The U.S. Space Force (USSF’s) Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded Firm Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts to Rocket Lab USA, Inc. and Stoke Space, joining Blue Origin, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) who were on-ramped to Lane 1 last year.

Rocket Lab and Stoke Space will each receive a $5 million FFP Task Order to conduct an initial capabilities assessment and develop their approach to tailored mission assurance. Tailored mission assurance is a tiered approach to the government’s breadth and depth of the launch vehicle baseline understanding and the associated risks to the mission.

Assured Access to Space executes the U.S. Space Force’s Core Competency of Space Mobility and Logistics. It secures reliable and responsive launch services to deploy the space-based capabilities needed by our Nation’s warfighters, intelligence professionals, decision makers, allies, and partners.

Additionally, it operates and sustains resilient and ready launch and test infrastructure to project on-orbit warfighting capability through all phases of conflict and to expand US economic, technological, and scientific leadership. Further, Assured Access to Space delivers servicing, mobility, and logistics capabilities that operate in, from, and to the space domain.

The next opportunity for providers to on-ramp their emerging systems to the Lane 1 IDIQ contract will occur in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026.

With today’s award, the Space Force expanded our portfolio of launch systems able to deliver critical space capability. These new partners bring innovative approaches and increased competition to our mission area,” said Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, USSF program executive officer for Assured Access to Space. “Our Lane 1 goal is to bring in new partners to increase capacity, resiliency, and speed.”

We are excited to bring on new launch providers to the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract and I’m extremely proud of the team’s hard work on-ramping Rocket Lab and Stoke Space as soon as they were ready,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Downs, SSC’s materiel leader for Space Launch Procurement. “We climbed a tall mountain to execute this source selection quickly, and we’re not done yet. We look forward to on-ramping more emerging companies over the next few years as their systems become read. Once Rocket Lab and Stoke Space complete their first successful launch, they will be eligible to compete for launch service task orders on Lane 1. We will release Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for additional Lane 1 launch services later this spring, and we also have several more missions we will compete in FY26.”

SSC is the U.S. Space Force’s field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient warfighting capabilities to protect our nation’s strategic advantage in and from space. SSC manages a $15.6 billion space acquisition budget for the DoD and works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, and academic and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and outpace emerging threats. Our actions today are making the world a better space for tomo

Developed by Bryce Tech’s analysts, this report provides insights into global small satellite activity from 2015 to 2024.

Using proprietary data, published datasets, and historical records, the analysis highlights long-term trends in smallsat launches, mission types, and operator activity. Here are some key highlights:

• Nearly 2,800 smallsats were launched in 2024, representing 97% of all spacecraft.
• Small satellites accounted for 81% of total upmass last year.
• U.S. operators were responsible for 75% of all smallsats launched since 2015.
• Average smallsat mass reached a record 223 kg in 2024.
• Communications satellites made up the majority of launches.

Readers may download the full Bryce Tech report at this direct link…

The Space Development Agency (SDA) seeks industry submissions to recompete 10 Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) Gamma variant space vehicles—this solicitation is for the Gamma (γ) variant of the Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) to be executed by the Advanced Fire Control (AFC) Program.

AFC delivers operationally relevant prototypes and integrated ground to inform and influence future Tranches. There is a potential for future mission integration of AFC prototypes into the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) operational architecture. 

SDA seeks T2TL Gamma space vehicles with a payload specifically designed to close future kill chains. The Gamma variant will share certain baseline characteristics with the other T2TL variants (Alpha and Beta) outlined in earlier solicitations. Further, SDA expects to make a T2TL-Gamma award to one vendor, subject to available funding, but reserves the right to make no awards or a partial award of less than 10 SVs.

To promote fair and open competition, at the direction of the head of contracting activity, SDA enlisted the support of independent source selection officials from outside the agency who will lead Source Selection activities.

The T2 Gamma solicitation is comprised of unclassified solicitation documents as well as classified material on technical details of payload development.

For information on how to request the classified solicitation documents and for proposal submission instructions, please visit this direct infolink… Responses are due by noon ET on April 22, 2025.

USSI Global and Sinclair Broadcast Group are collaborating to field trial the benefits that Eutelsat Group’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity offers for the demanding live, local news production workflow.

These successful ongoing trials highlight real-world examples of how local news teams at three Sinclair-owned TV stations in Washington D.C.; Columbus, Ohio; and Las Vegas, Nevada, leverage Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO satellite constellation for reliable, real-time news gathering from the acquisition point to their desired production facilities. USSI Global supports logistics, installation and interconnect to the Eutelsat OneWeb LEO network through their full end-to-end managed services.

The entire ecosystem ensures reliable delivery of live news content from the acquisition point to the broadcaster’s production studio with very low latency, offering broadcasters and their local news production teams an affordable alternative to microwave links and bonded cellular technologies. The service can also be added to existing contribution technologies for additional bandwidth and/or redundancy.

Sinclair uses a low-profile, flat-panel user terminal to establish the interconnect to the LEO network. USSI Global provides mounts to securely affix these user terminals to newsgathering vehicles, or the terminals can operate remotely to improve access to news events. The compact and portability of the user terminals combined with USSI Global’s interconnect ensures that the entire service is quick to deploy as a primary or redundant live link with exceptional stability.

USSI Global is enthusiastic about its partnership with Sinclair and Eutelsat Group for this trial as we are well-equipped to provide this service due to its robust presence in North America. We hope this cutting-edge approach to live news production will provide a strategic advantage to the broadcast community,” said Anthony Morelli, CEO and President, USSI Global.

As part of the continuing mission to reduce the costs of live news production without sacrifice to quality standards, we are leveraging a new way to deliver live coverage that can be a primary means of transmission or a complement to cellular options and reduce the need for expensive SNG and ENG vehicles,” said Ernie Ensign, AVP, News Technology and Operations.

At Eutelsat Group, we are committed to empowering customers with seamless, high-quality connectivity, anywhere in the world. Our OneWeb LEO network delivers global coverage, ensuring reliable, real-time content contribution,” said J. Ignacio González-Nuñez, RVP, Americas & MENA, Sales Video Business. “With a low-latency, IP-based solution that is plug-and-play, we provide broadcasters with the flexibility to enhance their live production workflows—whether as a primary transmission path or a seamless complement to existing technologies. This is the future of live news gathering: agile, cost-effective, and always connected.“

SES and SpeQtral signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an interoperable Optical Ground Station (OGS) to establish long-distance satellite-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) between Asia and Europe. 

Under the agreement, the development of an interoperable OGS will enable SES and SpeQtral to connect both companies’ current and future QKD satellite missions, resulting in easier access to, and diversity in the supply of long-distance QKD to end users in Asia, Europe and other future compatible ground stations worldwide.

The integration of this proposed OGS with Singapore’s fiber-QKD network will help future customers integrate their networks with satellite QKD networks and demonstrate a practical pathway towards enabling a global QKD connectivity once the QKD satellites are operational.

SES and SpeQtral collaboration will reduce costs associated with quantum communication infrastructure, bridge a critical gap in the QKD service availability and lower barriers for global deployment and adoption. 

The first such OGS is anticipated to be built in Singapore which already hosts a vibrant seedbed of quantum-safe activities including the National Quantum Safe Network Plus (NQSN+) initiative driven by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). 

Fiber-based QKD networks that are being deployed in major cities around the world will require a satellite-based QKD solution to form an interconnected global QKD network. 

QKD satellites operate in SSO approximately 500 km away from the Earth’s surface, enabling global interconnectivity and laying the foundation for highly secure communications in the age of quantum computing.

SES, in collaboration with a consortium of European partners, is leading the development of the EAGLE-1 project to enable early access to long-distance QKD for ultra-secure data transmissions. The project, which includes both satellite and ground infrastructure, is co-funded by ESA national contributions and the European Commission, reinforcing Europe’s commitment to advancing quantum-secure communications.

SpeQtral is working on two QKD satellites, SpeQtre and SpeQtral-1, which are supported by the Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore (OSTIn).

SpeQtre, a joint Singapore-UK mission set for launch later this year, will host SpeQtral’s space-qualified quantum-optics system which enables the establishment of quantum-secure encryption keys. OSTIn’s strong support for technological development in advanced space-based capabilities has played an important role in enabling local startups like SpeQtral, foster impactful international partnerships with the potential to shape the global quantum-security industry.

The MoU agreement was signed by the CEOs of both companies in Betzdorf, Luxembourg, during the State visit of Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. 

Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, said, “Satellite-enabled Quantum Key Distribution is a fundamental technology for next-generation cyber security, allowing long-distance transmission of encryption keys. At SES we are delighted to bring our innovative expertise in developing secure, interoperable networked solutions, joining efforts with like-minded ecosystem partner SpeQtral in implementing the next milestone of our quantum-secure vision. The agreement allows SES to expand into non-EU markets and serve commercial customers, including facilitating secure exchanges between entities based across different geographies.”

Chune Yang Lum, CEO of SpeQtral, said, “Our partnership with SES represents a significant step towards realising commercially viable space-based QKD. It is important that we build on each other’s expertise, to unlock synergies in this initial phase of enabling the interconnection of localised fibre-based quantum networks. By developing a shared OGS infrastructure, we are reducing costs and strengthening the foundation for a truly global quantum-secure network.“

Mr. Jonathan Hung, Executive Director at OSTIn, said, “The collaboration between SpeQtral and SES marks a significant milestone in Singapore’s quantum technology landscape that will strengthen secure global communications for the future. The partnership leverages SpeQtral’s strengths as one of the first quantum key distribution (QKD) companies, together with SES’s satellite QKD expertise and position of a global content and connectivity solutions provider – to make quantum communications more accessible worldwide and allow seamless services for end-users in Asia and Europe. We welcome more partnerships with companies to strengthen Singapore’s position at the forefront of quantum communications innovation and commercialization.”

HawkEye 360 is participating in the U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S) Commercial Integration Cell (CIC)—this partnership reinforces HawkEye 360’s commitment to supporting the U.S. Space Force’s mission and national security through seamless and rapid operational collaboration.

The CIC, operating under the Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC), facilitates the exchange of critical information between U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) and commercial partners.

This collaboration enhances coordinated, time-sensitive responses to space events, bolstering the resilience of U.S. government satellite operations.

Through the CIC, HawkEye 360 will contribute to mission-critical areas, including the detection of radio frequency interference (RFI), warning intelligence of threats, and other aspects of space situational awareness and space domain awareness.

The CIC represents the first-ever initiative integrating commercial satellite owners/operators directly into the CSpOC. This partnership strengthens the synchronization of efforts between government and commercial mission partners, supporting resilient space operations in an increasingly complex domain

HawkEye 360’s participation in the CIC underscores our commitment to delivering valuable RF data and analytics that enhance situational awareness and support informed decision-making,” said Patrick Zeitouni, Chief Strategy Officer of HawkEye 360. “As commercial and government entities collaborate to advance the Space Force’s mission, we are honored to contribute our capabilities to this historic endeavor.”

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SWISSto12 has debuted HummingLink-SOTP, a new type of terminal for GEO connectivity that combines a small form factor, high portability, quick deployment as well as high-throughput.

HummingLink-SOTP leverages SWISSto12’s proprietary Additive Manufacturing processes to produce ultra-lightweight, high-gain antennas in X-, Ku-, and Ka-band. HummingLink-SOTP integrates these antennas together with state-of-the-art RF electronic circuits to enable the highest throughput out of highly portable and compact systems. These terminals focus on GEO SATCOM-On-The-Pause (SOTP) connectivity and target a sub-50 cm size.

HummingLink-SOTP is a compact, highly portable yet highly performing SATCOM product that answers the requirements of operators for systems that can be rapidly deployed by a single person to establish robust, high throughput connectivity over GEO,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO of SWISSto12. “Despite the small size of the HummingLink-SOTP terminals, the antenna arrays that we integrate into our terminals are extremely efficient and highly differentiated when compared to traditional dish antennas, which require larger surface areas to reach similar performance. We combine this with an optimized system design and industrial approach to provide a cost-competitive solution.”

Mathieu Billod, Head of Terminals at SWISSto12 said, “HummingLink-SOTP is first released in Ka-band (HummingLink-SOTP-Ka), and in different gain, polarization, and frequency configurations. The terminal is designed for ultra-fast deployment. HummingLink-SOTP terminals can integrate a modem and can be equipped with  auto-pointing systems. Terminals in X-band (HummingLink-SOTP-X) and Ku-band (HummingLink-SOTP-Ku) are available for pre-release demos and will be available for order later in 2025.”

About SWISSto1
SWISSto12 is a leading manufacturer of advanced satellite RF products, payloads and systems, including the HummingSat: a small yet powerful geostationary telecommunications satellite developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) through its public-private-partnership program. The company’s RF products benefit from unique and patented 3D-printing technologies and associated Radio Frequency (RF) product designs that deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF functionality. In addition to the company’s space portfolio, Swissto12 is also active in telecommunications and aeronautic industry. The firm has developed commercially with success in Europe and in the USA, and is amongst the fastest growing aerospace companies in Europe. SWISSto12 spun off in 2011 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors. 

SuperSharp Space Systems Ltd. (SuperSharp), a University of Cambridge spinoff, earlier this month received a £5 million award from the UK Space Agency—these funds will enable an on-orbit demonstration of SuperSharp’s unfolding thermal infrared (TIR) space telescope for climate change mitigation applications.

In addition, the company has delivered the first prototype of its ultra-high resolution telescope, Hibiscus, which is scheduled to start space operations in Q4 of 2026. The development of this prototype was support by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation and the UK Space Agency.

SuperSharp develops innovative space telescopes that capture ultra high-resolution images of Earth’s surface and that transform the economics of earth-observation imagery. With small satellites that unfold in space into large telescopes, these devices achieve up to 10x better resolution per unit cost than the current standard. With the ability to resolve single buildings and the wide field of view to capture entire cities in a single pass, SuperSharp’s mission is to enable climate change-mitigation applications, moving them from the drawing board to in-orbit deployment. Specific applications include detecting heat stress in agriculture and monitoring urban heat loss at the individual building level.

The £5 million award comes from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Program, designed to invest in high-potential technologies, drive innovation and unlock growth across the UK. SuperSharp joins seven leading innovators from the UK’s space industry, receiving £24 million in total.

Using thermal infrared imagery for sustainability applications has been spoken of for many years but has failed to make the leap into real-world deployment. The promise remains rich, including urban energy monitoring, identifying where roof insulation is missing, and early detection of heat stress in crops, to direct efficient resource use and boost yields, but a ‘Goldilocks Problem’ has proved difficult to overcome: Existing space imaging technology cannot provide detailed thermal images at the frequency that’s required. Some large, expensive satellites in LEO can capture high-resolution images infrequently, while small, low-cost satellites capture frequent but low-resolution images. While space-derived data has been used to assess the thermal efficiency of large buildings, this has not translated to smaller buildings.

SuperSharp’s approach is different, with smaller payloads that unfold in space to become large telescopes. As a result, SuperSharp can match the current state-of-the-art for imaging resolution, while at the same time maximizing the field of view: scanning an area that can cover entire urban conurbations or large-scale agriculture. The result is much greater resolution per unit cost, enabling these new climate change mitigation applications.

Last month, SuperSharp announced it had selected Kongsberg NanoAvionics’ MP42 microsatellite platform as its launch platform, in anticipation of launching in late 2026, onboard SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare service.

Marco Gomez-Jenkins, CEO of SuperSharp, said, “These are two critical milestones in SuperSharp’s history, and in the coming age of space observation for climate change mitigation. We’re proud of the vote of confidence that the UK Space Agency funding represents, and the delivery of the first prototype of our Hibiscus telescope. Our objective has always been to rewrite the economics of space imaging, through innovative technology and a user-centered approach, and we’re on our way.”