Hubble Network recently announced a major step forward as the firm raised $70 million in Series B funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $100 million since its founding in 2021.

This raise fuels their growth and also validates the enormous opportunity to reshape global IoT connectivity.

Space is hard and the industry has long been known for capital intensity, slow cycles, and technical hurdles. Hubble has taken a different path. By leveraging existing Bluetooth chips and building a developer-first platform, we dramatically lower costs, simplify integration, and speed up adoption.

With seven satellites on-orbit, the company has proven that satellite connectivity doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. This approach is making space practical and scalable for the billions of IoT devices that need it. With this new funding, the company is focused on…

• Expanding the satellite constellation toward global coverage
• Scaling the developer ecosystem to make integration as easy as plugging in an SDK.
• Powering enterprise deployments across logistics, infrastructure, defense, and consumer IoT.

Hubble Network’s long-term vision is bold and clear: to build a global satellite network that enables affordable, low-power, ubiquitous connectivity for billions of devices unlocking a new era of IoT at planetary scale.

Alex Hare, the Chief Executive Officer of the company and also the co-founder of Life360, will be a featured panelist at Silicon Valley Space Week that is now in session through October 30th. Mr. Haro will be taking part in the discussion titled: The Sensing Stack: How Are Multimodal Inputs Transforming GEOINT?

The panel discussion occurs on Wednesday, October 29th, from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. PST at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley, California.

The Center for Space Exploration Research at the University of California, Davis, has partnered with Proteus Space to launch a U.S. government-sponsored satellite into space with a custom, AI-enabled payload in a brand-new, first-ever, rapid design-to-deployment small satellite.

The team will launch the satellite and payload in October of 2025 from Vandenberg, California. From the time the project was fully approved, the design and launch will occur within 13 months.

The UC Davis-designed payload was developed by Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Stephen Robinson’s Human/Robotics/Vehicle Integration and Performance Laboratory, or HRVIP Lab.

This is a dynamic digital twin that models the current condition and predicts the future condition of the spacecraft’s power system. The novel aspect of this payload is that the system-state model is running in real time onboard the spacecraft, instead of in ground-based mission control.

The satellite, which includes multiple commercial and research payloads, will monitor its own health in space using sensors that assess voltage and measurements of the batteries it is running on. The digital twin software will continually analyze the health and charge capacity of the battery. Using artificial intelligence, the digital twin will be aware of its own state and learn to predict its future state.

In addition to the team at Proteus, Zufall and Robinson are working with Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Xinfan Lin, whose research specializes in intelligent battery management systems. The team also includes mechanical and aerospace engineering Ph.D. students Jackson Fogelquist and Ayush Patnaik, and Ansha Prashanth, a master’s student in computer science.

The satellite will settle into LEO and operate for up to 12 months. After three years, the satellite will naturally fall back to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere.

The spacecraft itself can let us know how it’s doing, which is all done by humans now,” said Adam Zufall, a graduate student in the HRVIP Lab who is overseeing the UC Davis side of the project.

It should get smarter as it goes,” said Robinson, “and be able to predict how it’s going to perform in the near future. Current satellites do not have this capability.”

Story by by Jessica Heath, UC David

SD Government (SDG), the division of Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO) that provides SATCOM to global governments, has received a five-year, federal contract to deliver multi-band, multi-orbit, airborne global satellite communications to a U.S. government agency.

The new agreement, initially valued at $3 million, is a follow-on from Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III activity originally undertaken by SDG prior to the merger with Gogo.

Awarded as a sole-source contract, the agreement will see the agency consolidate all aero communications across its fleet to this single contract over the next five years. With the consolidation of multiple contracts into a single contract, procurement time and complexity are dramatically reduced. In addition, the agreement allows users to focus resources on the mission rather than managing diverse contracts and vendors.

This is the first SDG government contract to optimize the company’s integrated multi-orbit, multi-band, multi-network capabilities. The deal also includes provision for the government to add new technology and services as they become available over the life of the contract.

The agency’s missions demand consistent, reliable high-bandwidth satellite connections in every theater of operations globally, as well as the highest encryption levels for secure communication and data transfer. SDG’s deep experience in the government and defense markets, combined with its ability to deliver 24/7/365 expert customer support, will ensure the customer retains consistent critical mission connectivity.

As the contract’s full scope is realized, it will employ Gogo’s air-to-ground networks, low-Earth orbit (LEO), medium-Earth orbit (MEO), high-Earth orbit (HEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) constellations for Ku- and Ka-band connectivity as required.

The customer agency will benefit from our extensive expertise, support, and cybersecurity expertise, along with our agnostic ability to provide the best-performing connections and terminals across multiple orbits on its diverse fleet of aircraft,” said Hayden Olson, Head of SDG. “We are providing a simple, seamless solution for the agency to procure resilient airborne communications. The streamlined access to all types of connectivity will enable seamless procurement and support, which is extremely valuable to a busy government agency.”

Open Cosmos recently celebrated the successful completion of the company’s MANTIS mission, a two-year program that delivered Earth Observation (EO) data and set a new benchmark for sustainable space operations.

Launched on November 11, 2023, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-9 mission, MANTIS was the first ESA InCubed satellite, backed by the UK Space Agency, and carried Satlantis’s iSIM90 high-resolution camera and a reconfigurable AI processor from Ubotica.

Over its two-year mission, MANTIS proved how a small, agile satellite could deliver outsized impact. It completed more than 10,000 orbits, capturing high-resolution daily imagery across half a million square kilometers. Its advanced optics and AI allow to transform raw imagery into actionable intelligence in near real time, faster and more efficiently than traditional missions, enabling energy, mining and environmental sectors to make faster, more informed decisions.

The mission also advanced the use of AI in orbit and validated new technologies, processes, and operational models together with IngeniArs and Ubotica that are now embedded into the wider OpenConstellation, the global Earth Observation constellation managed by Open Cosmos and used by governments, businesses, and organisations to tackle global challenges like climate change, resource management and environmental protection using space data.

MANTIS managed to acquire and download imagery within just 10 days of launch, which was presented at the UK Space Expo in 2023.

MANTIS also demonstrated how innovation can go hand-in-hand with responsibility. Designed from the start with sustainability in mind, the satellite is planned to be permanently shut down at an altitude of 300 km and will safely de-integrate during atmospheric re-entry, leaving no debris behind. This means MANTIS not only contributed to better environmental monitoring on Earth, but also left space itself cleaner for future missions.

Rafel Jordà Siquier, founder and CEO of Open Cosmos, said, “MANTIS was a landmark mission for Open Cosmos. It proved our ability to deliver end-to-end Earth Observation with state-of-the-art AI and optical technology, and it delivered critical data for sectors tackling climate, energy and land management challenges. Its safe and sustainable end-of-life shows how responsible satellite design can protect the space environment. MANTIS leaves a powerful legacy – both in the data it produced and the standards it set for future missions.”

Harshbir Sangha, Director of Missions and Capabilities at the UK Space Agency, said, “The MANTIS mission shows how strategic investment can turn advanced ideas into operational systems that deliver real benefits. Our support through ESA’s InCubed programme has strengthened the UK’s role in a competitive global market, opened new commercial opportunities, and addressed pressing challenges such as environmental monitoring. With Open Cosmos demonstrating outstanding technical expertise and leadership throughout the mission, MANTIS has built capability across the UK space sector and set the stage for future missions that will keep the UK leading in innovation in this rapidly expanding domain.”

Although ESA’s small Arctic Weather Satellite was built as a demonstrator for future constellation called EPS-Sterna, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is now incorporating its data into its operational weather forecast system—highlighting the fact that small satellites delivered in record time can achieve great things.

Conceived, built and launched in just three years and within a tight budget, the Arctic Weather Satellite delivers high-value atmospheric humidity and temperature data from a compact platform. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is the first center to use these new observations operationally, which are leading to a robust improvement in forecasts.

The data, along with numerous other observations, are merged with a short-range forecast that is guided by earlier measurements to produce the most accurate possible snapshot of the Earth’s current state. This analysis then serves as the starting point for generating weather forecasts.

Information from the Arctic Weather Satellite’s microwave radiometer complements data from similar sensors on much larger satellites provided by organisations such as the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

For the first time, the Arctic Weather Satellite operates in the ‘sub-mm’ spectral band – wavelengths shorter than 1 mm – to also provide fresh insights into ice clouds, as shown in the image above. The mission proves that high-quality, passive microwave measurements can be delivered by a small, cost-efficient satellite.

Launched a year ago, the mission – developed as a prototype within three years and for a fraction of the cost of a traditional Earth-observing mission – has already demonstrated that the New Space approach of building quickly and at low cost could be applied to a future constellation of similar satellites.

And now, ECMWF’s decision to assimilate its data into their forecasting system stands as a strong endorsement of the mission’s excellence.

The image just below, for example, shows how the mission is improving wind forecasts, improvements show up in blue. The last image shows how the mission’s new 325 GHz channel can be used to reveal colder brightness temperatures which then offer a clearer view of typhoons.

Ville Kangas, ESA’s Arctic Weather Project Manager, said, “We are extremely proud of this mission. While we were confident that our New Space approach to developing and building the satellite would succeed, its performance in orbit has far exceeded our expectations. And given that it is only a demonstrator – a precursor to a potential constellation of satellites capable of delivering an almost continuous stream of data for very short-term weather forecasting in the Arctic and beyond – we couldn’t be more delighted.”

Weighing just 125 kg and measuring 1.0 m × 5.3 m × 0.9 m, the Arctic Weather Satellite is a small satellite. It carries a 19-channel cross-track scanning microwave radiometer that yields high-resolution vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and humidity in all weather conditions.

Despite its name, the Arctic Weather Satellite collects measurements around the globe. However, its humidity data are particularly valuable for weather forecasting across the Arctic where concentrations of water vapor can change rapidly.

The impacts of the climate crisis are being felt more strongly in the Arctic than other parts of the world. Nevertheless, what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic, so these changes are affecting the Earth system as a whole. Information from the Arctic Weather Satellite and the potential constellation, called EPS-Sterna, will also support research into climate change.

The proposed constellation would comprise six satellites for higher temporal coverage, and each satellite would be replenished three times to ensure data is delivered for years to come.

It is envisaged that ESA would build the EPS-Sterna constellation in cooperation with Eumetsat, following the established model used for Europe’s other meteorological missions, namely the geostationary Meteosat and the polar-orbiting MetOp missions.

The Meteosat geostationary satellites, positioned 36,000 km above the equator, return images every 15 minutes but they have no visibility of higher latitudes closer to the poles, making them unsuitable for Arctic weather forecasting. The MetOp satellites do return data over the poles as they circle Earth from pole to pole in a lower orbit, but it can take up to 24 hours to achieve global coverage. The EPS-Sterna constellation of six satellites would fill the temporal coverage gap.

If the EPS-Sterna constellation becomes a reality, it would complement the MetOp Second Generation, Joint Polar Satellite System and Fengyun polar orbiting weather missions, doubling the number of orbital planes from three to six.

While the decision on EPS-Sterna is still to be made, the Arctic Weather Satellite is certainly already proving its worth: successfully built as a New Space mission, hailed as excellent, and now its data are being used operationally—not bad for a prototype.

SatSense Ltd., a leading InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology specialist based in Leeds, UK, has secured a landmark, multi-million-pound, multi-year contract with Network Rail to deliver network-wide ground deformation monitoring, flood mapping and change detection services using satellite radar technology.

The innovative approach paves the way for redefining geotechnical asset management and setting a new standard for sustainable infrastructure monitoring.

Under the agreement, SatSense will deliver processed InSAR data and derived services that integrate into Network Rail’s earthwork asset management systems, using data from satellites such as the Sentinel-1, NISAR and TerraSAR-X constellations. The approach aims to enable a transition to reduce reliance on repeat on-site examinations which can be costly, subjective and untimely.

Operational Applications 
The implementation will deliver several key operational advantages over traditional monitoring methods:

• Cost Savings: Providing a cost-effective alternative to scheduled site visits across the entire network Enhanced Safety: Reduces risk to personnel by minimizing time spent on the track and on slopes, through continuous remote monitoring capabilities 

• Improved Efficiency: Enables faster data collection eliminating time constraints of ground-based surveys, optimizing on-site time and unlocking capacity for critical geotechnical assessments 

• High Data Accuracy and Consistency: Millimeter-level precision enabling repeatable measurements over time for trend analysis while reducing human error and subjectivity 

• Continuous and Proactive Monitoring: Near real-time analysis after each satellite overpass, enabling predictive maintenance and improved data-driven decision making rather than reactive responses 

• The implementation will build upon, rather than replace, Network Rail’s decades of manual examination expertise, using existing asset knowledge to validate and interpret Earth Observation data for enhanced asset management decisions. 

Network Rail’s decision to use a suite of remote sensing technologies to enhance and optimize existing asset management systems reflects the organization’s commitment to operational excellence.

This first network-wide implementation is expected to influence adoption of integrated InSAR solutions across the global rail industry, with other major operators evaluating similar approaches.

The contract demonstrates the commercial viability of integrated satellite-based infrastructure monitoring and establishes new benchmarks for railway asset management. The implementation positions the UK at the forefront of railway innovation, with Network Rail leading the adoption of advanced monitoring technologies in major rail operations. 

We are delighted with this appointment – it is a testament to the vision of decision-makers in Network Rail, and the quality of work delivered by the Network Rail and SatSense teams on this theme over the years,” said Dr. Matthew Bray, CEO of SatSense Ltd. “We’re excited to work towards realising the benefits that remote sensing offers in rail, enhancing safety and reliability at scale.” 

About SatSense Ltd.
SatSense Ltd, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Leeds, is a leading InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) service provider specializing in ground and structural movement monitoring for critical infrastructure. Built on decades of academic heritage, the company delivers near real-time satellite-based monitoring solutions across civil engineering, utilities, natural hazards, and energy sectors. While UK-based, SatSense operates globally across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. 

Airbus, Leonardo and Thales sign Memorandum of Understanding to create a leading European player in space

These companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at combining their respective space activities into a new company.

By joining forces, Airbus, Leonardo and Thales aim to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space, a major sector that underpins critical infrastructure and services related to telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security. This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programmes.

This new company will pool, build and develop a comprehensive portfolio of complementary technologies and end-to-end solutions, from space infrastructure to services (excluding space launchers). It will accelerate innovation in this strategic market, in order to create a unified, integrated and resilient European space player, with the critical mass to compete globally and grow on the export markets.

This new player will be able to foster innovation, combine and strengthen investments in future space products and services, building on the complementary assets and world-class expertise of all three companies. The combination is expected to generate mid triple digit million euro of total annual synergies on operating income five years after closing. Associated costs to generate those synergies are expected to be in line with industry benchmark.

The project is expected to unlock incremental revenues, leveraging an expanded portfolio of end-to-end products and services leading to a more competitive offering, and greater global commercial reach. The combined capabilities also pave the way for even more innovative new programs to enlarge the new company’s market positioning. Further operational synergies in, among others, engineering, manufacturing and project management, are anticipated to drive long-term efficiency and value creation. Upon conclusion of the transaction, this new company will encompass the following contributions:

Airbus will contribute with its Space Systems and Space Digital businesses, coming from Airbus Defence and Space. Leonardo will contribute with its Space Division, including its shares in Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space. Thales will mainly contribute with its shares in Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio, and Thales SESO.

The combined entity will employ around 25,000 people across Europe. With an annual turnover of about 6.5bn€ (end of 2024, pro-forma) and an order backlog representing more than three years of projected sales, this new company will form a robust, innovative and competitive entity worldwide.

Ownership of the new company will be shared among the parent companies, with Airbus, Leonardo and Thales owning respectively 35%, 32.5% and 32.5% stakes. It will operate under joint control, with a balanced governance structure among shareholders.

Accelerating European leadership in space and ensuring its strategic autonomy, the new company aims to:

• Foster innovation and technological progress by harnessing joint R&D capabilities to be at the cutting edge of space missions in all domains, including services, and enhance operational efficiency, benefiting from economies of scale and optimized production processes.

• Increase competitiveness facing global players, reaching critical mass and ensuring Europe secures its role as a major player in the international space market.

• Lead innovative programs to address evolving customer and European sovereign needs, national sovereign and military programs, by providing integrated solutions for infrastructure & services in all major space domains, driving cooperation across nations and having the capability to invest.

• Strengthen the European space ecosystem by bringing more stability and predictability to the industrial landscape, amplifying opportunities for the benefit of European suppliers of all sizes.

• Create new opportunities for employee development through broader technical capabilities and the extensive multinational footprint of the new company.

This new company will pool, build and develop a portfolio of complementary technologies and end-to-end solutions, from space infrastructure to services (excluding space launchers). It aims to accelerate innovation in this strategic market, in order to create a “unified, integrated and resilient European space player with the critical mass to compete globally and grow on the export markets.”

This new player will be able to foster innovation, combine and strengthen investments in future space products and services, building on the complementary assets and world-class expertise of all three companies. The combination is expected to generate mid triple digit million euro of total annual synergies on operating income five years after closing. Associated costs to generate those synergies are expected to be in line with industry benchmark,” the statement said.

Employee representatives of Airbus, Leonardo and Thales will be informed and consulted on this project according to the laws of involved countries and the collective agreements applicable at each parent company.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions including regulatory clearances, with the new company expected to be operational in 2027.

Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus, Roberto Cingolani, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Leonardo and Patrice Caine, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Thales, issued a joint statement that said, “This proposed new company marks a pivotal milestone for Europe’s space industry. It embodies our shared vision to build a stronger and more competitive European presence in an increasingly dynamic global space market. By pooling our talent, resources, expertise and R&D capabilities, we aim to generate growth, accelerate innovation and deliver greater value to our customers and stakeholders. This partnership aligns with the ambitions of European governments to strengthen their industrial and technological assets, ensuring Europe’s autonomy across the strategic space domain and its many applications. It offers employees the opportunity to be at the heart of this ambitious initiative, while benefiting from enhanced career prospects and the collective strength of the three industry leaders.”

Quantum Space has completed their Manufacturing Readiness Review (MRR) for the firm’s upcoming Ranger Prime mission, marking a key milestone toward the projected June of 2026 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The Ranger Prime mission will validate the on-orbit performance and remote proximity targeting operations of Quantum Space’s Ranger 500 spacecraft, one of the company’s Ranger Space Superiority vehicle product lines.

Designed to deliver high maneuverability, large payload capacity, and unmatched propulsion performance, the Ranger fleet will provide the U.S. Space Force (USSF) with the capability to maneuver without regret, substantially increasing the Warfighter’s strategic and tactical flexibility.

The Ranger Prime mission precedes by six months the launch of Quantum Space’s flagship Ranger 2000 spacecraft, the largest and most capable of the company’s Ranger line.

The Ranger program represents a new generation of U.S.-built spacecraft designed to provide persistent, agile, and resilient capabilities across multiple orbital regimes.

Our Ranger Space Superiority Vehicle fleet, with its game-changing propulsion capability and payload capacity, can form the backbone of America’s Golden Dome space element,” said Richard Matlock, Senior Vice President for National Security Space Programs at Quantum Space.

Over the last three years, Quantum Space has focused research and development on designing, testing, and qualifying the Ranger fleet and stand ready to meet the President’s challenge to defend the nation from and within space,” said Phil Bracken, Chief Technology Officer of Quantum Space. “With the Manufacturing Readiness Review complete, our team will begin spacecraft assembly and testing ahead of shipment to the launch services contractor in early 2026.”

About Quantum Space
Quantum Space builds agile spacecraft to strengthen U.S. space defense and meet the demands of modern space operations. Our mission centers on the Ranger platform: a highly maneuverable spacecraft designed to address the needs of national security and commercial operators. With patented propulsion, extended on-orbit endurance, and modular flexibility, Ranger is engineered to outmaneuver legacy satellites and operate dynamically across diverse mission sets.

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an EchoStar company (Nasdaq: SATS),has acquired Anderson Connectivity, a leading aerospace innovator in design, engineering, and manufacturing services based in Melbourne, Florida.

This acquisition significantly expands Hughes capabilities, adding key technology and engineering talent and product solutions while positioning the company for accelerated growth in the global aviation, space, and defense markets.

As part of the acquisition, Hughes welcomes Brian Anderson, founder of Anderson Connectivity, who will join as Vice President, Aviation Technology & Innovation Officer. Hughes will also take over Anderson Connectivity’s Melbourne, Florida, facility, which will become a cornerstone of aviation innovation and rapid product development for Hughes and EchoStar.

Our Aviation and Defense business units at Hughes continue to excel,” said Hamid Akhavan, president and CEO, EchoStar. “EchoStar is investing in a robust future and is proud to add Anderson Connectivity to augment our already strong foundation.”

Brian Anderson is a visionary in aerospace technology, and his team brings unmatched expertise and capabilities,” said Paul Gaske, Chief Operating Officer, Hughes. “This acquisition allows us to accelerate our innovation, global support, and deliver even greater value to our aviation customers while supporting the strong growth of our Defense and Space businesses.”