MULA is currently planned for Transporter-16. [Aug 12]QuoteThe MULA Satellite is developed in the United Kingdom by 16 Filipino engineers deployed by PhilSA.The satellite is expected to be launched in the United States within October of 2025 to March 2026 using SpaceX Transporter-16.SSTLQuoteMULA (Multi-Spectral Unit for Land Assessment) is an earth observation satellite mission for the Philippine Space Agency (Philsa). The satellite is an SSTL True Colour which is a 130kg platform with a wide-swath multi-spectral imaging instrument and AIS/ADS-B secondary payload.
The MULA Satellite is developed in the United Kingdom by 16 Filipino engineers deployed by PhilSA.The satellite is expected to be launched in the United States within October of 2025 to March 2026 using SpaceX Transporter-16.
MULA (Multi-Spectral Unit for Land Assessment) is an earth observation satellite mission for the Philippine Space Agency (Philsa). The satellite is an SSTL True Colour which is a 130kg platform with a wide-swath multi-spectral imaging instrument and AIS/ADS-B secondary payload.
Care Weather's 10 kg Veery-1A radar satellite will be on Transporter-16.QuoteLaunch date: January 2026Launch provider: SpaceXLaunch vehicle: Falcon 9Orbital altitude: 550 kmOrbital inclination: 97°Mission duration: 60 monthsOrbital life: 5 years
Launch date: January 2026Launch provider: SpaceXLaunch vehicle: Falcon 9Orbital altitude: 550 kmOrbital inclination: 97°Mission duration: 60 monthsOrbital life: 5 years
The first Lumir X satellite is scheduled to launch in early 2026 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle, with future second-generation Lumir X satellites expected to achieve resolutions of up to 0.15 meters.
SpaceBey said today that it has signed a brokerage agreement to launch a small Earth observation satellite for a Korean space company.The satellite will launch using SpaceX’s Transporter launch service in the second half of 2025, and it will be the first of the constellation satellites that the company is developing.
Momentus Inc, a U.S. commercial space company offering satellite buses, technologies, transportation, and other in-space infrastructure services, today announced it has signed a contract with SpaceX to join an upcoming Transporter rideshare mission launching as soon as early 2026.Momentus plans to use this port for the launch of its flight-proven Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) to transport a mix of payloads from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial customers to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).For this mission, Momentus has additional capacity to support customers planning LEO deployment and hosted payload missions in early 2026. Government and commercial customers interested in utilizing the ability of the Vigoride vehicle to cost-effectively launch and deliver microsatellites up to 200 kg and cubesats, provide average power up to 1kW, and deploy or operate hosted payloads in orbits above 500 km and below the International Space Station are encouraged to contact Momentus while booking opportunities remain open.
Momentus Inc. has signed a contract with Orbit Fab to provide hosted payload services for the on-orbit demonstration of Podracer, a space domain awareness payload, and the Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI). The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than February 2026 aboard a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission.Funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Podracer will conduct a flight demonstration of infrared imaging sensors, image processing technology, and a control module to enhance space domain awareness aboard the Vigoride 7 orbital service vehicle (OSV). Podracer will also be used as part of a rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) demonstration mission that Momentus plans to conduct during the Vigoride 7 mission using a system developed by Momentus.Through Vigoride’s communications and data transfer systems, Orbit Fab will operate the Podracer payload remotely from its Mission Operations Center in Colorado, ensuring real-time control and monitoring of the hosted payload mission.During the Vigoride 7 mission, Momentus and Orbit Fab plan to conduct the first flight demonstration of a hydrazine compatible, Space Systems Command approved RAFTI. Orbit Fab’s advanced refueling interface is designed to extend the operational lifespan of satellites, by enabling spacecraft docking and refueling, thereby eliminating the current limitations imposed by onboard fuel reserves. This advancement is expected to significantly reduce costs and improve operational flexibility for satellite operators by mitigating mission constraints caused by fuel shortages.
🛰️ Orbit Fab's electronic control systems are now qualified for Geostationary Orbit operations.✅ First unit shipped to partner, ready to drive interface and propellant feed systems and telemetry✅ One of two systems launching in 2026, enabling the refueling of multiple US government satellites✅ Electronics tested to survive launch conditions and the harsh thermal/radiation environment of deep spaceAs satellites need fuel and refueling systems require precise control and monitoring, this milestone brings us closer to extended satellite missions through reliable in-space refueling.
Momentus plans to launch DPhi’s Clustergate-2 payload aboard its Vigoride 7 orbital service vehicle targeted for launch in early 2026, to deliver dynamic compute capabilities in orbit.Clustergate is a is a self-contained payload bay designed to turn any host spacecraft into a shared, high-performance hub. The Clustergate-2 mission focuses on software payloads to enable the deployment and operation of software applications throughout the mission lifecycle, unlocking new opportunities for real-time and autonomous data processing from orbit.
We are happy to share that our cameras have been integrated on Momentus's Vigoride 7 launching on Transponder-16. This is part of one of our SBIRs and will help to build heritage for the cameras flying on our Kamino and Rancor missions to test our ability to find and track objects validating our RPO algorithms. This will allow our team to gain experience operating hardware in space before our US government-led refueling missions launch in late 2026.
Momentus Inc. today announced the successful completion of Environmental Testing of its Vigoride-7 Orbital Service Vehicle, scheduled to launch aboard SpaceX's Transporter-16 mission targeted for launch no earlier than March 2026. Vigoride 7 is scheduled to carry payloads for several customers, including the U.S. Defense Department, NASA, and commercial customers, that will generate new revenue.The rigorous testing campaign included Thermal Testing, which simulated the extreme temperature swings of space to validate spacecraft performance and reliability; and Vibration Testing conducted at Experior Laboratories, which exposed Vigoride-7 to the mechanical stresses of launch conditions.
Momentus Inc. today announced the development of an additive manufactured fuel tank. The fuel tank is scheduled to perform flight testing aboard Momentus’s Vigoride-7 Orbital Service Vehicle. The tank was produced in collaboration with Velo3D, a leading provider of advanced metal additive manufacturing technology.This milestone demonstrates the potential of additive manufacturing to accelerate innovation in spacecraft design, reduce production timelines, and enable complex geometries that improve performance in demanding space environments.
Momentus to Deploy Defense Department and Commercial Payloads on Rideshare Mission with SpaceX in 2026 [Dec 17]QuoteMomentus Inc, a U.S. commercial space company offering satellite buses, technologies, transportation, and other in-space infrastructure services, today announced it has signed a contract with SpaceX to join an upcoming Transporter rideshare mission launching as soon as early 2026.Momentus plans to use this port for the launch of its flight-proven Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) to transport a mix of payloads from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial customers to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).For this mission, Momentus has additional capacity to support customers planning LEO deployment and hosted payload missions in early 2026. Government and commercial customers interested in utilizing the ability of the Vigoride vehicle to cost-effectively launch and deliver microsatellites up to 200 kg and cubesats, provide average power up to 1kW, and deploy or operate hosted payloads in orbits above 500 km and below the International Space Station are encouraged to contact Momentus while booking opportunities remain open.
K2 Space has signed a contract with the U.S. Space Force to launch its first Mega Class satellite on a mission code-named "Gravitas." The contract, with a total value of $60 million, includes government funds, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) matching funds, and private funds.The February 2026 mission will demonstrate the ability of the Mega Class satellite bus to proliferate across all orbits, with key demonstrations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). K2 Space will be one of the first commercial companies to demonstrate operations for government and commercial customers in MEO, a regime garnering significant interest for proliferation beyond LEO in programs such as "Resilient GPS."The groundbreaking mission received support and funding from multiple Department of the Air Force organizations, including the Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power PEO, The Space Development Agency, the Space Warfighting Acquisition Delta, the DoD's Space Test Program, the Space Force's National Space Test and Training Complex, and the Air Force Research Lab.[...]The K2 satellite bus represents a step change in satellite capabilities, delivering 10 times more power than any other low-cost bus in its class, and a large 3-meter by 3-meter payload deck. Designed for true multi-orbit functionality, the platform is made to handle the environments of Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO), and Cislunar space, supporting future Hybrid Space Architectures. With the ability to stack 10 Mega Class satellites per Falcon 9 (or equivalent launch vehicle) to LEO, the K2 bus will make it possible to deploy constellations in a completely new way.[...]To maintain competitive pricing while delivering superior capabilities, K2 Space manufactures 75% of satellite components in-house, including reaction wheels, flight computers, and solar arrays. The company is also developing the highest power electric propulsion system ever flown – a 20kW system that is four times more powerful than the highest power system flown to date – enabling completely new ways to populate MEO, GEO, and Cislunar constellations with rapid orbit-raise and maneuvering capabilities.The Gravitas mission will demonstrate these revolutionary capabilities while carrying multiple National Security payloads.Mission Timeline • Payload Integration: May 2025 • Qualification Testing: June - September 2025 • Launch: February 2026 (SpaceX Transporter-16) • Extended LEO Operations • Orbit Raising to MEO Demonstration • Extended MEO Operations
K2 Space is developing its first government mission, dubbed Gravitas, under a $60 million Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) agreement, with the Space Force and venture investors each contributing $30 million. The mission, scheduled to launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare in 2026, will deploy multiple national security payloads in low Earth orbit before maneuvering into medium Earth orbit, a region requiring advanced radiation-hardened capabilities.
Following the demonstration mission, K2 Space successfully test fired its 20kW Krypton-fed Hall-effect thruster at full power, marking a pivotal advancement in electric propulsion (EP) technology. The K2 thruster will be the most powerful Hall-effect thruster ever flown in space, enabling the K2 Mega-Class satellite to complete a first of its kind orbit raise from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to MEO with EP in less than 90 days.This unique capability will allow K2 Space to deploy MEO constellations in a way not previously possible. By increasing the number of satellites deployed per launch by 4x, each of which can rapidly raise itself to orbit, K2 Space is able to minimize the number of launches and time required to field a MEO constellation. The thruster was test fired at the company's Torrance headquarters in a custom-built propulsion test chamber, one of the largest such chambers in the world.[...]GRAVITAS, K2's 2026 mission, will operate a K2 Mega-Class satellite at several different altitudes in MEO—a largely untapped orbital regime with unique value for both national security and commercial applications. The Mega-Class satellite platform leveraged for this mission will pair an unprecedented 20kW of onboard power with true multi-orbit capabilities. GRAVITAS is supported by a $60 million STRATFI award from the U.S. Space Force and will carry multiple national security and commercial payloads.
[38:30] "Gravitas" mission, carrying 12 payloads (DoD and commercial) will take the Cake Topper slot on Transporter-16. Will be inserted in SSO then slowly orbit raise to MEO, pausing at 2000, 4000 and 6000 km to collect data.
In November, the team’s first full-size satellite rolled off the production line in Torrance, California. The satellite has 20 kilowatts of power, on par with the highest-power satellites that have been launched to date. But its cost is much lower: K2 will sell each one for around $15 million, a fraction of the roughly $100 million price tag on similar high-power satellites. That’s because K2 is building more than 80% of the satellite in house. [...]Its first launch is planned for March, and the company said multiple launches are planned through 2027 and deployments with customers planned for 2028. The funding round will be used for research and development and to scale up production to push out 10 satellites next year and 30 the following year.
The Icarus 2.0 mission aims to launch the CubeSat constellation in phases. The payload is already being built, and production of the first satellite will begin as part of the SpaceX Transporter 16 mission with deployment targeted for spring 2026.
Icarus will use modern, commercially operated small satellites from the Munich-based startup OroraTech
With the satellites, however, they started from scratch; with the development of a cube measuring ten by ten centimeters, weighing around nine kilograms, with nine antennas for receiving and transmitting data, each 20 centimeters long. The scientists and developers from Dresden have brought in their experience with Icarus 1.0 and their expertise from other space projects, which is why they have made rapid progress. The small cube will be built into a structure in a larger satellite together with other small cubes for other purposes.[...]In addition to the Icarus cube, the founders are building five of their own cubes of the same type, but they will fly into space as satellites, i.e. not in a structure with other elements. This creates a constellation of six units that are networked together - and very quickly.
We are excited to share significant progress in the ICARUS goes LEO project!We have finalized the hardware design of the payload and have all components ready for final assembly. Last month, we successfully completed the qualification tests, a crucial milestone in our journey. Additionally, we built a mass equivalent model (MEM) for further testing, which we delivered to the satellite manufacturer this week.We are now entering the final phase of the payload construction and are eager to see our hard work come to life.
With LaunchLock, you ‘lock in’ a launch window, up to 3 years in advance of your desired launch date, and then narrow that window as your mission details come into focus. Flexibility at its finest. We manage capacity across multiple LVs to match customer readiness and mission needs, absorbing the risk of aligning customers with the optimal launch.
Now booking launches to:LEO/SSO (via Transporter 16-19+ in ‘26 and beyond)Mid-Inc (several options available)GEO/GTO (SpaceX dedicated direct in ‘28)Lunar (several options available)
Construction of the satellite commenced in 2022, with the launch of the satellite scheduled for 2026 by SpaceX.
Mass: 300 kgOrbit: 600 km polar
The main application of the satellite will be for vessel detection, a long-running service with KSAT. It represents a major improvement to the capabilities for vessel identification and dark target classifications, as the satellite will cover large ocean areas but with high-resolution imagery. There are no satellite systems with similar characteristics today. The SAR satellite will provide data for a 300 km swath with a spatial resolution of 3 meters.
Momentus Inc. today announced that the U.S. Air Force Research Labs AFWERX organization has selected a proposal from Momentus to perform an in-space demonstration flight of a new, low-cost suite of multispectral sensors for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO).AFWERX is the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force under the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). AFWERX has been chartered to bring cutting-edge ingenuity from small businesses to address the most pressing challenges of the Air Force.In 2024, Momentus submitted a proposal under the AFWERX Challenge and was recently formally notified that its proposal for a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project to perform a multi-spectral RPO demonstration was selected after evaluation in a competitive process. Momentus expects to complete contract negotiations shortly. This selection underscores Momentus' commitment to pioneering innovative solutions for national defense.Under the SBIR project, Momentus plans to use a Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) system it has developed using internal R&D funds and use an optical sensor, infrared sensor, and a Lidar sensor. (Lidar is a remote-sensing technology that uses laser beams to measure distances and movement in an environment.)A flight demonstration in early 2026 is planned that will show the ability for low-cost RPO sensors to safely guide the approach and rendezvous of a space vehicle with a previously uncharacterized client object using machine vision algorithms and data fusion developed by Momentus. Reducing the cost while ensuring high operational safety for in-space rendezvous is a key enabling technology needed for the future of in-space refueling of satellites, manufacturing, assembly, servicing, and debris removal.The rendezvous sensor demonstration for AFWERX will join other payloads, including from the Department of Defense and commercial customers, on a mission that Momentus has contracted with SpaceX to join a Transporter rideshare launch in early 2026.For this mission, Momentus has additional capacity to support customers planning LEO deployment and hosted payload missions in early 2026. Government and commercial customers interested in utilizing the ability of the Vigoride vehicle to cost-effectively launch and deliver microsatellites up to 200 kg and cubesats, provide average power up to 1kW, and deploy or operate hosted payloads in orbits above 500 km and below the International Space Station are encouraged to contact Momentus while booking opportunities remain open at [email protected]
Momentus Inc. today announced it has been awarded a contract expansion by the U.S. Department of Defense organization, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to conduct an in-orbit demonstration of the assembly of large scale structures. The mission will launch on an upcoming SpaceX Transporter rideshare as soon as early 2026.For this upcoming mission, Momentus is under contract to provide full-service support to the DARPA Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design (NOM4D) program, including arranging launch services, payload integration, and in-orbit hosting of the payload for a complex in-space assembly mission. The in-space assembly will be conducted on the Momentus Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle. The purpose of this effort is to validate the functionality, performance, and reliability of the in-space assembly payload in the LEO space environment.Momentus was awarded the initial NOM4D contract in April 2024 and completed the first two phases of the contract. This latest contract award from DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office is for Phase 3 of the program valued at about $3.5M.The DARPA NOM4D program focuses on developing the foundations for building robust and precise structures in space. The vision is to transport raw materials from Earth for in-orbit manufacturing. Unlike deployable structures optimized for ground tests and launch survival, these structures—such as solar arrays, antennas, and optics—will be specifically designed for fabrication in the space environment.“We’re thrilled to be supporting DARPA on this cutting-edge program and are looking forward to this exciting demonstration of key enabling technologies for in-space assembly,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer John Rood. “Cost-effective assembly of structures in space has the potential to transform how we operate in space. Structures that are too large to fit within the shroud of a launch vehicle can be robotically assembled in space, leading to less complex and cost-effective structures like large communications antennas, hubs for orbital manufacturing of advanced materials and potentially products like semi-conductors, and the repair and upgrade of space systems. This latest contract from DARPA builds on work Momentus has done to secure important contracts from NASA and the U.S. Space Development Agency in late 2024 to support missions in orbit to demonstrate new technology. Together, these contracts position the company well for future growth.”This mission marks Momentus’ fourth Vigoride mission and first mission supporting DARPA. For this mission, Momentus has additional capacity to support customers planning LEO deployment and hosted payload missions in early 2026.
Caltech’s demonstration, planned for February 2026, will showcase autonomous robotic construction in low-Earth orbit. The university has partnered with space transportation company Momentus to launch their experiment aboard a Vigoride orbital vehicle on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-16 mission.The demonstration will feature a “free-flying” autonomous system where a gantry robot will construct a 1.4-meter-diameter circular truss using lightweight composite fiber tubes. While not a functional antenna, the structure will serve as a proof-of-concept for future large-scale space-based communications infrastructure.
Momentus and Solstar will conduct the first on-orbit demonstration of Solstar’s Deke Space Communicator in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) on a mission that will be launched on an upcoming SpaceX Transporter rideshare as soon as early 2026. The Deke Space Communicator will provide on-demand Wi-Fi and narrowband Internet connectivity for Momentus and its customers.
Momentus Inc. has signed a contract with Portal Space Systems to provide hosted payload services for the company’s first on-orbit demonstration of its advanced flight computer technology.Momentus is committed to supporting the development and testing of next-generation space technology. Portal Space Systems emerged from stealth in April 2024, after its founding in 2021 by former SpaceX VP of Propulsion, Jeff Thornburg. This mission will validate the performance of Portal’s flight computer, avionics and flight software in the harsh conditions of space, where exposure to radiation, extreme temperatures, and vacuum presents significant operational challenges.Flight computing, power systems components and avionics systems are critical to satellite operations, enabling autonomous control for highly maneuverable spacecraft. The need for robust fail-safes and system redundancy is essential to ensuring mission success and operational reliability in these demanding environments.“In-space validation is the cornerstone of de-risking space systems, especially when you’re building a spacecraft like Supernova that has to think, act and react across transorbital domains,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO and Co-Founder of Portal Space Systems. “This mission lets us iterate and advance faster, and we’re thrilled to be flying alongside some of the most ambitious payloads in space.”This payload will be among several mission-critical payloads Momentus will carry aboard its Vigoride 7 Orbital Service Vehicle, scheduled for launch no earlier than February 2026 on a SpaceX Transporter mission to Low Earth Orbit.
Portal Space Systems, developer of the Supernova transorbital spacecraft, announced today that it has signed a contract with Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) to deliver its first on-orbit technology demonstration in early 2026. This mission, launching aboard Momentus’ Vigoride 7 Orbital Service Vehicle on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare, will validate Portal’s next-generation spaceflight computer, avionics, and software suite in Low Earth orbit.By leveraging Momentus’ hosted payload services, Portal is accelerating its hardware readiness timeline and de-risking critical components ahead of the company’s target launch later in 2026. This test will validate the resilience and performance of Portal’s advanced spaceflight computer, avionics, and software suite which have been engineered to support autonomous sustained maneuvering and resilient operations in the challenging conditions of space.“In-space validation is the cornerstone of de-risking space systems, especially when you’re building a spacecraft like Supernova that has to think, act and react across transorbital domains,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO and Co-Founder of Portal Space Systems. “This mission lets us iterate and advance faster, and we’re thrilled to be flying alongside some of the most ambitious payloads in space.”Portal’s payload will fly as one of several innovative payloads hosted on Momentus’ Vigoride 7, joining demonstrations from DARPA’s NOM4D program, AFWERX’s rendezvous sensing technologies, and Solstar Space’s Wi-Fi-enabled space communicator. This convergence of government and commercial tech development makes Vigoride 7 an important testbed for the next generation of orbital infrastructure.
Momentus Inc. today announced it has signed a $1.86M Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. The award supports the in-space flight demonstration of a novel, low-cost multi-spectral sensor suite for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), scheduled for early 2026.Under this contract, Momentus will demonstrate an internally developed RPO system equipped with optical, infrared, and lidar sensors. The technology integrates machine vision algorithms and advanced data fusion used to guide the safe and autonomous approach of a spacecraft to an uncharacterized object in low Earth orbit.[...]The flight demonstration will take place aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare mission scheduled for launch no earlier than February 2026, where Momentus will host the RPO payload on its Vigoride orbital service vehicle. The demonstration will be conducted alongside a group of commercial and Department of Defense customers.
Mini-Nova is integrated and ready for launch!Yesterday, Momentus announced the successful completion of environmental testing on its Vigoride-7 bus, which will carry Mini-Nova to orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 in Q1 2026.This mission marks a key step for Portal: we will validate critical avionics and our flight computer on orbit ahead of our upcoming Supernova and Starburst missions.
ExoTerra Courier 12U CubeSatExpected Launch NET Q1 2026Climb and Descend Between 600-800km
Additionally/Alternatively:• Candidate payload for ARC TechEdSat-14 (2026)• SSTP/JSC R5 Spacecraft • Scalable SWaP/Comm permits various missions of opportunity
the first flight of this detector payload is nominally planned for integration within a novel 12U spacecraft bus developed and funded in part by a NASA Tipping Point program. This spacecraft will primarily test a Xenon thruster system and host the detector payload in an exposed 2U forebody compartment as it performs orbital maneuvers out to 800km. The host spacecraft will provide power and radio communications for the payload, as well as attitude and altitude positional data. Such data will better enable radiation source identification. Integration of the payload is currently scheduled for late 2024, with launch provided by a Transporter mission shortly thereafter.
The “kilowatt-class” spacecraft will launch aboard a SpaceX Transporter mission scheduled for 2026.Once in orbit, the Aetherflux’s demonstrator will beam power back to Earth using an infrared laser with a spot size of 10 meters. The company says it will improve this capacity as it iterates upon its design.
Aetherflux is using Apex Space’s Aries satellite bus. A satellite bus is the core structure and system of a satellite that provides essential functions for its operation, like power, propulsion, and communications. Most buses generate power through solar panels, and Bhatt says that power — as much as a kilowatt of energy — will be sent back to Earth via lasers.
The company is working toward its first mission now, with the aim of sending up a demonstration spacecraft in the fourth quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026.
Late last week, we rolled another Aries bus off the assembly line at Factory One in Los Angeles. Have a watch below to see Aetherflux take delivery of their Aries platform, which will fly their first optical power beaming demo next year.🌎
The partnership will see OCULLOSPACE’s unique "Elephant Juice" mission take flight aboard their DECIMAL-SAT1 1P PocketQube, launched via Alba Orbital’s upcoming Q1 2026 SpaceX mission. .[...]The "Elephant Juice" mission is designed to immortalise DNA-encoded messages in space. The DECIMAL-SAT1 satellite will host a DNA storage payload developed in collaboration with BioSistemika and XexiconSat.‘DNA encoding is an advanced method of information storage, where your message is encoded into a DNA sequence, embedding it within the fundamental building blocks of life. This innovative process leverages the unique characteristics of DNA to create a highly secure, irreversible form of data preservation, ensuring that your message is safeguarded in its most enduring and intimate form.’ - Elephant JuiceThe mission draws inspiration from the 1977 Voyager mission, looking to bring that missions legacy to the modern age. ‘Over four decades ago, the Voyager spacecraft left Earth carrying the Golden Record... It encapsulated the very essence of who we are – our music, sounds of nature, greetings in 55 languages, and much more. Voyager’s journey to the stars symbolized a hopeful message, an eternal connection between humanity and the universe. Elephant Juice builds on this legacy by allowing you to send a message of love that mirrors the Golden Record’s journey’ - Elephant Juice OCULLOSPACE’s Elephant Juice mission is also designed to inspire future generations. Participation helps fund NGOs that are aimed at helping children reach their full potential. The satellite will be deployed into low Earth orbit using Alba Orbital’s own AlbaPod deployer, the world's most flight-proven PocketQube deployer. This reinforces the company’s mission to make space more accessible than ever before.
At the heart of this collaboration is the Decimal-Sat1 Mission, a 1P PocketQube nanosatellite scheduled for launch in Q1 2026, with primary and secondary missions focused on DNA-encoded data transmission, solar sensor research, and radio digipeater functionality.
Satellite Name: Streamlined Assembled Learning ExperimentMission: Rapid and affordable design, testing, and integration of a 3U CubeSatSAL-E is named after Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in Space and an inspiration for women and the LGBTQ+ community. The objectives of this mission are to evaluate CPCL’s capability of designing, manufacturing, and testing a CubeSat while simultaneously providing a project management basis for future CPCL flight missions. SAL-E will launch on Transporter 16 in Q1, 2026.
SAL-E is a 3U CubeSat with a custom chip designed to investigate the effects of single-event upsets in LEO. It is projected to launch with a record timeline in 2025 and in partnership with Maverick Space Systems.
Dimensions: 100 mm x 100 mm x 340 mmMass: < 7 kg
Next stop handoff! Just under 2 years after our first PDR our team completed external FRR for the SAL-E mission earlier today!
This voluntary project consists entirely of students (CubeSat Lab) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Its primary objective is to learn by doing and self-training. Students are learning about satellites and space communication by designing, building, testing, integrating, and operating a 3U CubeSat. [...]Now planning a launch NET 9/26 on Transporter 16 launch
Observations of a common space-based reference has the potential for reducing the uncertainty in the local-ties tothe mm level thus improving the ITRF combinationNASA GRITSS Demonstration Mission targeting launch in February 2026
The Geodetic Reference Instrument Transponder for Small Satellites (GRITSS) mission aims to put a 12UXL cubesat into space, demonstrating an improvement in the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) by accurately correlating signals from collocated stations (Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)). The technology demonstrated with the GRITSS instrument will enable future enhanced ocean, ice, and land topography missions.The GRITSS mission will develop and test an advanced payload system. This system includes a 10 MHz Reference Module (Ultra-stable Oscillator), NavCube 3 Mini (NC3m) GPS receiver, S-Band Transmitter, X-TTSN X-band Transmitter, and a Laser Retroreflector. ISISPACE will construct the 12UXL CubeSat and provide mission design, payload integration, launch services, spacecraft registration, commissioning, and one year of nominal operations in collaboration with the GRITSS team.Launch Date: 2026Launch Vehicle: SpaceX
Jointly developed by the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and NASA GSFCNominal operations: 1 year (extendable)Orbit: 550km sun synchronous, Nadir pointing
Launching in FY26The Geodetic Reference Instrument Transponder for Small Satellites (GRITSS) will verify a new geodetic measurement concept on a 16-unit CubeSat. Functioning as a GNSS L-to-S-and-X-band transponder, GRITSS could pave the way for a more cost-effective mission, employing a constellation of spacecraft for better global coverage and improved accuracy.
The ACMES mission will launch in early 2026 to a high-inclination SSO orbit at 550 km and will serve a one-year primary mission to demonstrate the various novel technologies, followed by up to three years of scientific operations.
Launching in FY26Also a 16-unit CubeSat, the Active Cooling for Methane Sensor (ACMES) instrument will prototype a novel system for observing methane gas. ACMES will advance two technologies: first, Active Thermal Architectures (ATA), a complete end-to-end solution for active thermal control of cryogenic instruments on nano and small satellites; second, the Filter Incidence Narrow-band Infrared Spectrometer (FINIS), a sensor designed for space-based detection of methane sources.
ACMES will [launch from] June to October 2025 to a ~550 km SSO orbit and serve a one-year technology demonstration mission by an extended mission to collect valuable scientific grade data for the Earth science community.[...]ACMES is scheduled to launch in mid-2025 on a Space-X Falcon transporter to a high-inclination, near sun-synchronous, polar orbit (>85o, SS LTAN 10:00 to 14:00). ACMES will maintain a circular ~550 km orbit for a minimum of one year to complete commissioning and demonstrate the various technologies and instruments on board.
ACMESAlso a 16-unit CubeSat, the Active Cooling for Multispectral Sensor (ACMES) instrument will prototype a complete end-to-end solution for active thermal control of cryogenic instruments on nano- and small-satellites, using the previously developed Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI) as its test instrument. ACMES will also fly two student projects: the Filter Incidence Narrow-band Infrared Spectrometer (FINIS); and the Planer Langmuir/Impedance Diagnostic (PLAID).
VISTAsat N1-ATLASSpaceX Transporter 16.Q1 2026.
The planned constellation will use “a combination of sensors,” Bartholomeusz said, with each satellite carrying a mix of some sensor types. The early satellites will include an electro-optical camera, a standard RGB (red, green, blue) digital camera, a 96-band hyperspectral camera and radio frequency sensors. Subsequent birds will incorporate high-resolution electro-optical cameras and a 600-band hyperspectral camera that includes shortwave and thermal infrared frequencies.But the critical capability at the center of NOVI’s business plan to expand from its initial focus on DoD work into the commercial arena is its tiny, but high-powered, computer to process that sensor data on board the satellite, Bartholomeusz explained.“What NOVI has developed for national security is compute on board the satellites,” he said, “because in military applications, time matters, latency matters.“What we are doing is, inference algorithms are loaded onto the onboard computer. Data is collected, it’s analyzed, and then just the bits and bytes of information is sent to the interested assets,” he said. “So, it’s very small data packets. When you send small data packets, you don’t need to wait for a ground station pass. You can send it over channels like Iridium, for example.”
The initial deployment of NOVI’s planned non-geostationary (“NGSO”) Earth exploration satellite service (“EESS”) system consists of two technically identical satellites, designed to have an estimated operational lifetime of five years, at sun-synchronous altitude of 580 +/- 20 km and an inclination of 97.5 +/- 1.0 degrees. These two satellites are referred to as N1-ATLAS and N2-P-Body. [...]NOVI plans to launch the two VISTAsat spacecraft on the successive SpaceX Transporter 16 and Transporter 17 missions, currently scheduled for launch NET February and June 2026, respectively, out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Once in orbit, the satellites will be ejected from a Maverick CubeSat dispenser into a planned circular, sun-synchronous orbit (97.5 deg) at an average altitude of 590km. [...]N1-ATLAS and N2-P-Body conform to the 6U CubeSat specification, with a launch mass of ~13kg. Basic physical dimensions are 110mm x 110mm x 366mm, with two 306mm x 1880 mm deployable solar arrays.
NOVI Space Inc. today announced the launch of GENIE™ - its low-cost, open-access, multi-sensor edge-compute constellation built to transform how users access, process, and act on Earth Observation (EO) data.[...]Building on these foundations, NOVI is launching GENIE - the Geospatial Ecosystem for Near real-time Information at the Edge. GENIE is a first-of-its-kind, open-access constellation that combines multi-sensor payloads with onboard compute to enable real-time processing in space. Instead of sending massive raw datasets back to Earth, GENIE satellites can perform countless user-defined processing tasks, such as clipping imagery to specific areas of interest, as well as run detection and inference algorithms directly in orbit. This dramatically reduces the high cost and latency associated with downlink, storage, management, and transfer of raw data that impedes traditional solutions. The architecture also supports multi-satellite / multi-domain tip-and-cue and tasking, enabling coordinated, responsive operations across diverse sensors and orbital assets. Launches for the first two GENIE satellites are booked on SpaceX Transporter-16 and 17, with operations beginning in early 2026.
Iridium Satellite LLC hereby requests an experimental license, beginning on or before March 1, 2025, to transmit from its space stations to the GENIE (Geospatial Ecosystem for Near real-time Information at the Edge) constellation to be operated by NOVI Space Inc. in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz band. Iridium seeks experimental authority for 24 months and will apply for renewals of authority as appropriate.The GENIE constellation project will consist of two pathfinder earth exploration satellites operating in low earth orbit that will be used to prove out the functionality of NOVI’s new satellite bus. Each satellite will carry one payload consisting of a visible imager, a hyperspectral imager, and a software defined radio, and a second payload consisting of a single Iridium communications modem(Iridium model SBDB9603F) that will transmit to space stations in Iridium’s “Big LEO” constellation.The mission seeks to reduce significantly the cost, complexity, and latency associated with multiple Earth-based and space-based locations. The satellites are scheduled to be launched in March 2026 and June 2026.
Argo Space Corp. is launching an experimental demonstration of orbital transportation with the Navigator spacecraft. Launch is tentatively scheduled for February 1, 2026 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-16 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base.The primary objective of this mission is to demonstrate the spacecraft’s water-fueled propulsion system and its ability to transport payloads from low Earth orbit (LEO) to a super synchronous geostationary (GEO) graveyard orbit. After deployment into LEO at an inclination angle of 97.4°, Navigator will raise its apoapsis to 80,000 km while maintaining inclination, resulting in a highly elliptical orbit. It will then perform a near equatorial inclination change, followed by circularization in a super synchronous GEO graveyard orbit. This mission is a technology demonstration and pathfinder for Argo Space Corp.’s LEO-to-GEO rideshare platform, supporting future commercial space operations.The primary mission duration is expected to last 12 months, but operation may continue for up to the end of the Part 5 license period of 2 years.
Our mission trajectory is highly dynamic and consists of three main phases after being dropped off in LEO: a. Apogee raising from 500 km to 80,000 km (above earth’s surface) b. Inclination change from 97.4° to 0° c. Circularization to super synchronous GEO graveyard orbit
Argo Space Corp. is developing the Argonaut, a highly reusable small spacecraft transfer vehicle with large amounts of delta V that captures payloads on-orbit. The massive growth in small satellites and cislunar activity is driving an urgent need for affordable and reliable in-space transportation. The Argonaut offers affordable and dependable transportation through the introduction of true in-space reusability for propulsive in-space vehicles, from the choice of propellant to the docking mechanism. The Argonaut is propelled by Argo's water-fed microwave electrothermal thruster (MET) and leverages existing common launch vehicle interfaces to simplify orbital docking and capture operations for client spacecraft. This MET enables use of readily storable water propellant with both a low thrust, high efficiency plasma mode and a low efficiency, higher thrust steam mode. By using water as propellant, the Argonaut increases the safety of transport, ground handling, and launch operations while also simplifying in-space propellant storage and management. Additionally, water propellant can be refuelled through in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the lunar surface to support America's permanent human presence there. Initial Argonauts are designed to transport small spacecraft from CubeSats up to ESPA-class from low Earth orbit (LEO) to lunar orbits, but future iterations will scale in capability to transport payloads up to 10 metric tons. Argonaut's unique mechanical spacecraft capture system requires no additional hardware installation on or pre-launch integration with client spacecraft.
Argo Space Corp. will integrate Anduril’s advanced space domain awareness and edge computing technologies onto Argo’s unique, high-deltaV spacecraft for Argo’s first launch, scheduled for early 2026. By combining Argo’s highly-maneuverable, high-energy spacecraft with Anduril’s software-defined mission payloads that leverage the company’s core competencies in mission autonomy, edge processing, infrared imaging, and more, the two companies are ushering in significant advancements in dynamic space operations.To support the mission, Anduril will rapidly deliver a suite of sensor and compute payloads to be hosted aboard Argo’s “Navigator” spacecraft. The privately-funded mission will allow both companies to demonstrate how Argo’s high-energy spacecraft architecture and Anduril’s software-defined, hardware-enabled payloads can unlock new options for national security customers seeking novel solutions to complex mission sets in higher orbits.
The collaboration will deploy ThinkOrbital’s “ThinkX” X-ray imaging and material characterization system on Argo’s highly maneuverable spacecraft. Combining ThinkOrbital’s novel X-ray technology with Argo’s space vehicles will substantially advance space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities and ThinkOrbital’s technology. ThinkOrbital’s proprietary X-ray system will launch on Argo’s inaugural mission in 2026.“This partnership demonstrates how combining advanced sensor technologies with high-deltaV spacecraft can unlock unprecedented capabilities for national security and commercial space applications," said Robert Carlisle, CEO of Argo. “Our first mission with ThinkOrbital is a significant step toward true dynamic space operations across orbits."[...]This mission represents the first space-based test of Argo's high deltaV, refuellable spacecraft platform coupled with ThinkOrbital's long-range active X-ray imaging and material characterization technology, setting a foundation for future orbital inspection and characterization missions.
Under the collaboration, Argo will fly Infinite Orbits’ technology aboard Argo’s spacecraft, launching in 2026. This partnership represents a significant milestone in international space cooperation and demonstrates the growing synergy between in-space technologies.[...]The 2026 mission will provide valuable technology demonstration and advancement for both companies, validating operational concepts that could reshape how satellite operators approach in-orbit services. The collaboration builds on both companies' commitment to advancing the in-space economy through innovative technology partnerships.
A Uɴɪqᴜᴇ Oᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ: CᴜʙᴇSᴀᴛ Cᴀᴘᴀᴄɪᴛʏ Aᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏɴ SᴘᴀᴄᴇX Tʀᴀɴꜱᴘᴏʀᴛᴇʀ-16 🚀Sometimes space opens up, literally!New CubeSat slots have become available on Transporter-16, launching in Q1 2026 to SSO. This is a chance to join a high-reliability SpaceX mission, and get your payload on orbit faster than expected.
Update on Space Norway's ADIS-project [Nov 15, 2023]QuoteSpace Norway’s ADIS-project is progressing well, and the satellite will launch in June 2025 on SpaceX Transporter.Space Norway AS is developing a microsatellite mission called the Application Development Infrastructure in Space (ADIS).
Space Norway’s ADIS-project is progressing well, and the satellite will launch in June 2025 on SpaceX Transporter.Space Norway AS is developing a microsatellite mission called the Application Development Infrastructure in Space (ADIS).
🛰️ Space Norway's Anton Bolstad visited the podcast #Romkapsel. He had a good chat with Eirik Newth and Nils Johan Halvorsen about our ADIS satellite. 🚀 We are launching the satellite in 2026, and this is a cool project for testing Internet of Things in space. This is going to be our laboratory in space.
Space Norway is responsible for delivering payloads to the platform provider, OHB Sweden. These payloads are supplied by two experienced Norwegian subcontractors: Kongsberg Discovery and Kongsberg Seatex (providing the VDES payload), and WideNorth (providing the Software Defined Radio payload). Additionally, Comrod is contributing by designing antenna solutions for the ADIS satellite.The primary payload, a software-defined radio (SDR), offers flexibility in frequency range, bandwidth, processing power, and FPGA functionality. This allows for the definition and demonstration of new communication concepts post-launch.The satellite will also feature a secondary payload for the VDES communication system, designed for data exchange between ships and satellites or coastal stations in the VHF band. This system is specifically developed for maritime communication purposes. Notably, Space Norway already operates two VDES payloads in space.
Planned for launch in 2026, Hyperfield-2 represents a significant leap forward in our satellite technology, featuring expanded spectral coverage and improved spatial resolution. This second generation satellites with advanced design will enable even deeper analysis and strengthen our predictive modeling capabilities through richer, more detailed data collection.Launch time: H1 2026Launch vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9, USAClass: MicrosatelliteMass: 60 kgSpectral range: 450-1,700 nmResolution: 15 mPayload: Patented hyperspectral camera technologyMission status: In development
A generation of Hyperfield-2 satellites is already planned for launch into orbit in 2026. “We have already reserved launch sites for two new satellites for early 2026,” says Antila.The plan is to launch the next 10 new second-generation satellites into orbit in late 2026. The ultimate goal is a constellation of one hundred satellites.
Additional Hyperfield satellites slated to begin launching in 2026 will be significant larger.Kuva is building a 100-satellite constellation to provide “almost real-time measurement by the end of the decade,” Kuva CEO Jarkko Antila told SpaceNews at the GEOINT Symposium 2025.
The mission which will deploy ERMINAZ-2 satellites was moved to Transporter 16, and this means that the launch will take place not earlier than Q1/2026
The design of the satellites is identical to that of ERMINAZ-1U and ERMINAZ-1V (see specification above).PQ standard: 1PQ = 50 x 50 x 50 mm3Mass: 250 gOrbit: perigee 500 km, apogee 600, SSO, 97° Inclination, period 95 min.Launch: O2 2025 with Falcon 9 from US.
These spacecraft are now manifested to launch on the SpaceX Transporter 16 mission NET Q1 2026
In February 2026, it will launch 'Sejong 3' with SpaceX's Falcon 9
Specialized for analyzing wildfire damage, air pollution, and river water quality assessmentName: SJSAT-3Size: 200(W) x 100(D) x 300(H)mm, 6U CubeSatWeight: 10.8kg Altitude: 500kmSwath: 20kmResolution: GSD 5MVNIR: 442 hyper-spectral bands
Spire Global, Inc. announced an agreement with HANCOM InSpace (“Hancom”), initially a spin-off by Korea Aerospace Research Institute and now a part of HANCOM Group, for Sejong-2 and Sejong-3 two additional satellites with Spire Space Services. Under this agreement, Spire will build and operate the satellites, expanding the capabilities of HANCOM-1 (Sejong-1). Together, these satellites will form a constellation for Korea’s first three-satellite remote sensing image data service.[...]while Sejong-3, equipped with a hyperspectral imager, will leverage its spectral range advantages for applications such as calculating wildfire damage area, analyzing air pollution levels, and assessing river water quality,” said Dr. Myungjin Choi, the CEO of HANCOM InSpace.
Launch of ERMINAZ-2U, -2V & -2X [Jun 19]QuoteThe mission which will deploy ERMINAZ-2 satellites was moved to Transporter 16, and this means that the launch will take place not earlier than Q1/2026ERMINAZ-2 sats were manifested to be deployed from UARX's OSSIE.
Iridium Satellite LLC (“Iridium”) hereby requests an experimental license for a period of twelve (12) months, beginning on March 1, 2026, to transmit in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz band1 from its space stations to an Iridium modem, described below, on the Vigoride spacecraft to be operated by Momentus Inc. (“Momentus”).The Vigoride spacecraft will host a Solstar Space Company Deke Space Communicator that houses an Iridium model 9770 modem.2 A Wi-Fi connection will be established to link the Deke Space Communicator with a cubesat operated by NASA that will be released from Momentus’ Vigoride spacecraft.
SAT-LOA-20250626-00122 [Jul 1]Application for Momentus Space's Vigoride-7; Narrative is hidden behind FCC sign in.
With respect to this application, VR-7 will transport and directly deploy one third-partycubesat payload for the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (“NASA”), InspectorSat-1 (“IS-1”), from VR-7. VR-7 will also carry a number of payloads that will remain onboard or affixedto VR-7, including a number of cameras and sensors.3IS-1 will be authorized through the appropriate process with the NationalTelecommunications and Information Association (“NTIA”).
QuoteWith respect to this application, VR-7 will transport and directly deploy one third-party cubesat payload for the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (“NASA”), InspectorSat-1 (“IS-1”), from VR-7. VR-7 will also carry a number of payloads that will remain onboard or affixed to VR-7, including a number of cameras and sensors. IS-1 will be authorized through the appropriate process with the National Telecommunications and Information Association (“NTIA”).
With respect to this application, VR-7 will transport and directly deploy one third-party cubesat payload for the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (“NASA”), InspectorSat-1 (“IS-1”), from VR-7. VR-7 will also carry a number of payloads that will remain onboard or affixed to VR-7, including a number of cameras and sensors. IS-1 will be authorized through the appropriate process with the National Telecommunications and Information Association (“NTIA”).
The demonstration will test and validate sensor capability, navigation capability, and rendezvous/proximity operations. The demo mission will use a 6U CubeSat, IS-1, to test and validate the RPO capability.[...]IS-1’s maximum linear delta-V is limited to 2 m/s and with a notional deployment mass of 10 kg, IS-1 is anticipated to be dispensed with a deployment velocity of roughly 1 m/s.
So far, U-Space has launched four satellites, with six more scheduled for production this year and next. Their first micro-satellite is expected to launch in early 2026 on Transporter-16.
The overall goal of the 3UCubed-A mission is to contribute to an understanding of how Earth’s polar upper atmosphere (‘the thermosphere’ in the auroral and cusp regions) respond to particle precipitation and varying conditions associated with solar wind forcing and internal magnetospheric processes.The satellite will be launched as a secondary payload aboard SpaceX Transporter 16, from Vandenberg Space Force Base, NET October 1, 2025. It will be inserted into a circular SSO orbit at 510 km, on an inclination from the equator of 97.4 degrees. Transmission will begin 30 minutes after deployment and cease 2 years after deployment. Atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs 6.6 years after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details.The spacecraft is a single unit with the dimensions of three stacked 10 cm X 10 cm X 11.5 cm CubeSat modules (giving an overall dimension of 10 cm X 10 cm X 34.5 cm.) The total mass is about 3.6 kg.
The 3UCubed project is a 3U CubeSat being jointly developed by the University of New Hampshire, Sonoma State University, and Howard University as a part of the NASA Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) student collaboration. This project consists of a multidisciplinary team of undergraduate students from all three universities. The mission goal of the 3UCubed is to understand how Earth's polar upper atmosphere (‘the thermosphere’ in Earth’s auroral regions) responds to particle precipitation and solar wind forcing and internal magnetospheric processes.3UCubed includes two instruments with rocket heritage to achieve the science mission: an ultraviolet photomultiplier tube (UV-PMT) and electron retarding potential analyzer (ERPA). The spacecraft bus consists of the following subsystems–Attitude Determination and Control, Command and Data Handling, Power, Communication, Structural, and Thermal.[...]Our mother mission– IMAP is also projected to launch in 2025, which will let us jointly analyze the science data of the main mission, providing the solar wind measurements and inputs to the magnetosphere with that of 3UCubed, providing the response of Earth’s cusp to these inputs.
During this mission, Aethero will demonstrate the capabilities of Phobos and collect invaluable data for future Earth observation and RPO missions to be conducted by Aethero’s customers. Below is a detailed description of the Phobos mission. Once deployed, Phobos will make contact with its ground station network, as described below, to locate the satellite and issue initial commands. Phobos is equipped with a receiver onboard to provide precise GPS locations, which will be used to refine the orbital determination of the satellite for the mission duration.Phobos will be launched by Transporter 16 no earlier than February 1, 2026. Transporter 16 will deploy Phobos at approximately 510 km in a Sun-Synchronous Orbit (“SSO”) with an approximate inclination of 97.4°. At the injection orbit, Aethero will conduct a thorough and extensive evaluation and systems check of the sensor suite and control algorithms on Phobos to confirm everything is performing nominally.Once Aethero confirms that Phobos is operating nominally, it will begin its mission of imaging the Earth and the local space environment for testing and demonstration purposes. Phobos will use its onboard edge computer to process these images on-orbit before transmitting to the ground. This approach will demonstrate to potential customers how Aethero’s unique edge computing technology can enable more efficient data collection and enhance the safety of on-orbit operations.Upon completion of this demonstration, Phobos will have completed its mission. At that time, Aethero will purposefully decommission Phobos as it falls into a passive decay orbit.On-board the Phobos will be the most powerful onboard edge computer launched into space by a non-government operator, the Nvidia NX/Nano Edge Computing Module (NxN-ECM). The standard for on-orbit edge computers is currently 5 trillion operations per second, the NxN-ECM is capable of 157 tera operations per second. This 20x increase in compute power enables satellite systems to train AI/ML models onboard for data compression and analysis, which allows earth observation systems to reduce downlink needs by over 100x and achieve in-space autonomy for navigation, rendezvous, and proximity operations. Phobos will validate the NxNECM ahead of its deployment onboard an orbital transit vehicle system in 2026.
Target Launch DateFebruary 2026Launch VehicleSpaceX Transporter 16, Falcon 9Launch SiteVandenburg, California, USADimension (mm)453 x 113 x 113Perigee Altitude (km)510 ± 15Apogee Altitude (km) 510 ± 17Inclination (degrees)97.4 ± 0.5Launch mass (kg)~6.89
Eycore, an emerging developer of compact synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) payloads, and small-satellite manufacturer Kongsberg NanoAvionics (NanoAvionics) today announced an agreement to place Eycore’s inaugural SAR demonstrator into orbit. The flight will test Eycore’s X-band radar on NanoAvionics’ flight-proven MP42 microsatellite bus, laying the groundwork for an all-European, military-grade SAR solution that provides governments with rapid, sovereign access to sub-meter, day-night, all-weather imagery. The launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter rideshare mission is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.The spacecraft will operate from a 510-kilometer, sun-synchronous orbit. At the core of the mission is Eycore’s deployable active phased-array antenna. It consists of five panels, one fixed and four unfolding in space to create a large aperture without compromising launch volume. NanoAvionics’ MP42 platform will provide the necessary peak power for the payload, data downlink, as well as the attitude control agility and stability required for various imaging modes for different intelligence requirements:Stripmap for continuous swath coverage,Spotlight for sub-meter resolution of priority targets,ScanSAR for very wide-area awareness.Together, these modes enable operators to seamlessly shift from border-length surveillance to vehicle-level inspection, supporting a broad spectrum of operational needs across intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), border security, maritime domain awareness, and rapid disaster response.
Our collaboration began in 2022 as part of our In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission, a key milestone in the development of Eycore’s first SAR satellite – scheduled to launch to low Earth orbit in February 2026.
Before you can see through clouds and night, you must test as you fly and fly as you test. This all-European Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite we're building for Eycore's X-band SAR demonstration is doing just that:It recently passed its vibration test campaign at our partner's V2i facilities, and despite its challenging mass distribution, performed really well.Next, we'll bring it to our in-house thermal vacuum chamber to assess its performance under cold, heat, and vacuum conditions similar to those in space, and test the complete system's electromagnetic compatibility in an anechoic chamber.Soon after, the mission will be ready to launch and lay the groundwork for an all-European, military-grade SAR solution, providing governments with rapid, sovereign access to sub-meter, day-night, all-weather imagery.
We are on a mission to pioneer the shockwave of artificial intelligence in space. To do so, we are building the world’s fastest edge computer for satellites. Today, our journey accelerates further 🚀 .We’re proud to announce that we've closed a €2.3M seed funding round, co-led by imec.istart future fund and the Flanders Future Tech Fund (managed by PMV), with continued support from imec.istart.This investment accelerates the commercialisation of our flagship EDGX Sterna Computer, a high-performance AI-capable computer that processes data directly in orbit. And momentum is building fast: - €1.1M multi-unit commercial deal signed with a satellite operator- Multiple government and institutional contracts secured- In-orbit demonstration on SpaceX Falcon 9 in February 2026 - Two additional missions confirmed for 2026
https://twitter.com/UCalgary/status/1935097649213960518UCalgary team prepares to launch city’s first student-built satellite [Jun 17
The CalgaryToSpace team from the University of Calgary is completing preparations for its first satellite, FrontierSat (CTS-SAT-1) – likely the first student-built spacecraft in the city’s history. The 3U CubeSat (approximately 30 cm in length) will investigate the rare light phenomenon STEVE in the upper atmosphere and collect data on space weather.[...]According to the plan, FrontierSat will operate at an altitude of approximately 510 km for up to seven years (the final service life will depend on solar activity). The launch is scheduled to take place on Falcon 9 via the provider Exolaunch. The initial plan for an autumn launch has been postponed, and the team is now targeting early 2026.
PEARL (Propagation Experiment using kurz-Above-band radio in Low earth orbit) -1A and PEARL-1B are two 6U XL CubeSats integrated by National Central University (NCU) are designed to perform space-to-earth and inter-satellite radio propagation channel experiments over Taiwan for educational training and scientific research. Both CubSats have the same structures and configurations. Each CubeSat will carry three payloads, an Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) payload, a Compact Ionospheric Probe (CIP), and a Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) payload. The ISL enables over-the-horizon radio communication experiments, utilizing the Ka-band for both inter-satellite communication and space-to-ground communications. The CIP is an all-in-one in-situ ion sensor developed by NCU to measure global ionospheric ion concentration, velocity, and temperature especially to monitor ionospheric plasma irregularities resulted in radio scintillations. The PSC consists of perovskite solar cells designed to verify power efficiency by measuring their characteristics of I-V curves in space. Additionally, the CubeSats will be equipped with camera modules, which have been successfully tested on PEARL-1C and PEARL-1H missions. These two CubeSats are planned to deploy one by one almost in the same launch and are scheduled for Q1 2026, the Transporter-16 rideshare mission.[...]• Dimensions: 100 mm x 226.3 mm x 366 mm (6U XL)• Mass: 9~12 kg• Orbit: 500-600 km and SSO (Sun-synchronous orbit) / MLTAN 1400 + 60 min• Mission Time: 1~3 years
Purpose of the ExperimentLunar Outpost, Inc. seeks authorization to operate a two low Earth orbit (LEO) CubeSat ("MARS-1A” & “MARS-1B") to test an experimental software that will be deployed on both assets. The experiment will involve the following areas of study: 1) evaluate software’s mesh networking capabilities with the CubeSats and ground as nodes, creating a web-like structure that allows data to be routed dynamically through the most efficient path; 2) evaluate fleet software’s ability to provide precise ranging information relative to its counterpart asset based on novel software algorithms.
MISSION OVERVIEW• Applicant: Lunar Outpost• Satellite Name: MARS-1A & MARS-1B• Mission Type: Technology Demonstration• Mission Description: The MARS-1 mission is focused on the demonstration and testing of a novel, experimental fleet software developed by Lunar Outpost to more precisely coordinate communications and PNT services across multiple assets. The MARS-1 mission includes the MARS-1A and MARS-1B satellites. The satellites will launch from Vandenberg AFB as a payload on Exotrail US SpaceVan Orbital Transfer Vehicle. The mission begins with a combined 6U satellite being deployed from the Exotrail SpaceVan; once detumbled, the single 6U will decouple and deploy into two individual 3U assets (MARS-1A and MARS-1B) that will demonstrate the novel software experiment.• Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 (Transporter 16)• Launch Date: February 2026• Launch Site: SLC-4E. Vandenberg SFB, California, USA• Deployment Platform: Exotrail SpaceVan• Deployment Altitude: ~520 km circular• Inclination: 97.48°• Planned Mission Duration: 2 years• Satellite Mass: 4.90 kg/unit• Size: 2x 3U CubeSats (10 x 10 x 30 cm)
MARS-1 mission involves launching and operating a 6U satellite that will separate into two 3U satellites to test and validate novel fleet coordination software technologies in low Earth orbit. This mission is aligned with the United States Air Force goals in advancing fleet technology development for in-space applications.AFRL has entered into a cooperative agreement, known as a Strategic Financing (STRATFI) contract, to advance the development of the novel fleet technology that will be demonstrated on-mission through the MARS-1 satellites.
Lunar Outpost today announced MARS-1, a mission to evaluate the performance of its Mobile Autonomous Robotic Swarms (MARS). MARS was developed by Lunar Outpost for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and U.S. Space Force SpaceWERX. The mission will conduct decentralized, cross-domain swarm operations in low Earth orbit, demonstrating the ability to command robotic workforces that will establish infrastructure in space. [...]MARS-1 will consist of two small spacecraft, each running Lunar Outpost’s MARS software and operating in tandem to demonstrate MARS capabilities. Designed for decentralized coordination across heterogeneous assets, MARS enables autonomous systems to work together as a single, resilient unit—even if communication with mission control is interrupted. The mission will test early cross-domain mesh networking and experimental positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities. MARS-1 payloads will be onboard Exotrail’s spacevan™ orbital transfer vehicle on their “Wings of Light” mission. It is planned for launch in early 2026 on SpaceX’s Transporter-16 rideshare.
Our spacevan™’ is at Airbus facilities in Toulouse! With customer payloads on board we progress on Environmental integrated tests, keeping us on track for a flight in Q1 2026!
Lunar Outpost, Inc. seeks authorization to operate a two low Earth orbit (LEO) CubeSat ("MARS-1A & MARS-1B") to test an experimental software that will be deployed on both assets.Operation Start Date: 12/01/2025Operation End Date: 05/31/2026
Primary mission objectives:1. Measure the X-ray flux emitted by the atmosphere and the precipitating electron distribution, and use these measurements to determine the precipitating flux and energy deposition2. Image the X-ray emitting region to measure the spatial extent of precipitation eventsThe satellite will be launched aboard on Exotrail SpaceVan-002 aboard SpaceX Transporter 16, no earlier than February 1, 2026. Transmission will begin thirty minutes after deployment, and cease at mission end of life or by command at end of useful life. From the Orbital Debris assessment report, from the orbit of 510 km circular, 97.8 degrees inclination, atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs less than 1.5 years after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details.The spacecraft is a single unit with the dimensions of a standard 6U CubeSat stack consisting of six CubeSat modules (giving an overall dimension of 10.0 x 22.6 x 36.6 cm, not including solar panel extents). The total mass is about 14.2 Kg.
Exotrail, a European leader in space mobility solutions, has signed a service contract with Rennes-based Cailabs to carry and operate ATLAS-1 communication payload onboard its upcoming spacevan™ mission. This mission, scheduled for launch in Q1 2026, is part of Exotrail’s expanding hosted payload program, which provides a flexible and cost-efficient alternative to full satellite missions for customers willing to showcase and mature their technology in orbit.
QuantX Labs, a world-leader in precision timing and quantum sensor technologies, is gearing up for a major milestone in Australian space technology, as it prepares to launch its leading-edge technology into space. In concert with French space logistics company Exotrail, QuantX will launch a key component of its atomic clock technology, TEMPO, hosted on the spacevan™ vehicle departing on a SpaceX mission in December 2025 at the earliest.With the support of a $3.7 million grant from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative, QuantX Labs will launch a key sub-system of their next-generation optical atomic clock. This investment reflects the Agency’s strong focus, foresight, and belief in the Australian space industry, fostering sovereign capabilities that will position Australia as a leader in space-based precision timing and navigation.
The Compact Spaceborne Magnetic Observatory (COSMO) is a 6U CubeSat designed to collect precise measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field. This data can be used for global magnetic field models, and for numerous Earth and Space Science applications. Our novel solution ensures reliable and accurate data through the use of a precise magnetometer capable of both absolute scalar and vector measurements, flying on a specially-designed, magnetically-clean CubeSat bus.This solution provides magnetic field data at a low cost, ensuring sustainable measurements for the foreseeable future through re-flights of copies of the system.
COSMO is manifest on the SpaceX Transporter-16 Rideshare mission and will be launching on a Falcon 9 from Vandenburg Space Force Base in California. The spacecraft will be integrated into an ExoPod CubeSat dispenser at CU Boulder, then carried to the ExoLaunch office in Denver for our December 1st delivery date. ExoLaunch will handle transport to California and launch vehicle integration. The orbit will be a 510 km sun synchronous orbit with an LTAN of 14:00 (+01:00). The launch is currently scheduled for February 1, 2026, with a delivery date of December 1st 2025, giving COSMO an FCC license need-by date of December 1st 2025.
COSMO is a unique 6U CubeSat mission aimed at making precise measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field for the foreseeable future. The mission builds on CU expertise in small satellites (CubeSats) and in precise optical magnetometry. This mission was designed and developed entirely by students.
The SERT-3 Mission consists of a single spacecraft with the primary purpose of building flight heritage of a specific Hall Effect propulsion system in support of subsequent Muon customer missions in 2026 and beyond. SERT-3 is expected to launch on the SpaceX Transporter-16 rideshare mission currently scheduled no earlier than 2/1/2026. The mission length is expected to be two years from launch.SERT-3 has external dimensions of 0.75m x 1.20m x 0.86m in the stowed configuration, and 1.20m x 4.92m x 1.68m in the deployed configuration. The spacecraft mass at launch is estimated to be 130 kg, and a minimum of 125 kg at end of life. [...]Altitude Apogee/Perigee (km) 590 +/- 25Inclination (°)97.8LTAN14:00 +/- 60
The overall goal of the Helloworld-1 mission is to perform in-orbit exploratory experiments on spin-based qubit systems at ambient temperature using a highly compact, diamond-based quantum science payload. This mission will inform future missions to build space-based quantum computing systems as a novel computing platform for artificial general intelligence.The satellite will be launched as a secondary payload aboard Transporter-16, from Vandenberg, California, USA, February 1st, 2026. It will be inserted into an orbit at 510 km apogee and 510 km perigee, on an inclination from the equator of 97.4 degrees. Transmission will begin 60 minutes after deployment, and cease no later than 180 days after deployment. Atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs, in an estimated time frame of less than one year after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details.The spacecraft is a single unit with the dimensions of one PocketQube 1P form factor (5 × 5 × 5 cm), mass ~250 g
Exotrail, a leading European space mobility company, today reveals the fully booked customer manifest for its second orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) mission, spacevan™ LEO 002, codenamed “Wings of Light”. Scheduled for launch aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 in Q1 2026, this mission marks a major milestone: Exotrail is now officially acting as mission integrator, with the entire vehicle developed and assembled in-house at its Massy-based spacefactory.spacevan™ LEO 002 is currently undergoing environmental testing in Toulouse and demonstrates Exotrail’s growing role as a full-stack service provider—delivering integrated solutions from spacecraft design and propulsion to integration and operations. This end-to-end capability ensures customers benefit from unparalleled flexibility, performance, and responsiveness.For this mission, Exotrail is proud to welcome passengers who are shaping the future of space through disruptive technologies in the irrespective domains: • Cailabs (France)– Flying its Astrolight ATLAS-1 terminal to expand in-orbit testing of optical space links. • QuantX Labs (Australia)– Demonstrating a key component of its TEMPO atomic clock, a major milestone for Australian space tech. • DcubeD (Germany)– Testing a novel deployable solar panel concept using spacevan’s onboard power and attitude control systems. • NASA’s AEPEX (USA)– A 6U CubeSat from the University of Colorado Boulder aimed at improving understanding of energetic electron precipitation and its role in climat emodeling. • Xtenti (USA)– Supporting integration and logistics alongside Exotrail and NASA, furthering in-orbit mobility capabilities. • Lunar Outpost (USA)– Performing an in-orbit tech demonstration aboard a 6U CubeSat, advancing robotics and space resource tech.[...]Continuing its momentum, Exotrail is now booking new payload on its next mission, spacevan™ LEO 003, scheduled for mid-2026. This new mission still targets subsystem manufacturers seeking flight heritage and CubeSat operators, for whom the spacevan™ offers dedicated and optimized deployment solutions beyond the constraints of primary launch providers.
Our spacevan™’ is at Airbus facilities in Toulouse! With customer payloads on board we progress on Environmental integrated tests, keeping us on track for a flight in Q1 2026!For those who missed that opportunity and seek to deploy payloads or to test their technologies, Mission spacevan LEO - 003 is still opened! DM for more information on the flight opportunities remaining for Q3 2026
Paving the Way: ARAQYS-D1 and ARAQYS-D2ARAQYS-D3 builds on two precursor missions that are already integrated and ready for launch on two separate SpaceX rideshare missions in Q1 2026: • Dcubed-1 (internally known as ARAQYS-D1) “BOOM! THERE IT IS”, a 3U satellite that will manufacture a 60 cm ISM boom directly in free space. • ARAQYS-D2 “WATTS NEW IN SPACE”, which will print and deploy a 1 m-long ISM solar array aboard Exotrail’s next SpaceVan mission.These demonstrations will validate the building blocks of in-space power generation, paving the way for ARAQYS-D3’s multi-kilowatt-class system..
This is the first educational satellite developed by the Vega Space and Geospace Institute (VSGA), aiming to support amateur radio activities and practical training for students in the Vietnam Amateur Radio Club (VARC) community.VEGAFLY-1 is not only controlled by amateur bands, but also integrates a 2MP camera as an educational payload, allowing users to directly participate in the process of taking photos from space and transmitting data to the ground via the SSDV protocol. At the same time, with the digipeater function, VEGAFLY-1 opens up opportunities for domestic and foreign amateur radios to connect, interact and spread space technology knowledge easily and widely.[...]The 1P PocketQube satellite, measuring 5 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm, weighs approximately 250 g.Inclination: 97-98°Eccentricity: 0Orbital Period: 95 minutesMean motion: 15 revs/day
Planning a SpaceX launch from Vandenberg in Q1 2026 into a 400-500km orbit.
The remaining four Greek IOD/IOV CubeSat projects, resulting in seven more CubeSats, have begun assembly and testing, and are expected to launch in February 2026 via the Transporter 16 rideshare launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher.
We are excited to announce that BCON-2, Valpo’s first satellite, is scheduled to launch in February 2026 aboard SpaceX Transporter-16.
The BCON-2 mission is a payload on a NearSpace 0.5U ThinSat satellite bus, part of a group of 6 satellites in NearSpace Education's Dream Big - Phase 1 program.
The BCON-2 satellite mission aims to enhance downlink time by utilizing the receive-only ground stations of the Satellite Networked Open Ground Station SatNOGS network and optimizing the scheduling of satellite passes along its orbital footprint.
The Dream Big constellation is composed of six educational small satellites (“Thinsats”) developed collaboratively by 6 universities and student teams. These spacecraft serve as both technology demonstration platforms and educational tools, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world aerospace engineering. Each satellite is designed with unique payloads that address a combination of research objectives, system verification tests, and STEM outreach activities. The primary purpose of the constellation is to advance student-led innovation in the areas of communications and other spacecraft bus systems and environmental data collection, while also supporting system-level derisking for future missions. Payloads across the constellation include spectrometers for atmospheric aerosol studies, advanced attitude determination and control (ADCS) testing, triplicated processor experiments for fault-tolerant computing and Langmuir probes for ionospheric research.
The current launch date is planned for no earlier than March 15, 2026. It will be carried on SpaceX Transporter 16, from Vandenburg Space Force Base into a sun-synchronous orbit, 510 km circular, 97.4 degrees inclination.[...]Dimensions: 117 mm x 323 mm x 56.7 mmMass: 0.931 kg
India’s Space Start-up GalaxEye’s 2-in-1 Satellite Clears Structural Tests, Launch Set For Feb 20264 October 2025Indian space startup GalaxEye Space Solutions Private Limited took a critical step towards orbiting its Drishti satellite with a SpaceX rocket next year with a model of spacecraft successfully undergoing a series of structural tests at a ISRO facility, said Pranit Mehta, Co-Founder.The structural model of the Drishti satellite was tested at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) belonging to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).[...]The first of the 10 Drishti satellite constellations is slated to be orbited in February 2026 with on a SpaceX rocket.According to Mehta, the satellite’s weight will be between 160-170 kg. At URSC, GalaxEye’s satellite model was mounted on a special purpose fixture (SPF) for testing and deployment.[...]
Iridium Satellite LLC (“Iridium”) seeks experimental authority to transmit in the 1618.725-1626.5 MHz band from its space stations1 to a re-entry capsule associated with Winnebago-6, a non-geostationary smallsat to be operated by Varda Space Industries, Inc. (“Varda”) that is scheduled to be launched no earlier than February 1, 2026.
We will perform a Vibration Test to meet the protoflight vibration level as specified on the SpaceX Payload User Guide.Expected launch date: February 2026Launch vehicle: SpaceX Transporter 16
This is a 1p PocketQube satellite with a 5 MP camera payload for our customer.
Launch DateMar 2026EOL DateMar 2031Orbit Altitude528 kmOrbit Inclination 98.1 °
Mission Hop! 1 and Multi-Flight Roadmap ConfirmedOur first mission, Mission Hop! 1, is scheduled for Q1 2026, supporting customer payloads across drug discovery, in-orbit demonstration, and materials science. This marks the beginning of a confirmed roadmap of seven high-cadence commercial flights through 2027, establishing a new standard for frequent, modular, and return-capable access to Low Earth Orbit.
ATMOS Space Cargo (ATMOS) and Space Cargo Unlimited today announced the signing of a Mission Order for their first integrated PHOENIX–BentoBox mission, marking the beginning of a seven-flight program that will establish a new operational model for routine commercial, station-independent access to and from orbit for research and manufacturing in microgravity.The mission will demonstrate the integration of Space Cargo Unlimited’s BentoBox inside ATMOS’s next-generation PHOENIX 2 free-flyer re-entry vehicle under a coordinated operational framework that combines orbital logistics, payload operations in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), and recovery in one end-to-end commercial service. PHOENIX 2 will launch as part of a rideshare mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2026.During the multi-week mission, Space Cargo Unlimited will oversee end-user payload operations in orbit through its BentoBox platform, while managing stable environmental conditions within the PHOENIX 2 payload bay, distributing power to end-user payloads, and facilitating continuous data exchange through ATMOS’s on-board communications and ground segment infrastructure.ATMOS will deploy its inaugural PHOENIX 2 re-entry capsule, and execute launch integration, orbital mission control operations, telemetry and command services, autonomous de-orbit, re-entry, and recovery logistics near Santa Maria in the Azores, Portugal.Two Complementary Systems – A New Model for Microgravity AccessPHOENIX 2 serves both as the in-orbit transportation and operational free-flyer platform as well as the re-entry vehicle, through its Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator (IAD) technology, which functions as both a heat shield and high-speed parachute. The design eliminates the need for traditional ablative systems and significantly reduces environmental impact while offering superior payload-to-mass efficiencies in its class. ATMOS’s second generation capsule features integrated propulsion for attitude control and precision de-orbiting maneuvers, power generation and thermal management systems, and comprehensive telemetry and command capabilities.BentoBox, designed and operated by Space Cargo Unlimited, serves as the mission’s payload operations layer, equipping PHOENIX with a controlled, service-oriented environment for commercial and research users.The BentoBox system manages payload-level power distribution, data handling, and autonomous experiment sequencing, ensuring that each customer’s mission profile is executed precisely as designed within a stable, thermally regulated microgravity environment.Space Cargo Unlimited’s customers interface with their payloads through the BentoBox SpaceOS platform – a secure dedicated payload-control suite that facilitates command uplink, telemetry monitoring, and data retrieval throughout the mission lifecycle, with communications enabled by ATMOS’s ground-segment and communications infrastructure.Together, PHOENIX 2 and BentoBox deliver a fully integrated orbital logistics and manufacturing service, combining payload launch, in-orbit operations, and safe return and recovery on Earth, broadening commercial access and scientific capacity in LEO.
DISCO-2 is the second satellite in the Danish Student CubeSat Program (DISCO), driven by students and staff from Aarhus University, the IT University of Copenhagen, and the University of Southern Denmark.The satellite represents the most ambitious student CubeSat project developed in Denmark. With DISCO-2, we are pushing the limits of what small satellites can achieve, building on the experiences gained from Aarhus University's first student satellite, Delphini-1.Students from the three universities have developed the concept, design, and integration of the satellite, resulting in a 10 × 10 × 30 cm (3U) CubeSat equipped with three cameras. DISCO-2 will contribute to climate change research by collecting valuable data in collaboration with the Arctic Research Center and the Interdisciplinary Center for Climate Change at Aarhus University.We look forward to the launch of DISCO-2 in February 2026!
This is how we test payload software for our satellite:1️⃣ Laptop simulations: Everything starts with testing code on our dev laptop at IT University of Copenhagen 💻2️⃣ Flatsat setup: Still at ITU we move to a flatsat with two cameras and picocores to see it in action ⚙️3️⃣ Satellite testing: Here we are moving to Aarhus University and running the code on the actual satellite 🛰️4️⃣ First image captured: Finally, our software delivers a real image from our clean room at Aarhus University 📸✨From lines of code to a glimpse of possibilities —this is payload testing in action! 🌍 This might seem as a small step but for our payload team this shows what we can achieve in orbit.
🚀 We have exciting news!DISCO-2 is now officially out of our hands and waiting for launch 😁 In December, a group of our amazing DISCO team members visited our launch partner, Exolaunch, in Berlin. There, they completed all final tests on the satellite and successfully integrated it into its deployer. Everything went according to plan, and now all that’s left is waiting for the SpaceX Transporter-16 launch.
Over the weekend, six Aiglon students visited Near Space Labs, Near Space Education and Taylor University Engineering department in Indiana (USA). 😃 🇺🇸 The visit marks the exciting culmination of eighteen months of planning, prototyping and building of a satellite payload. At NSL, the students collaborated with engineers they previously met through conference calls. The Aiglon 🛰️satellite passed every check and test thrown at it and is now integrated with the flight module ready for the Falcon-9 mission transporter 16. Our #CubeSat will blast-off into a Sun-synchronous Earth orbit in February 2026.
Once in orbit, Aiglon’s CubeSat aims to collect and communicate data about how the CubeSat heats up; this data will then be shared for other engineers to use, enabling them to better regulate how their own missions will work around the challenges of thermal control.
AiglonSat-1
Iridium Satellite LLC seeks experimental special temporary authority license for a period of twenty-four months, beginning February 1, 2026, to transmit in the 1618.725-1626.5 MHz band from its space stations to the AiglonSat-1 spacecraft operated by Aiglon College.
The satellite will be launched aboard Transporter 16, from Vandenburg Space Force Base, NET March 15, 2026. It will be inserted into a circular orbit at 510 km, on an inclination from the equator of 97.4° (Sun-synchronous). Transmission will begin 30 minutes after deploy, and cease at the end of the mission. Atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs about 2 years after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details.The spacecraft has dimensions of about 10 x 10 x 39 cm when deployed, and mass of 1.7 kg.
After integration, our #OutOfTheBox mission just passed its final environmental tests successfully in the facilities of our partner Thales Alenia Space.
We are glad to share that mission Out of the Box just passed final integration, the 5 payloads have been successfully integrated onboard the 16U platform using SpaceLocker's payload integration system and the satellite is now heading toward final testing in preparation for the launch!
SpaceLocker is offering an opportunity to fly technology on the Out of The Box hosted payload mission in February 2026.The mission is operated by SpaceLocker, onboard a CubeSat provided by the Bulgarian company EnduroSat, and will take place in sun synchronous orbit (SSO) at 500km.
🔔NEW CONTRACT SIGNED 🔔 French Connection at its finest ! 👌🏼 Such a delight to sign this new launch agreement with SpaceLocker for the 16U « Out of the Box » on SpaceX Transporter mission 🚀
The Dream Big constellation is composed of six educational small satellites (“Thinsats”) developed collaboratively by 6 universities and student teams. These spacecraft serve as both technology demonstration platforms and educational tools, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world aerospace engineering. Each satellite is designed with unique payloads that address a combination of research objectives, system verification tests, and STEM outreach activities.The primary purpose of the constellation is to advance student-led innovation in the areas of communications and other spacecraft bus systems and environmental data collection, while also supporting system-level derisking for future missions. Payloads across the constellation include spectrometers for atmospheric aerosol studies, advanced attitude determination and control (ADCS) testing, triplicated processor experiments for fault-tolerant computing, Langmuir probes for ionospheric research, and communication experiments such as SATNOGS.
Mass: 0.931 kgDimensions: 117 x 323 x 56.7 mm[...]The satellite will be launched aboard Transporter 16, from Vandenburg Space Force Base, NET February 1st 2026. It will be inserted into a circular orbit at 510 km, on an inclination from the equator of 97.4° (Sun-synchronous).
The Dream Big project is a joint initiative between NearSpace Launch (NSL) and NearSpace Education (NSE), combining commercial satellite development with hands-on educational outreach. Focused on advanced manufacturing and space entrepreneurship, the program engages university teams in designing, building, and integrating custom payloads into a novel ½U ThinSat bus.[...]Over the past year, student teams from six Midwestern universities—University of Notre Dame, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Valparaiso University, Taylor University, Western Michigan University, and the University of Toledo—participated in Phase 1.
Iridium Satellite LLC (“Iridium”) hereby requests a two-year experimental license to transmit from its space stations to the Dream Big constellation (“Dream Big”) smallsat in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz band.1 Iridium requests authority to operate starting February 1, 2026, but requests the authorization be issued by January 15, 2026 to accommodate launch integration requirements.
IrishSat is officially headed to orbit. In Spring 2026, aboard the SpaceX Transporter-16 Mission, IrishSat will launch its first-ever satellite payload: CHARMS (Compact High-Accuracy, Reduced-power Magnetorquer Satellite). This milestone marks the first time an IrishSat-built system will operate in Low Earth Orbit, marking a major milestone that is the culmination of years of design, testing, and student-driven engineering.[...]CHARMS is a custom Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) module designed and built by the 2024–2025 IrishSat team as part of the NearSpace Education 0.5U ThinSat program. Its purpose is simple but critical: provide a low-power, high-accuracy method for controlling a satellite’s orientation using magnetorquers and Earth’s magnetic field. Small satellites typically suffer from uncontrolled rotations that disrupt imaging, science, and communications. CHARMS solves that problem through onboard sensing, processing, and detumbling algorithms.
The satellite’s payload, built entirely at Notre Dame, weighs just 300 grams—the weight of a large potato. It will ride into orbit aboard a satellite bus that provides power, communications, and thermal control.The team demonstrates magnetorquer functionality within the Helmholtz cage to simulate orbital conditions.The satellite bus is provided by NearSpace Launch, a small satellite company based in Upland, Indiana. The company’s nonprofit arm, NearSpace Education, is sponsoring IrishSat’s project as part of its Dream Big Program—a national STEM initiative that inspires students to build and launch high-altitude balloon and satellite projects. Five other universities will fly similar payloads on the same mission.
These days, the EMISAR satellite has successfully completed the vibration tests specific to the Falcon 9 rocket, using the 11 kN shaker at the Institute of Space Science - ISS (ROMANIA).The EMISAR mission, a 1U CubeSat, demonstrates a Store-and-Forward service for transmitting digital messages between ground stations. The data is stored on board and retransmitted during subsequent passes over Romania, through the two ground stations located at the Institute of Space Science - ISS (ROMANIA) Măgurele and UMC. The project is coordinated by the Institute of Space Science - ISS (ROMANIA) , which ensures the integration, testing and infrastructure necessary for operation; Romanian InSpace Engineering (RISE) contributes with expertise in mission analysis, mechanical, thermal and electronic design, as well as software development; RARTEL develops the radio communication systems and operational procedures; and Constanta Maritime University is responsible for the ground infrastructure and the design of the antennas and associated communication systems. The EMISAR satellite is scheduled for launch in March 2026, as part of the SpaceX Transporter-16 mission.
ICEYE - X74 (under Tranche 3.1) - Part 25 Smallsat Form 312
Qubitrium met with D-Orbit at the Space Tech Expo Europe fair held in Bremen, Germany, from November 18 to 21. (From left to right) D-Orbit Mission and Payload System Engineer Luca Ermolli, D-Orbit Sales Specialist Matteo Zeni, Qubitrium CEO Dr. Kadir Durak and Qubitrium Netherlands Managing Director Kartal Cona reviewed the latest developments at the meeting.Two companies recently signed a contract for the launch of QubitCore, a 1U cube satellite equipped with a modular quantum key distribution payload, onboard ION Satellite Carrier, D-Orbits orbital transfer vehicle. QubitCore is scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2026.
Iridium Satellite LLC seeks an experimental license for a 24 month period, beginning February 1, 2026, to transmit in the 1618.725-1626.5 MHz band from its space stations to an experimental cubesat, known as “R5-S10,” to be operated by NASA.NASA’s R5 program seeks to demonstrate technology and risk reduction efforts to advance in-space inspection technologies. The R5-S10 seeks to perform inspection like maneuvers including following an orbit transfer vehicle using its propulsion system to maintain a constant distance. It will perform other secondary maneuvers after departing the OTV for the remainder of its lifetime. NASA has received authority from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to operate the cubesat.
Alba Orbital announces today that Spinning Around, the Edinburgh-based start-up developing tailor-made gravitational environments for life science, is Alba’s latest client for their upcoming February 2026 SpaceX launch. Alba Orbital will deploy Spinning Around’s in-orbit tech demonstrator, via their own AlbaPod deployer, on board a 2P PocketQube developed by Madrid-based pico-satellite manufacturer, Hydra Space Systems S.L. The satellite will also be open to the amateur radio community and operation will be done by AMSAT-EA. Website: amsat-ea.orgThis tech demonstrator proves the foundational operational architecture in Spinning Around’s roadmap towards delivering a critical, accessible & affordable platform for the orbital life science industry, previously largely inaccessible due to cost and logistical constraints. [...]SpinnyONE’s main onboard components consist of bespoke microcircuitry designed and tested in-house, running camera and lighting modules. The camera will capture images of the deployed payload and radio-transmit those images back to base throughout its mission. Ahead of Spinning Around opening up for its first round of seed funding, SpinnyONE will prove the viability of the software and microcircuitry components for future scalable & stackable CubeSat launches housing life science experiments, as well as proving the logistical and financial viability of the inter-European satellite manufacture pipeline - working across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Madrid and all the way into space. SpinnyONE delivers the backbone of Spinning Around’s orbital microlabs which will record and transmit experiment data & images in-orbit to ground bases, information accessible to all the life scientists that book their experiments on future missions.
Last October 23rd, Hydra Space Systems visited Instituto Universitario "Ignacio Da Riva" (IDR/UPM) facilities to carry out the Environmental Test Plan for the SpinnyONE satellite.During the morning, we successfully performed the Random Vibration and Power Inhibit tests in line with SpaceX’s Rideshare Payload User’s Guide (RPUG) — a key step validating the platform and demonstrating that it’s ready for flight.
A 1.5 PocketQube. HADES-SA / SpinnyONE is a satellite operated by AMSAT-EA members to promote the use of CODEC2 voice and SSDV in satellite communications, both of which are open protocols. As secondary objectives, the satellite is also intended to test its Doppler-resistant modem and a new antenna deployment mechanism. The satellite includes a BBS that allows amateurs to send text messages and, optionally, upload CODEC2 recordings for transmission by the satellite. A sample CODEC2 transmission has been pre-recorded in Flash memory until new transmissions from Earth arrive. HADES-SA / SpinnyONE includes a digital camera provided (along with its dedicated software) by the UK-based company Spinning Around.The camera will capture images of the deployment mechanism —which contains a small commemorative plaque— as well as whatever lies within its field of view at that moment. Every three days, a new picture will be taken and transmitted to the ground using the SSDV protocol. Image transmissions will occur continuously every few minutes so that stations worldwide can receive the frames. In the event of a camera failure, an internally stored image will be transmitted instead. Planning a launch on Transporter 16 from Vandenberg approx 14/03/2026 into a 523 x 512 km polar orbit. More info at https://www.amsat-ea.org/proyectos
The satellite will be launched on SpaceX's Transporter 16 mission in March. As with previous missions, the satellite will not be deployed directly but rather from an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), in this case from the company SEOPS.
Integration for our next launch has started today with Spinning Around and Hydra Space Systems!
AMSAT EA will launch another satellite in March 2026. With HADES-SA, also known by its mission name SpinnyONE, the HADES fleet will expand alongside HADES-R (SO-124) and HADES-ICM (SO-125). [...]HADES-SA will be launched as part of the SpaceX Transporter-16 mission. As with previous AMSAT-EA missions, the satellite will not be deployed directly, but will first be integrated into an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) and then placed into its final orbit by the SEOPS OTV.
Alba Orbital, the world’s leading PocketQube satellite launch provider, is proud to announce a new partnership with Upkoi, a privately funded company working to develop a platform for quantum computing in space. Upkoi’s mission serves as a proof-of-concept flight, designed to test and characterize essential supporting systems that will underpin future iterations of their orbital computing platform. The satellite will carry an experimental quantum hardware payload alongside custom control electronics and software, focused on characterizing how the system behaves in the space environment. The mission will launch to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as part of Alba Orbital’s upcoming Q1 2026 launch, deployed via Alba’s AlbaPod system, subject to regulatory approval.[...]As part of this research, the mission includes a secondary objective to test on-orbit reinforcement learning in a tightly constrained, nonsafety critical setting. Upkoi aims to determine whether onboard models can assist in tuning the payload’s sensitive control systems.The 1P PocketQube form factor closely matches the size requirements for Upkoi’s current isolated core architecture. This picosatellite offers a cost-effective platform for rapid iteration, allowing Upkoi to refine the hardware stack that could eventually support demanding AI and optimization workloads. If early tests are successful, future missions may explore more complex multi-qubit systems and investigate how small satellites could be networked to work together as a larger distributed computing resource. These concepts remain exploratory and will depend on technical, regulatory, and operational outcomes.
The overall goal of the SNAPPY mission is to characterize the space radiation that can be found outside the Van Allen belts when in orbit above the north and south poles. We are interested in the radiation that meets certain timing and energy requirements, because this radiation will be a background for an eventual solar probe mission to look for solar neutrinos. The satellite can also double as a space weather detector and gamma ray burst detector. The satellite will be launched as a secondary payload aboard Transporter-16. (SpaceX Falcon-9), from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA, during a launch window that starts on April 1, 2026. It will be inserted into a sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km apogee altitude and 500 km perigee altitude, on an inclination from the equator of 97.75 degrees. Transmission will begin at least 120 minutes after deployment and cease two years after launch. Atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs about 7 years after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details. The spacecraft is a single unit with the dimensions of 34.5 cm X 10 cm X 10 cm when in the stowed configuration. When deployed after launch, the total length is 44.5 cm and the deployed solar panel makes the width of the satellite 17.5 cm when measured along the y- face. The total mass is about 5.8 kg.
Recognizing the fact that a solar neutrino detector has never flown in space, the Phase-III part of the NIAC project focuses on the development of a CubeSat to validate the operation of a prototype detector in near-Earth space. It is important to note here that in near-Earth environment, a small sized CubeSat-class detector will not be able to detect any solar neutrino. However, the CubeSat mission provides opportunities to validate the detector with respect to its interaction with cosmic rays (background).
The Solar Neutrino and Astro-Particle PhYsics (SNAPPY) Cubesat is expected to launch in 2025 and it will carry into a polar orbit a prototype test detector for solar neutrino background studies while over the Earth’s poles for the neutrino Solar Orbiting Laboratory future project (νSOL).
Gravitas01 Full 20kW satellite02 12 Payloads03 LEO to MEO orbit raiseLaunch Date: March 2026Status: Preparing for launch
Investors commit quarter-billion dollars to startup designing “Giga” satellites12 dec 2025[...]The company’s first “Mega Class” satellite is named Gravitas. It is scheduled to launch in March 2026 on a Falcon 9 rocket. Once in orbit, Gravitas will test several systems that are fundamental to K2’s growth strategy. One is a 2o-kilowatt Hall-effect thruster that K2 says will be four times more powerful than any such thruster flown to date. Gravitas will also deploy twin solar arrays capable of generating 20 kilowatts of power.[...]
Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), a U.S. commercial space company offering satellite buses, satellite components, and in-space infrastructure services, today announced the successful completion of Environmental Testing of its Vigoride-7 Orbital Service Vehicle, scheduled to launch aboard SpaceX's Transporter-16 mission targeted for launch no earlier than March 2026. Vigoride 7 is scheduled to carry payloads for several customers, including the U.S. Defense Department, NASA, and commercial customers, that will generate new revenue.The rigorous testing campaign includedThermal Testing, which simulated the extreme temperature swings of space to validate spacecraft performance and reliability; andVibration Testing conducted at Experior Laboratories, which exposed Vigoride-7 to the mechanical stresses of launch conditions.Tom Malko, SVP Engineering and Operations of Momentus, commented:“Completing thermal and vibration testing is a critical milestone for Vigoride-7. These campaigns validate that our spacecraft can withstand the demanding conditions of launch and the space environment, giving our customers confidence in mission success.”Momentus continues to advance its vision of providing flexible, affordable, and reliable in-space transportation and services, supporting the growing demand for satellite deployment, orbital logistics, and pioneering in-space assembly missions.
The overall goal of the TROOP-F3 mission, to do on orbit testing of the IRIDIUM 9704 modem.The satellite will be launched as a secondary payload aboard Transporter 16, from Vandenburg Airforce Base, launching no earlier than March 15, 2026. It will be inserted into an orbit at 510 km apogee and 510 km perigee, on an inclination from the equator of 98 degrees. Transmission will begin 90 minutes after deploy, and cease at the end of the mission 6 months later. Atmospheric friction will slow the satellite and reduce the altitude of the orbit, until de-orbiting occurs 2.9 years after launch. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details. The spacecraft is a single unit with the dimensions of CubeSat module (giving an overall dimension of 10 cm X 10 cm X 15.9 cm.) The total mass is about 1.3 Kg.
Train Rapid On Payload (TROOP) is hosted payload program launching on commercial launch providers every 3 to 6 months. Each TROOP offers four (4x) payload slots that allow customers quick and regular access to orbit.
Iridium Satellite LLC hereby requests an experimental license for a period of twelve (12) months, beginning on March 9, 2026, to transmit from its space stations in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz band1 to the FGN-100-d3 cubesat authorized by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority of Türkiye and operated by Fergani Space Technologies.The goal of the FGN-100-d3 mission is to demonstrate and validate technologies for a future low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. The FGN-100-d3 will have onboard two NSL EyeStar S4 (Iridium model 9603) modems that Fergani will use to communicate with the Iridium constellation.
Date: Q1/2026Mission Type: T16 / AcademicOrbit: SSOUnits: 6U
The satellite constellation will be established in two phases: the first phase consists of the satellite launched this time and another satellite scheduled to be launched next March, which will mainly verify the communication payload. The second phase will begin after the launch of the other two satellites next June and will include the verification of inter-satellite communication capabilitie
Looking ahead, Rapidtek will continue its LEO satellite constellation program, launching three more 8U IoT CubeSats from the Startup CubeSat Program in 2026. These satellites will not only serve as technology tests but also demonstrate Taiwan’s capabilities in LEO communications. The constellation will help establish an initial LEO IoT network for real-time data transfer from ground to space.
German space startup TALOS and Bulgarian satellite manufacturer EnduroSat have partnered up to build the ICARUS 2.0 satellite constellation. The mission – which is also known as the “Internet of Animals” – is a research project of the leading German science institution Max Planck Society that aims to monitor wildlife movements and environmental changes through advanced satellite technology. TALOS has been closely involved in the ICARUS project as a core technology partner for some time. With EnduroSat as a new industrial partner, it is now implementing the build-up of its own constellation.Following the successful launch of a technology demonstrator in November 2025, the operational build-up of the constellation has now begun. The launch of the first operational satellite, named RAVEN, is scheduled for early this year. By the end of 2026 / beginning of 2027, four further satellites will complement the constellation which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and the German Space Agency at DLR. Once fully deployed, the system will provide up to five daily updates on tracked animals around the globe.Raycho Raychev, Founder and CEO of EnduroSat, said: “We are excited to enable the deployment of space infrastructure that delivers vital data about the state of wildlife and biodiversity. This project demonstrates how space data could help address our Planet’s most pressing challenges.” [...]The first satellite of the constellation is a so called 6U CubeSat, a compact satellite about the size of a shoebox. It is equipped with software-defined radio, which will receive data from small tracking tags attached to animals and transmit it back to Earth. These monitor changes in location, temperature, humidity, pressure, and acceleration, providing critical insights for conservation and ecological research. The satellite is being produced in Sofia and is scheduled to be launched in February.
🚀 Successful space qualification of our first ICARUS 2.0 flight model payload! After months of dedicated work, our flight model payload for the next-generation ICARUS 2.0 constellation has successfully passed space qualification and acceptance testing - without a single issue. We are delighted that our payload is now fully qualified for space. We conducted our test campaign at the facilities of our friends at Morpheus Space, who are propelling the future of space mobility with their GO-2 Electric Propulsion system. We’re happy to team up with fellow innovators and contribute to a thriving, collaborative space community. The next step: the payload will be delivered to our satellite integrator, where it will become part of the RAVEN satellite, scheduled for launch already in March next year. RAVEN is the pathfinder satellite of our constellation, serving as the reference model for all future spacecraft to come.
