performance satellite communications for public authorities and private users. The European Commission also says the system will support critical infrastructure, crisis-response capabilities and connectivity in rural and remote areas. The programme is being implemented as a public-private partnership led by the European Commission, with technical support from the European Space Agency and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme. IRIS² is described by OHB as Europe’s third major flagship space programme alongside Galileo and Copernicus. The expanded programme is intended to strengthen secure communications capabilities for European governments, defence and security services, and emergency services.   First Launches Planned for 2029 The implementation agreement signed in August established the next steps for the programme, including detailed satellite development, construction of the secure ground infrastructure and procurement of launch services. The first IRIS² satellite launches are planned for 2029, while initial services are expected to become available from 2030. OHB CEO Marco Fuchs said the programme would further expand the company's role in Europe’s strategic space infrastructure and highlighted its previous involvement in Galileo and Copernicus. SES Chief Product and Innovation Officer Xavier Bertran said the contract with OHB represents an important step toward delivering Europe’s next generation of secure and resilient communications infrastructure. OHB System Executive Board member Gianaldo Mantovani said Europe needs independent communications capabilities and that OHB is contributing its experience in satellite-platform development and MEO constellations. The contract places OHB in a key industrial role for the 18-satellite MEO segment, while SES remains responsible for its delivery within the wider SpaceRISE consortium.

Read More → Posted on 2026-08-31 15:52:23

 Space & Technology 

XIONGAN, CHINA,  — China’s commercial space sector has begun operating what Chinese authorities describe as the country’s first assembly-line-style automated satellite mass-production facility in Xiongan New Area, Hebei Province. The production line, operated by Beijing LandSpace Hongqing Technology, is designed to move satellite manufacturing from largely individual production toward higher-volume manufacturing. The facility uses robotic systems and automated stations for satellite assembly. More than 70 percent of its workstations are automated, according to Xiongan authorities. The company says the production cycle for a satellite has been reduced from about seven days using traditional methods to approximately 30 hours on the new line. The production line is designed to support the manufacture of more than 100 flat-panel communications satellites annually. The approach is intended to improve manufacturing efficiency and support the production requirements of commercial satellite communications and constellation deployments.   — August 27, 2026 First Satellite Produced on the Line The first satellite manufactured on the production line is Hongqing Technology’s Honghu-03, also known as Xiongan-1. The satellite was completed and rolled off the production line on October 22, 2025. Xiongan-1 is a 541-kilogram flat-panel satellite measuring 3 meters in length, 2 meters in width and 0.4 meters in thickness. It was independently developed by Beijing LandSpace Hongqing Technology. The satellite incorporates the company’s self-developed propulsion, power and electronic systems. The satellite includes an argon-propellant electric propulsion system and is being used to conduct in-orbit verification of several technologies. These include the electric propulsion system and commercial-grade gallium nitride power devices designed for space applications. Chinese authorities said the satellite is conducting verification of more than 10 technologies described as domestic firsts.   Xiongan-1 Reaches Orbit Xiongan-1 was launched on August 19, 2026, aboard the Zhuque-3 Y2 reusable rocket from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in Jiuquan, Gansu Province. The launch took place at 7:35 a.m. Beijing time. About 10 minutes later, the satellite separated from the rocket and entered its planned orbit. Its solar arrays deployed successfully, and telemetry data returned from the spacecraft was reported as normal. The satellite is operating at an altitude of about 500 kilometers and is carrying out its planned in-orbit technology verification activities. The launch also formed part of a major test for Zhuque-3. During the mission, the rocket’s first stage successfully completed a controlled landing and recovery on land, according to Chinese and international reports.   From Satellite Manufacturing to Mass Production The automated production line applies an assembly-line manufacturing approach to satellite production. According to Hongqing Technology, the line can complete satellite assembly with substantially less manual intervention, while the overall production cycle has been reduced by about 80 percent. The company says six to eight workers can support production capacity of more than 100 flat-panel communications satellites per year. The production line occupies about 500 square meters. The facility is intended to support higher-volume manufacturing of satellites for applications including communications and satellite internet. The shift toward standardized and automated production is aimed at making it possible to manufacture satellites in larger numbers rather than treating each spacecraft primarily as an individual production project.   Xiongan’s Growing Space Industry The satellite production facility is part of Xiongan New Area’s developing aerospace information and satellite internet industry. As of August 2026, the area had 69 companies connected to the aerospace information and satellite internet sector, along with nine innovation platforms. China Satellite Network Group has established its headquarters in Xiongan, while companies involved in satellite research, manufacturing, components, testing and applications have also established operations in the area. Xiongan is also developing shared satellite manufacturing and testing facilities. These facilities are intended to provide additional infrastructure for companies involved in commercial space activities and help create a production chain covering satellite development, manufacturing, testing and operation. The launch of Xiongan-1 therefore marks both the first flight of a satellite manufactured on the automated production line and the beginning of in-orbit verification for its technologies. At the manufacturing level, the facility provides Xiongan with a production system designed specifically for higher-volume satellite manufacturing, with a stated capacity of more than 100 flat-panel satellites per year.

Read More → Posted on 2026-08-27 16:22:47

 Space & Technology 

Pingtung County, Taiwan — Taiwan’s first domestically developed satellite launch vehicle failed during its maiden flight test on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, after veering off course shortly after liftoff. The solid-fuel rocket, developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), was launched from the Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County at around 6:00 a.m. local time. NCSIST said the rocket developed a trajectory anomaly during the initial stage of flight. Ground telemetry detected abnormal rotation and a deviation from the planned flight path, prompting operators to activate the vehicle’s pre-planned self-destruct system. The rocket and debris fell in an uninhabited mountainous area within the designated safety control zone. No injuries or property damage were reported. Before the launch, authorities had established a safety exclusion zone covering a radius of 20 nautical miles (about 37 km) and extending to an altitude of 100,000 feet (about 30.48 km). NCSIST had also issued notices for sea and air firing activities at Jiupeng from August 19 to 21, 2026, including artillery and uncrewed aircraft system operations. Residents near the base reported seeing the rocket briefly climb before turning away from the sea toward the mountains. Some initially believed they were seeing a missile. Videos shared online showed the vehicle changing direction before falling, with smoke rising from the hillside. The Pingtung County Government called for further launch tests to be suspended and asked NCSIST to conduct a thorough review of its procedures. It also requested that future flight paths avoid Indigenous villages and other residential areas. NCSIST has sent personnel to the county government and the Mudan and Manzhou township offices to explain the safety measures and hear local concerns. NCSIST said engineers will analyse the telemetry collected during the brief flight to determine the cause of the failure and make necessary design changes. Possible areas under investigation include the propulsion or gyroscope systems and weight distribution, although the exact cause has not yet been confirmed. The project is a scientific research effort to develop a solid-fuel rocket capable of placing satellites into low Earth orbit. Project lead Lai Yu-hsuan said the work builds on NCSIST’s solid-rocket technology and has no other purpose. The program is separate from TASA’s liquid-fuel rocket program. No satellite was carried during the test. The objective was to collect flight data and validate the vehicle’s systems. This was the first flight test of Taiwan’s domestically developed launch vehicle. Taiwan has previously relied on foreign launch services for its satellites. Separately, the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) is working toward domestic orbital launch capability, including plans for a rocket capable of carrying a 200-kilogram satellite into orbit by around 2034 and the establishment of a dedicated launch facility in Pingtung. NCSIST said it will use the data from the August 19, 2026 flight to refine the vehicle before any further tests.

Read More → Posted on 2026-08-22 14:55:51

 Space & Technology 

BEIJING, China — China’s private aerospace company LandSpace successfully launched its Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket and recovered its first-stage booster on land on Wednesday, marking China’s first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster using deployable landing legs. The 66.1-meter-tall rocket lifted off at 7:35 a.m. Beijing Time from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwest China, part of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. About 137 seconds after liftoff, the first and second stages separated. The second stage successfully placed the Honghu-03 commercial internet satellite, developed by LandSpace affiliate Hongqing Technology, into its designated orbit. The first stage then carried out its planned return sequence, including high-altitude attitude adjustment, powered deceleration during re-entry, aerodynamic glide control using grid fins, a final landing burn and deployment of landing legs. The booster traveled about 390 kilometers downrange before making a vertical landing at the designated Zhuque-3 recovery site in Minqin County, Gansu Province, at around 7:41–7:43 a.m. Beijing Time. LandSpace confirmed the launch and recovery mission was a complete success. The achievement also marks the first time a Chinese launch vehicle has completed this type of vertical landing after an orbital mission.   pic.twitter.com/ws1OLj1TpJ — Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) August 19, 2026   Reusable Rocket Design Zhuque-3 is a two-stage, stainless-steel rocket with a diameter of about 4.5 meters. It uses liquid oxygen and methane propellants, while its first stage is powered by nine Tianque-12A engines. The rocket is designed for low-cost, high-frequency commercial launches, with the first stage intended to be reused up to around 20 times. LandSpace has indicated that it plans to inspect and potentially reuse a recovered booster within about six months.   Second Zhuque-3 Flight The mission was the second flight of Zhuque-3. During its December 2025 maiden flight, the rocket successfully reached orbit, but the first-stage recovery attempt ended with an anomaly during the final landing burn. For the Y2 mission, engineers applied improvements based on the earlier flight, including refinements to the landing propulsion approach and enhancements to the onboard autonomous flight safety system. The successful recovery provides flight-verified data on the booster’s complete return process, from high-speed flight and re-entry to controlled landing.   China’s Two Booster Recovery Methods The Zhuque-3 recovery follows the July 10, 2026 sea-based recovery of a Long March-10B first stage by state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which used a net-capture system on a recovery vessel. China has now demonstrated controlled recovery of orbital rocket stages through both sea-based net capture and land-based vertical landing methods. LandSpace is also in the inquiry phase for an IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market, aiming to raise 7.5 billion yuan with a profitability target for 2029. The Zhuque-3 mission moves LandSpace closer to its planned reusable commercial launch operations and supports China’s broader development of reusable launch technology aimed at reducing satellite launch costs and enabling more frequent launches.

Read More → Posted on 2026-08-19 11:12:51