Geostationary satellites – perched 36,000 km above Earth in the coveted orbit where they match Earth’s rotation – are entering a new era of renewal and reinvention. After decades of steady service, many of the world’s GEO satellites are aging beyond their planned lifespans, and a wave of replacements and upgrades is on the horizon. Between…
Read more
Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly intertwined with modern space technology, enabling spacecraft and satellites to operate more autonomously and efficiently than ever before. From helping Mars rovers navigate alien terrain to processing vast streams of Earth observation data in orbit, AI techniques like machine learning and automated planning are revolutionizing how we explore and…
Read more
Executive Summary In summary, the 2025–2032 period will likely be remembered as the “gold rush” era for small satellite launch services, marked by fierce competition, rapidly advancing technology, and multiplying launch opportunities worldwide. For stakeholders – whether satellite operators planning constellations, investors evaluating launch companies, or government agencies seeking assured access to space – the…
Read more
The Sun is our life-giving star – a 4.6-billion-year-old solar inferno that governs Earth’s climate and space environment. Understanding the Sun is not only vital for fundamental science, but also for protecting modern technology and astronauts from space weather (solar storms that can disrupt satellites and power grids) nasa.gov nasa.gov. Yet many solar mysteries endure,…
Read more
In the coming decade, a trio of advanced space observatories will open new windows on the universe, tackling some of the most profound mysteries in astronomy. These next-generation telescopes – NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the European Space Agency’s PLATO and ATHENA missions – are poised to revolutionize our understanding of everything from…
Read more
Imagine a satellite that not only takes pictures of Earth, but can also identify what materials compose each pixel of the image. This is the promise of hyperspectral imaging – a technology giving satellites “super-vision” across hundreds of colors beyond human sight. Hyperspectral sensors capture detailed spectral fingerprints of objects by measuring reflected light in…
Read more
Stacks of Starlink satellites awaiting deployment in orbit. A new space race is underway—not for the Moon or Mars, but to blanket Earth in high-speed internet from space. Private companies and governments are launching mega-constellations of satellites by the thousands, aiming to beam broadband connectivity to every corner of the globe. The stakes are enormous:…
Read more
High above Earth, in the crowded expanse of geosynchronous orbit (GEO) some 22,300 miles up, a set of American satellites quietly keeps watch. These are the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites – often dubbed “neighborhood watch” satellites – and they form a covert but crucial line of defense in space. Born in secrecy…
Read more
Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet has become a hotly contested “final frontier” of the telecom industry. Multiple players – notably SpaceX’s Starlink, the UK/India-backed OneWeb (now part of Eutelsat), Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and Canada’s Telesat Lightspeed – are racing to blanket the globe in affordable, high-speed internet from space. All seek to deliver broadband to…
Read more
Introduction SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has rapidly expanded worldwide, now available in over 100 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and parts of South America thenationalnews.com. Since its beta launch in 2020, Starlink has amassed millions of subscribers (surpassing 4 million by late 2024) and deployed thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites en.wikipedia.org. Starlink offers several service…
Read more
