On February 17, 2026, Kepler Communications announced the selection of Kongsberg NanoAvionics (“NanoAvionics”) as its preferred European satellite bus provider for upcoming hosted payload initiatives.

The partnership targets spacecraft with a mass of up to 500kg and focuses on integrating NanoAvionics’ platforms with The Kepler Network to provide satellite operators with real-time optical connectivity and on-orbit compute services.

Strategic Alignment and The Kepler Network

The agreement follows the successful SpaceX ‘Twilight’ mission on January 11, 2026, which deployed the first tranche of Kepler’s optical relay satellites. This partnership aims to simplify the adoption of optical communications by utilizing U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) standards for secure, interoperable data transfer. Under the terms of the deal, NanoAvionics will offer Kepler’s optical data relay and edge computing services as an optional feature within its portfolio of inter-satellite link solutions.

Technical Specifications for Optical Inter-Satellite Links

The collaboration will initially focus on the MP42 microsatellite platform before expanding to NanoAvionics’ CubeSat lines. Key performance metrics for the integrated systems include:

• Throughput: Connectivity speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps.
• Latency: Near-real-time, sub-second data transport.
• Data Volume: Capacity to handle terabytes of data per day.
• Interoperability: Full alignment with SDA optical communication terminal standards.

Executive Commentary

“NanoAvionics has earned a reputation for being one of the most reliable bus providers, helping customers with demanding mission requirements scale quickly and with confidence,” said Mina Mitry, CEO and Co-Founder of Kepler Communications. “By integrating our optical network and on-orbit compute services with NanoAvionics’ platforms, we are enabling the transformation of space from a store-and-forward model to a responsive environment.“

Atle Wøllo, CEO of NanoAvionics, added: “Through this cooperation with Kepler, we are positioning NanoAvionics at the forefront of the industry’s adoption of optical communications. This industry-wide move can provide an exponential boost for sovereign national security missions and for commercial operators serving time-sensitive data.“

Timeline for Initial Operating Capability

The partnership comes as Kepler moves toward Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for its optical network in early 2026. As the network scales to 100 Gbps-class capacity with future tranches, NanoAvionics is positioned for priority access to these higher data rates. The combined offering is designed to meet the increasing demand for high-bandwidth, low-latency communications and on-orbit edge processing, allowing operators to run artificial intelligence and machine learning models directly in space.

By Abbey White, Staff Writer, SatNews

Dispatch from SmallSat Symposium. Coverage and analysis from across the conference, tracking the forces shaping the next phase of the SmallSat market.

MOUNTAIN VIEW — If there was any doubt that the center of gravity in the commercial space sector has shifted from venture capital speculation to kinetic necessity, that doubt was shattered by the final session, Smallsats at the Tactical Edge – Hybrid ISR and Defense Integration. SmallSat Symposium this year was no longer about democratization for the sake of access. It is about survival, deterrence, and the industrialization of the kill chain.

The session’s panelists—representing the bleeding edge of propulsion, sensing, and compute—made one thing clear: Any distinction between a commercial satellite and a military asset has effectively evaporated.

The Department of War Reality

The rhetorical shift was immediate and jarring. Throughout the session, speakers abandoned the polite euphemism of defense in favor of a blunter reality.

“The Department of War? Doesn’t just roll off the tongue,” Impulse Space President Eric Romo remarked, acknowledging the strange bedfellows of Silicon Valley innovation and lethal force. Yet Romo admitted that the Pentagon is where the industry’s traction lies. This is not a reluctant partnership, but a necessary fusion driven by the Space Development Agency and its spiral development cycles, which have forced a terrifying pace on an industry used to moving slow.

The mandate is integration prior to crisis. Gone are the days when commercial space acted merely as a break-glass emergency backup for bandwidth surges. Commercial sensors are now weaving inextricably into the operational fabric before the first shot is fired.

Decision Superiority, Not Just Data

The panel dismantled the legacy obsession with resolution and bandwidth. In a contested environment, a pretty picture is useless if it arrives twenty minutes late. The new currency is latency.

Mark Gombo of HawkEye 360, a former Marine electronic warfare officer, cut through the technical noise. “I submit that it’s more about decision superiority,” Gombo argued. “It is the decision space to understand what’s going on.”

This aligns perfectly with the tactical realities seen in Ukraine and Gaza, where commercial signals are jammed and logistics chains are hunted by AI-enabled sensors. The objective is no longer to hoard terabytes of data, but to deliver a target track to a weapon system.

Jonny Dyer, CEO of Muon Space, reinforced this urgency, noting that whether tracking wildfires for first responders or missile trucks for the SDA, the requirement is identical: “We really have to rethink how we architect a lot of these core systems to enable what I think is really ultimately a latency driven requirement.”

The Friction of Space Compute

Despite the unity on mission, the panel fractured over the how. A sharp disagreement emerged regarding the role of edge computing and specifically whether to process data on the satellite or on the ground.

Jeff Janicik, CEO of Innoflight, championed the need for trusted, high-assurance on-orbit computing. To close the latency gap, he stipulated, the decision loop must move to space. “We all know that we can, if we can take the decision making and all the data collection and data fusion that is currently happening on the ground, bring it into the space,” Janicik claimed. The barrier is not the processor, he emphasized, but the trust required to let an AI make a decision that could trigger a kinetic effect.

Dyer was less convinced. In a moment of refreshing candor that typified the session, he pushed back against the industry obsession with putting data centers in orbit.

“I might be the outlier on this panel, but I just don’t think space compute’s that interesting of an idea,” Dyer said. “Ultimately, we shouldn’t care where processing is being done.”

Dyer’s skepticism highlights a critical engineering tension. Launching high-power GPUs into orbit creates massive thermal management headaches, a point reinforced by research on Andy Kwas’s work at Northrop Grumman. If the communications link is fat enough, processing on the ground is cheaper and easier. The satellites, Dyer argued, should look like a data center rack, but the software must be agnostic.

The Debris Euphemism

The most telling exchange occurred when moderator Andy Kwas raised the topic of debris removal and the recent DIU solicitation for de-orbiting unprepared satellites. In the polite society of civil space, this is an environmental discussion. In the context of a hybrid space war, it is a discussion about clearing lanes and neutralizing threats.

Romo stripped away the pretense entirely, asking the room, “Does anybody actually believe that that’s about space debris?”

The laughter was nervous but knowing. Janicik concurred, noting that right now the Department of War would be more focused on fighting through it.

The implication is heavy. Technologies developed for active debris removal are dual-use. If you can grab a dead satellite to de-orbit it, then you can grab a live adversary satellite to disable it. The industry is building ASAT capabilities under the guise of environmental stewardship, and everyone in the room knows it.

Are We Actually Ahead?

For all the bravado about American innovation, the panel ended on a note of strategic anxiety. When asked if the United States maintains superiority over peer adversaries, the answers were mixed.

Gombo was confident: “Absolutely.”

Romo, conversely, pointed to the lack of situational awareness in higher orbits, specifically Geostationary Orbit where critical national assets reside.

“I’m not so sure that—for battlefield awareness in the battlefield of GEO and probably MEO as well—that we actually are ahead,” Romo warned. He cited Chinese RPO-capable spacecraft performing inspection loops around U.S. assets with little public response.

The Bottom Line

The SmallSat Symposium has evolved. The New Space optimism of the past decade has hardened into a cold, pragmatic focus on national security. The validated gaps are lethal, the customers are wearing uniforms, and the companies that survive will not be the ones with the best PowerPoint slides. They will be the ones that can plug directly into a classified network and help a commander win a fight.

As Gombo bluntly advised the room: “If you bring me a capability that’s not on my gap list, you’re just bringing me another rock. And I don’t need any more rocks.”

By Abbey White, Staff Writer, SatNews

Dispatch from SmallSat Symposium. Coverage and analysis from across the conference, tracking the forces shaping the next phase of the SmallSat market.

MOUNTAIN VIEW. The era of cheap, plentiful, and diverse access to space was supposed to be here by now. Instead, the industry arrived at the 2026 SmallSat Symposium only to find itself trapped in a bottleneck of its own making.

During the Small Payloads, Large Upmass session, the polite veneer of industry camaraderie barely concealed the tension in the room. The narrative of a vibrant, multi-provider marketplace has collapsed. In its place sits a single, dominant provider, SpaceX, flanked by a long line of customers paying premium rates to stand in line. While panelists from Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, and European challengers like Isar Aerospace and PLD Space offered visions of a diverse future, the audience is living in a present defined by scarcity.

The Aggregator is the New Gatekeeper

The most telling dynamic onstage was not between the rocket builders but rather centered on the empty chair left by the neutral broker. With the dissolution of Spaceflight Inc.’s independent brokerage model, Exolaunch has emerged as the primary funnel for the industry’s volume.

Kier Fortier, Chief Revenue Officer at Exolaunch, did not shy away from the congestion defining the current market. The days of simply booking a slot and flying are over; operators must now plan for delays as a fundamental business condition.

Fortier stated, “I do think rebooking now is just the baseline expectation to salvage your launch budget.”

This admission signals a profound shift. Launch is no longer a commodity you buy, but a probability you manage. The consolidation of demand onto SpaceX Transporter missions has created waitlists. Fortier noted that despite the high flight rates, “There are folks eager to get up on orbit, and there is some scarcity there.”

The Paper Rocket Problem

This scarcity stems from the simple fact that the challengers are late. Rocket Lab’s Neutron was originally promised for 2024, yet it is now targeting mid-to-late 2026. Brian Rogers, Rocket Lab’s Vice President of Global Launch Services, framed this delay as a necessary hurdle of scaling.

Rogers argued, “Building your first rocket is ridiculously hard. Building your next 10 at rate is actually way harder.”

While Rogers is correct, the market is unforgiving. Every month Neutron remains on the ground is a month where mega-constellations sign long-term contracts with SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The session moderator, Curt Blake, former CEO of Spaceflight, pressed the panel on the risks of a monopoly trap.

Devon Papandrew, VP of Business Development at Stoke Space, addressed the monopoly question head-on. He dismissed the idea that SpaceX’s dominance is accidental or unfair, attributing it instead to technical superiority that others failed to match in time.

“Why is SpaceX a monopoly today?” Papandrew asked, then answered, “They created a step change in capability that unlocked higher cadence and lower cost.”

Stoke Space is betting $510 million that partial reusability is a dead end. Papandrew contended that the only way to break the current pricing floor, now rising toward $6,500/kg, is full reusability.

“If you look what SpaceX has done with Falcon, it’s amazing,” Papandrew said. “But if you ask them what constrains their flight rate, it’s production of the upper stage.”

The Sovereign Illusion

For the European representatives, the challenge is existential. Isar Aerospace, PLD Space, and Avio are fighting for a slice of the market that isn’t captive to U.S. dominance. Yet their value proposition relies heavily on the sovereignty premium—the idea that European institutions will pay more to fly European.

Francesco Sgarbossa, Sales Director for Avio, was refreshingly blunt about the limitations of European cadence compared to the American juggernaut.

“We are aiming at six, which sounds like a very low number when you think about it when you see SpaceX launching 160 times,” Sgarbossa admitted. “But even going from four to six is a 50% increase and that requires huge investments.”

This is the cold math of the 2026 launch market. A 50% increase for Avio is a rounding error for SpaceX. Daniele Dallari of PLD Space tried to reframe the conversation away from mass commoditization, questioning the industry’s obsession with replicating the SpaceX Transporter model.

Dallari asked, “Do we need another Transporter program? Does the market really need another Transporter program?”

The market’s answer, evidenced by the rising prices and full manifests on Falcon 9, appears to be yes. Operators want reliability and low cost. They are less concerned with the bespoke orbital insertions Dallari’s Miura 5 might offer if the price tag is double that of a rideshare slot.

The Ancient Game of Launch Chicken

The friction between satellite readiness and rocket availability remains the industry’s favorite scapegoat. Brian Rogers described the constant shuffling of manifests as a necessary evil.

“We’re no strangers to the ancient game of launch chicken,” Rogers said. “Spacecraft can be late. And that can be a problem when you’re trying to plan a manifest.”

But in 2026, the chicken has come home to roost. The delays are no longer just about spacecraft. The launch vehicles themselves are the bottleneck. The regulatory environment has tightened, and the FAA licensing backlog is real. The flexible slotting discussed by the panel is merely a band-aid for a lack of capacity.

“You got to launch”

The dream of a dozen thriving small launch providers competing on price has faded. The reality is a barbell market: a massive, efficient monopoly on one end, and a collection of hopeful, delayed challengers on the other.

Until Neutron flies, Stoke reaches orbit, and the European launchers prove they can hit a cadence higher than single digits, the SmallSat customer has no real leverage. They will pay the $6,500/kg, they will sign the multi-launch agreements, and they will thank Exolaunch for the privilege of a slot.

As the session concluded, the applause felt less like a celebration of innovation and more like relief that the status quo, however expensive, is at least a known and predictable factor. Curt Blake ended the panel by asking about the challenge to survive. Brian Rogers offered the only advice that matters in an industry choked by promises.

“You got to launch.”

By Abbey White, Staff Writer, SatNews

Dispatch from SmallSat Symposium. Coverage and analysis from across the conference, tracking the forces shaping the next phase of the SmallSat market.

MOUNTAIN VIEW. The age of PowerPoint architecture has passed. For five years, the Space Development Agency operated as the Pentagon’s rebellious startup, promising to deliver a Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture faster than the establishment could draft a requirements document. At the SmallSat Symposium, however, no celebratory mood pervaded the SDA Vision: Pacing Evolving Threats session. Instead, a sober atmosphere prevailed as SDA’s ambitions met the friction of reality.

Dr. GP Sandhoo, the agency’s Acting Director, took the stage at a precarious moment. He leads an organization recovering from a leadership decapitation following Derek Tournear’s departure and simultaneously facing a blistering Government Accountability Office report released just days ago. The report questioned the agency’s handle on technical risk. Consequently, Sandhoo arrived in Mountain View not to sell a vision, but to explain why the “Fight Tonight” mentality is harder to execute than it looks on a whiteboard.

The End of the Commodity Myth

The morning’s most striking admission was the demise of the easy satellite bus. The core thesis of the New Space revolution and the SDA’s acquisition strategy relied on the assumption that commercial satellite buses were commoditized goods, ready to be bought off the shelf like dependable pickup trucks. Sandhoo dismantled this belief with brutal transparency regarding the agency’s Tranche 0 demonstration.

“The biggest challenge we had with Tranche 0 was the buses—spacecraft buses—which were supposed to be a commodity . . . and none of them were,” Sandhoo admitted.

This represents a stark correction for an industry that prides itself on standardization. The Acting Director noted that while the exotic payloads (optical cross-links and Link-16 terminals) performed well, the basic infrastructure failed. He described the “onesie-twosies” failures that plagued the early deployment: “GNC [Guidance, Navigation, and Control] is not working, the thermal is not right.”

The implications for the supply chain are severe. Instead of theoretical speed, the SDA is enforcing rigor. Sandhoo noted that for the currently launching Tranche 1, the agency is behind schedule on checkouts precisely because they are forcing prime contractors to prove their buses work before they fly. “It’s one thing to launch a couple of satellites and kind of go through the whole checkout, it’s another thing to launch 21 at the same time,” Sandhoo said.

The Fire Control Pivot

While bus manufacturers face a reckoning, the SDA’s strategic scope has expanded dangerously close to the nuclear threshold. The conversation’s focus has shifted from warning (seeing a missile launch) to fire control (guiding an interceptor to kill it).

Sandhoo detailed the massive Tranche 3 awards made in December, which split the architecture into two distinct classes. The first is standard missile tracking. The second is the Golden Dome fully realized: a sensor specifically designed to close the fire control loop on hypersonic glide vehicles.

The Acting Director explained the distinction with engineer-like precision: “When you see MW/MT/MD, that takes a step further. That is, you can detect the missile, you can track the missile, but you can also come up with a fire control quality solution on board the spacecraft.”

That sequence presents the strategic edge in action, to which the Pentagon has committed roughly $3.5 billion, awarding contracts to Lockheed Martin and, in a major graduation moment, Rocket Lab for high-fidelity sensors. By trusting Rocket Lab with the defense mission rather than just the tracking mission, the SDA has officially elevated the company from a launch provider to a prime defense contractor capable of handling the DoD’s most sensitive data.

The Commercial Reserve Fleet

Sandhoo also addressed a subtle but critical shift: the enclave strategy. The SDA originally envisioned a self-contained intranet in the sky, but such an isolationist model has become defunct. Now the agency is actively looking to route military data through commercial constellations like Amazon’s Kuiper or the optical meshes of Kepler and Telesat, creating a hybrid space architecture that provides resilience through redundancy.

Using a domestic utility analogy to describe this pivot, Sandhoo stated, “When you have Verizon and Xfinity come to your doorstep, you should start using some of that stuff too to make sure you leverage all those things.”

This hybrid enclave architecture effectively deputizes the commercial sector. By publishing optical and networking standards, the SDA has created a market where commercial operators become reserve nodes for the Joint Force. If a Chinese ASAT weapon takes out a Lockheed satellite, the data could theoretically reroute through a commercial bird.

The Shadow of the GAO

Looming over the technical discussion was the shadow of the recent GAO report, which criticized the SDA for schedule optimism and for buying Tranche 3 satellites before Tranche 1 has proven its technology works. Although Sandhoo did not address the report by name, he noted the acting nature of his role and the budget’s palpable uncertainty.

Sandhoo acknowledged that the speed of acquisition is colliding with the reality of production throughput. “It’s one thing to have a technically ready thing; it is another thing to make 150 of those,” he said.

The Gamma variant of Tranche 2, critical for the advanced fire control mission, remains delayed following the Viasat protest and the subsequent leadership turmoil that ousted Dr. Tournear. Sandhoo nonetheless projected confidence in face of the undeniable friction, observing that due to competitive pricing, Tranche 3 proposals allowed SDA to buy 72 satellites instead of the planned 54.

The Verdict

The startup phase is over. The SDA is now a utility provider for the Combatant Commands. As Sandhoo put it, the goal is no longer simply to disrupt, but to pace the threat.

For attendees at the SmallSat Symposium, the message was clear. The government checkbook is still open, but the days of selling beta-test hardware are over. If you cannot build a bus that reliably handles thermal loads, or an optical terminal that instantly locks in a hostile environment, do not bid. The Golden Dome is being built, but the SDA is done laying bricks that crumble under pressure.

On January 28, 2026, Astroscale France and Exotrail announced a strategic partnership to develop and demonstrate controlled deorbiting capabilities for satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

The collaboration aims to address increasing orbital congestion by providing a repeatable, sovereign European solution for satellite end-of-life management and debris mitigation.

Building on the CNES France 2030 Study

The partnership follows a successful study phase led by Exotrail under a France 2030 contract with the French space agency, CNES. During this phase, the two companies evaluated a deorbiting mission for a constellation satellite, laying the groundwork for the current operational roadmap. The initiative is closely aligned with European space priorities regarding technological sovereignty and the “circular space economy”.

“By combining Exotrail’s mission leadership on vehicles and maneuvers with Astroscale’s proven capture and close-proximity operations expertise, we are helping to position France and Europe at the forefront of in-orbit servicing,” stated Philippe Blatt, Managing Director of Astroscale France.

Integration of spacevan and RPO Technology

The technical core of the partnership relies on merging Exotrail’s mobility platforms with Astroscale’s specialized servicing hardware:

• Exotrail spacevan: A high-mobility orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) capable of significant altitude and inclination changes. The spacevan LEO offers a delta-V of 500 m/s and is designed to act as a mission integrator and “last mile” delivery vector.
• Astroscale RPO & Capture: Drawing on flight heritage from missions like ADRAS-J and ELSA-d, Astroscale France provides the critical Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) algorithms and docking mechanisms required to safely secure a target.

Rationale: Resilience of European Space Architecture

The move to operationalize deorbiting services reflects a shift in how satellite operators and governments view the life cycle of space assets. As LEO becomes more congested with mega-constellations, the ability to actively remove non-functional hardware is transitioning from a research interest to a regulatory and operational necessity.

“Controlled deorbiting and on-orbit rendezvous capabilities are now recognized as critical technological building blocks, for both civilian applications and the future of defense endeavors,” added Jean-Luc Maria, CEO of Exotrail. “We add more capabilities to strengthen the resilience of European space architectures”.

Timeline to 2030 Demonstration

The partners intend to execute their first joint demonstration mission before 2030, which will target the removal of a commercial satellite currently in orbit. Beyond this initial proof-of-concept, the collaboration includes a long-term shared roadmap to establish permanent European rendezvous and docking infrastructure, supporting future in-orbit assembly, refueling, and maintenance missions.

On January 28, 2026, Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd announced the appointment of Bizmile Co. Ltd as its exclusive distributor in South Korea, marking the company’s first official entry into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market.

The agreement expands Silicon Sensing’s global footprint to 15 countries and increases its total distributor network to 21 partners.

Strategic APAC Expansion

Based in Plymouth, UK, Silicon Sensing is a joint venture between Collins Aerospace and Sumitomo Precision Products. The partnership with Bizmile is designed to capitalize on the rapid growth of South Korea’s aerospace and defense sectors, where there is a rising requirement for high-precision inertial solutions.

Bizmile already maintains a robust presence within the Korean defense market, representing several international component manufacturers. Under the new contract, the firm will provide local manufacturing, integration, and marketing services for Silicon Sensing’s product line.

“As global demand for inertial solutions continues to grow, we’re strengthening our distributor network to ensure customers worldwide have easy, reliable access to our products,” stated David Somerville, General Manager of Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd.

High-Precision MEMS Technology

Silicon Sensing specializes in Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, specifically for navigation and stabilization applications. The company has supplied millions of units globally since its inception in 1999.

• Key Product Focus: MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers designed for high-precision motion sensing.
• Form Factor: Solutions are engineered in compact, robust packages suitable for integration into complex aerospace platforms.
• Market Applications: Targeted toward leading programs in South Korea requiring stabilized navigation in challenging environments.

Growth Outlook for South Korean Defense

The appointment comes as South Korea continues to invest heavily in indigenous aerospace programs and defense modernization. By establishing a local representative in the region, Silicon Sensing aims to streamline the procurement process for Korean businesses and government entities seeking ITAR-free or high-reliability inertial components.

“South Korea’s aerospace and defense sectors are growing rapidly and we see a strong demand for our inertial products in these markets,” added Somerville.

Chris Forrester — The news that Eutelsat has ordered 340 new OneWeb satellites, additional to its existing contract for 100 extra craft, secures the company’s future and can only benefit revenues once the fleet is in operation.

The 340 will guarantee Eutelsat’s existing services although at a cost of around $2.56 billion (€2.2bn) plus the cost of launches. Some of those launches are already booked. Eutelsat ordered about ten launches (“multiple launches”) from MaiaSpace to deploy a portion of the 440 new OneWeb satellites. Launches are scheduled from late 2027 to 2029. MaiaSpace thus secures 50 percent of the planned launches over the period.

MaiaSpace was founded in 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary of ArianeGroup. The company is developing a two-stage, partially reusable launch vehicle called Maia, designed to deliver up to 4,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when flown in its expendable configuration with the optional ‘kick’ stage.

The first 100, needed to ensure continuity of service, were ordered in December 2024 but observers say that the satellite operator needed to put its own finances in order before it could order the additional 340.

Eutelsat restructured its core finances by raising €1.5 billion in December 29025, including an extra chunk of capital placed into the operator by the French government which as a result now controls 29.65% of Eutelsat.

The new order will be fulfilled by Airbus Defence & Space at its Toulouse, France, facility, and the first batches should be ready for launch towards the end of this year. These early launches will replace OneWeb satellites launched in 2019 and 2020 and now reaching the end of their planned lives.

In its January 12 statement Eutelsat said the new fleet would integrate technology upgrades including advanced digital channelisers, enabling enhanced on-board processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility and suggesting that the new craft could carry ‘hosted payloads’ for the French military.

Indeed, Eutelsat is reportedly talking to other European defense ministries and pitching similar options for dedicated payloads.

But there’s certainly going to be a slight disappointment for French pride in that the order has gone to Maia Space. Despite Maia being an Ariane subsidiary, some would have preferred Arianespace itself to be a carrier. There’s also the underlying fear that other rocket providers will be called upon to fill the gap given that Ariane itself is fully booked for 2026 and much of 2027 on other non-Eutelsat contracts.

Consequently, Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher might have to select SpaceX – which can carry 45 OneWebs – will be called into play. However, it is worth remembering that Eutelsat still has a contract in place with Jeff Bezos for a flight on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. The contract was signed with much fanfare at the 2017 Washington Satellite Show by Rodolphe Belmer, then CEO at Eutelsat, and with Bezos.  It could well be that a New Glenn launch during 2027 could carry OneWeb satellites.

The new OneWeb contract is just the first stage of Eutelsat’s growth plan. The next step, now being made with the SpaceRISE consortium of which it is a key part, is the important European IRIS² multi-orbit highly-secure satellite scheme. IRIS², backed by the European Commission and European Space Agency but also with plenty of private cash from the likes of SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, calls for 272 satellites in LEO (at 1200 kms) and 18 in MEO (at 8000kms). They would operate with laser connectivity.

The IRIS² contract was signed with the SpaceRISE consortium which has to design, deliver and operate the Infrastructure of Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) for a concession period of 12 years.

Eutelsat has to pay for its place in the consortium, and is said to be in talks with financing sources including the French BPIFrance and EK Export Finance agencies.

SpaceRISE issued its Requests for Proposals (RFP) on December 28 2025 to Europe’s satellite builders and launch suppliers, and there’s a requirement that some 30% of the satellite contract value must go to small and medium-sized industry businesses.

These combined elements will keep Eutelsat busy for a year or two, but its OneWeb revenue growth should help fund expansion. Eutelsat says it expects its LEO revenues to grow by around 50% – and possibly more – as 2026-2027 unfolds. Eutelsat is targeting total revenue of between €1.5 billion and €1.7 billion by the end of 2028-2029. Much of that will come from OneWeb.

With the first OneWeb launches now likely to take place before calendar year-end 2026, Eutelsat’s revenue stream should grow commensurately.

JÜLICH, Germany — On Thursday, January 15, 2026, NASA selected the AtmOCube (Atmospheric Oxygen CubeSat Mission) as part of its Heliophysics Flight Opportunities for Research and Technology (H-FORT) program. The international mission, led by Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) in collaboration with the University of Wuppertal and the University of Colorado Boulder (LASP), will investigate how atmospheric gravity waves disrupt satellite operations and navigation signals.

16U CubeSat Technical Parameters

The mission utilizes a 16U CubeSat designed to operate at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers. The satellite’s primary payload is an optical interferometer developed by FZJ and the University of Wuppertal. This instrument observes the natural infrared radiation of oxygen in the upper atmosphere to obtain high-resolution temperature profiles. By measuring these profiles, researchers can derive the spatial structure and energy flow of gravity waves—disturbances generated in the lower atmosphere that propagate upward to influence the thermosphere and ionosphere.

Advancing Ionospheric Predictive Capabilities

AtmOCube builds upon nearly a decade of collaborative research between German atmospheric physicists and U.S. space laboratories. Previous iterations of the technology, such as the AtmoCube A1 interferometer concept, were designed to resolve individual emission lines within the oxygen A-band. The current mission seeks to bridge a critical data gap regarding how these waves trigger variability in air density, which directly impacts satellite drag and the reliability of Global Positioning System (GPS) transmissions.

Scientific Leadership on the Selection

“The selection by NASA is a big step for our team and our partners. AtmOCube combines innovative measurement technology with clear social relevance,” said Prof. Dr. Michaela I. Hegglin Shepherd, Director at the FZJ Institute of Climate and Energy Systems and project lead. “The scientific data helps us to make predictions for future satellite operations more reliable while also helping us understand how climate change in the lower atmosphere continues into near-Earth space.”

Timeline for Concept Refinement and 2029 Launch

Following the NASA selection, the AtmOCube team will enter a six-month concept and planning phase. This period will involve refining mission requirements and addressing feedback from the initial review process. The phase will conclude with a System Requirements Review (SRR), which serves as the gate for NASA’s final approval for construction and implementation funding. The mission is currently manifested for a 2029 launch.