News

Gilmour Space Technologies has completed the maiden test launch of Australia’s first locally designed and built orbital rocket — a major milestone toward offering low-cost, responsive launch services for small satellites globally. The 23-meter, 30-tonne Eris rocket, powered by new hybrid propulsion technology, successfully lifted off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland, achieving approximately 14 seconds of flight.

The TestFlight 1 campaign was the first integrated attempt of an orbital-class rocket designed and built entirely in Australia. It also marked the first use of the newly licensed Bowen Orbital Spaceport — Australia’s first commercial orbital launch site, built by Gilmour Space to support future missions.

Eris was developed almost entirely in-house — including propulsion, structures, avionics, software, and the spaceport itself — on a fraction of the budget available to most global launch companies.

“Space is hard,” said Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies. “SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit. We’ve learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production.”

“Getting off the pad and into flight is a huge step forward for any new rocket program. This was the first real test of our rocket systems, our propulsion technology, and our spaceport — and it proved that much of what we’ve built works.”

Importantly, there were no injuries to any person and no adverse environmental impacts.

“Only six nations currently launch to orbit regularly — and just a handful are developing sovereign capability to join them,” he said. “We’ve now taken a big step toward joining that group.”

“Clearing the tower was a major milestone for our team. It showed that Australia can design, build, and launch rockets right here at home,” Gilmour said.

As part of this historic campaign, Gilmour Space worked closely with many stakeholders and regulators — including the Australian Space Agency, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Air Services Australia, Maritime authorities, and others — to help shape and navigate the rules needed to safely launch rockets from Australia for the first time.

Initial data confirms that key systems performed well until the anomaly, including ignition, liftoff, first-stage thrust, range tracking and telemetry. The team is now reviewing flight data to understand the cause of the anomaly that led to early termination, with lessons already being applied to the next vehicle, which is in production.

Looking Ahead:
The TestFlight 1 mission represents the culmination of years of effort by a team of more than 200 people, over 500 Australian suppliers, and strong support from government and industry and close coordination with the Australian Space Agency, CASA, Airservices Australia, maritime authorities, and others. It is the next step in Gilmour’s mission to provide low-cost, responsive launch services for small satellites — a capability in growing demand globally.

The team will now review flight data and apply lessons learned to the next Eris rocket, with plans to launch again within [XX] months.

“Every test, especially the first, is a learning opportunity,” said Gilmour. “Congratulations to our talented team for getting us this far. Onward to TestFlight 2.”

Aussie, Gilmour Space Technologies, posts launch ‘will be back’ Wednesday

MISSION: Gilmour Space’s Eris TestFlight1 will be the first Australian-made rocket to attempt orbit, and the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years. The launch will be from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space hosts of the Eris Pad.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 63°F, clear skies, 3% cloud cover and a wind speed of 3mph.

29 July 2025

SCRUBBED FOR TODAY – BACK JULY 30

(7.30am to 5.30pm)​​​​

We scrubbed today (Jul 29) due to upper level winds exceeding our limits.

We’ll be back July 30, 7.30am to 5.30pm AEST

​​LAUNCH SITE: Bowen Orbital Spaceport, North Queensland.

*FAQ: Why does the launch date keep moving?

Rocket launches are complex and delays are normal. Weather, range availability, regulatory checks, final system tests (and last-minute anomalies!) can all affect when a rocket is ready to fly.​

No Earlier Than (NET) is the global standard for space launches, giving teams the flexibility to launch safely within an approved launch window—esp. important for a first-of-its-kind test flight, where every system is being put through its full end-to-end test for the very first time.

In Australia, that also means close coordination with the Australian Space Agency, CASA, Airservices Australia, maritime authorities, and more.

We’ll keep sharing the latest NET date so you can stay up to date, or feel free to check back after launch day. 

Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies posts delay of launch now Tuesday. hopefully

Announcement today regarding the Eris launch has been pushed out one day as shown below:

The launch will be from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space hosts of the Eris Pad which has witnessed the launch of 0 rockets, including 0 orbital launch attempts.

28 July 2025

LAUNCH UPDATE: CURRENTLY TRACKING NET JULY 29 (Afternoon)* ​​​​

Thank you for your patience and support as we take this next step in Australia’s space journey.

We are currently expecting our launch window to open No Earlier Than (NET) Tuesday Jul 29. However, do monitor our website for updates.

On launch days, please note:​​​

• Launch may occur any time between 7:30am – 5:30pm​​
• Avoid designated Hazard Areas in land, air, and sea (see orange button for details)

> Pilots:  Check current NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen)​​​

> Mariners:  Refer to NOTMARs (Notice to Mariners)​​​​

> All:  Please monitor updates from CASA, Airservices Australia, Maritime Safety, and Gilmour Space.​​​

• No advance notice will be given before liftoff
• If we stand down (or scrub) for the day, we will confirm that here (and our Facebook page) by 5.30pm
• A post-launch video and update will be shared as soon as possible

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Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies is prepping for their first Eris test flight on Saturday

After several delays Gilmour Space Technologies is planning up for their first Eris Test flight on Saturday, July 26, at 2:30 PM – 12:30 AM PDT.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 65°F, clear skies, 4% cloud cover and a wind speed of 3mph.

The launch will be from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space hosts of the Eris Pad which has witnessed the launch of 0 rockets, including 0 orbital launch attempts.

This will be the first Australian-made rocket, #Eris, to attempt orbit, and the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years.

From Gilmour on 16 July 2025​: LAUNCH SCRUBBED: NEXT WINDOW NET JULY 27

We’re standing down from this week’s launch window and aiming for our next opportunity starting July 27.

​Unfortunately, operational delays set us back a day and the latest upper wind forecasts have now ruled out a safe launch from Thursday through the rest of the week.

Not the outcome we hoped for, but that’s the nature of test flights. Chin up and eyes forward to NET 27 July! 

Australia’s Gilmour Space plans Wednesday for maiden launch of Eris Test Flight1

Gilmour Space Technologies is gearing up for their first Eris Test flight on Wednesday, July 16, at 2:30 PM – 12:30 AM PDT.

The launch will be from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space hosts of the Eris Pad which has witnessed the launch of 0 rockets, including 0 orbital launch attempts.

This will be the first Australian-made rocket, #Eris, to attempt orbit, and the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years.

Gilmour’s vision: ALL ORBITS. ALL PLANETS ®

The forecast calls for a temperature of 62°F, clear skies, 1% cloud cover and a wind speed of 6mph.

Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies plans maiden flight of Eris Test Flight1 on July 16, nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years

Gilmour Space plans a Tuesday, July 15, launch for the maiden flight of Eris Test Flight1 at 2:30 PM – 12:30 AM PDT. The launch will be from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space hosts of the Eris Pad which has witnessed the launch of 0 rockets, including 0 orbital launch attempts.

Eris TestFlight1 will be the first Australian-made rocket, #Eris, to attempt orbit, and the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years. Gilmour’s vision: ALL ORBITS. ALL PLANETS ®

The forecast calls for a temperature of 53°F, few clouds, 15% cloud cover and a wind speed of 7mph.

Gilmour Space Technologies is a venture-funded Australian space company headquartered in Queensland, Australia that is developing hybrid-engine rockets and associated technology to support the development of a low-cost space launch vehicle.

Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies ready to launch maiden Eris Test flight the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years

Gilmour Space Technologies is gearing up for their first Eris Test flight, no earlier than May 15. Gilmour Space’s Eris TestFlight1 will be the first Australian-made rocket, #Eris, to attempt orbit, and the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years. Gilmour’s vision: ALL ORBITS. ALL PLANETS ®

Weather forecast calls for a temperature of 77 °F, clear skies, 4% cloud cover and a wind speed of 5 mph.

Gilmour Space Technologies is the leading launch services company in Australia, located in Bowen Orbital Spaceport, North Queensland, ​providing valuable access to space to global Commercial and Defense customers. Backed by some of the country’s biggest investors, Gilmour Space is tracking to launch Eris orbital launch vehicles and ElaraSat bus/platforms to Low Earth Orbits (LEO) from 2025.

Bowen Orbital Spaceport hosts the Eris Pad which has witnessed the launch of 0 rockets, including 0 orbital launch attempts. While Bowen Orbital Spaceport, has been the site for 0 rocket launches. Private orbital launch facility owned and operated by Gilmour Space.

Gilmour has said that they plan to have fifty of their personnel based in Bowen for the inaugural launch. Eris’ maiden flight will be the first orbital launch attempt of an Australian rocket from Australian soil, according to co-founder and CEO Adam Gilmour.

Gilmour Space announces launch window for the Eris orbital rocket

The countdown is on—Gilmour Space Technologies has announced a launch window starting ‘no earlier than’ March 15 for the maiden flight of Eris, the first Australian-designed and built rocket aiming for orbit.

The news follows final airspace approvals from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Airservices Australia, clearing the last regulatory hurdle before launch. It also marks the culmination of years of innovative R&D and manufacturing by the Gold Coast-based company, which developed the Eris launch vehicle and Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland.

Gilmour Space made history in March last year when its Bowen spaceport was granted the first orbital launch facility license in Australia, and when it secured the country’s first Australian Launch Permit for Eris Test Flight 1 in November. Now, with airspace arrangements finalised and mandatory notice given to the Australian Space Agency, the company is preparing for liftoff.

“This will be the first attempt of an Australian rocket to reach orbit from Australian soil,” said Adam Gilmour, co-founder and CEO of Gilmour Space. The company is backed by private investors including Blackbird, Main Sequence, Fine Structure Ventures, Queensland Investment Corporation, and superannuation funds such as HESTA and Hostplus. 

With the March 15 window fast approaching, Mr. Gilmour highlighted a few key points for those less familiar with rocket launches:

First, it’s important to understand that delays or ‘scrubs’ are a normal part of rocket launches. These can last anywhere from hours to days, or even weeks, and are often caused by weather conditions, technical issues, or other factors. “Safety is always the top priority. We’ll only launch when we’re ready, and when conditions are appropriate,” he said.

Secondly, the first launch is always the hardest. Reaching orbit is a highly complex engineering challenge, and every successful rocket company has faced setbacks in their early attempts—SpaceX, for one, did it on their fourth attempt. “It’s almost unheard of for a private rocket company to launch successfully to orbit the first time. Whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q, or get all the way to space, what’s important is that every second of flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket’s reliability and performance for future launches.”

Thirdly, this is the path we must take to build the launch capability required to meet the growing demand for access to space. For Australia, launching locally-owned and controlled rockets from home soil also means more high-tech jobs, greater security, economic growth, and technological independence. “Only six countries in the world are launching regularly to space using their own technology, and Australia could soon join their ranks.”

Finally, he said: “I want to thank our incredible team for all their hard work and dedication in getting to this critical first flight. Whatever happens next, know that you’ve already made history—we now build rockets in Australia. And this is only the beginning.”

​

A small satellite designed to deliver direct 5G-broadband access from space to a compact ground device, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), has made it into orbit after its launch.

The planned demonstration link is an early step in exploring space-enabled fast connectivity for inaccessible regions—highlighting future possibilities such as connecting rural schools and providing remote healthcare access.

The microwave-sized LIDE satellite, built by Tyvak International,—which was launched on July 23rd on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket—will conduct the first-ever live demo of direct 5G broadband access from a nanosatellite to small ground devices. These include VSATs, similar to the kind used in civil protection operations or search and rescue missions, eliminating the need for large satellite dishes or complex setups.

While space-to-Earth communications have been tested before, this is the first time a trial will involve small satellites paired with compact, widely usable terminals. That difference gives researchers valuable insights into how future satellite internet could reach everyday users using practical, lightweight equipment.

Developed under ESA’s program of Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity program line and led by Italian nanosatellite company Tyvak International, the mission marks a milestone in satellite telecommunications.

The LIDE satellite uses K-/Ka-band transponders that support fast data rates and more stable connectivity, even in challenging environments. By simulating actual user conditions on Earth, the project aims to verify the feasibility of connecting everyday devices to satellites using 5G architecture.

The 12U nanosatellite will run performance tests designed to demonstrate how fast the data can travel (throughput), how quickly the satellite responds (latency) and the clarity of the signal (signal-to-noise ratio). The one-year mission represents ESA’s first attempt to bridge traditional satellite communications with mobile 5G standards.

Antonio Franchi, Head of ESA’s Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity program, said, “Unlocking orbital 5G connectivity will be a crucial achievement for all of Europe, and I am excited to see how much progress we are making in this direction. With the lessons learned from the LIDE mission, ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications helps the private space sector seize the opportunity to become global leaders in orbital 5G.”

Fabio Nichele, CEO of Tyvak International, said, “We are very pleased to be prime and active part of such an important project that can represent a point of reference for the development of satellite telecommunications infrastructures in our country and across Europe.”

Alberto Ginesi, Head of the Telecom System Section at ESA ESTEC, said, “Through this experimental mission, ESA reaffirms its commitment to support its member-states industry to be at the forefront of key space technology innovations – which are set to improve the performance and efficiency of future satellite telecommunication systems.”

While U.S.-based companies are launching more payloads into orbit than ever before, they’re still limited by the inefficiency of conventional rockets—with rockets, most of the weight is in the propellant, not the payload, and a huge portion of the propellant is burned simply battling Earth’s gravity and atmosphere.

Auriga Space is aiming to change the launch game. Instead of a first-stage booster, the California-based startup is developing a launch track that will use electricity to power powerful magnets. Those magnets will accelerate a small rocket to over six times the speed of sound.

The track’s final segment rises on a steep ramp, enabling the rocket to exit at hypersonic speed and only ignite its engine in the final push to orbit. Beyond propellant savings, the entire ground-based architecture is entirely (and rapidly) reusable.

“Less than 2% of the mass of the rocket is what gets into space,” Auriga founder and CEO, Winnie Lai. said in a recent interview. “So our ultimate goal here is to make space launch more efficient, and by increasing efficiency, we believe we can bring down the cost, and we can also enable much more frequent launches.”

Electromagnetic launchers are not a new idea: Auriga’s architecture is reminiscent of a rail gun or a maglev. But Lai argues that recent advancements in power electronics, especially being able to operate at higher voltages and higher powers, finally make the concept technologically and commercially viable.

The company is fueling its ambitions with a previously undisclosed $4.6 million seed round that closed at the beginning of the year and $1.4 million in new AFWERX and SpaceWERX contracts. The capital round was led by European firm OTB Ventures, with participation from Trucks Venture Capital and Seraphim Space. Auriga has raised $12.2 million across VC and DoD grants to-date.

The final system architecture, including the tunnel length and rocket size, are still being finalized. Even a very long track will still impart high-G loads on the vehicle, which could limit the types of satellites it can carry. The company has performed some initial studies on the survivability of satellite components under high-G loads that indicate they can survive higher Gs than standard testing assumed, Lai said.

Auriga is also considering the opportunity to do “custom work,” like adding some structure support so objects can withstand the higher Gs, depending on what the customer needs.

“If you look at munitions, you also look at missile launches, those experience very, very, very high Gs,” Lai said. “So we’re very confident there’s payloads up there that could survive our launch environments, but that’s still yet to be defined. If we want to bring down the Gs, then we make the launcher longer.”

Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital— these are just a few of the heavy hitters that have joined the Disrupt 2025 agenda. Auriga will go to market first with hypersonic ground testing: This most recent direct-to-phase II Small Business Innovation and Research grant from AFWERX (the company’s second) will be used to commercialize an indoor, lab-scale track called Prometheus early next year, and an outdoor accelerator for full-scale hypersonic test articles called Thor. (The orbital launcher is dubbed Zeus.)

Customers tell Lai that the lack of affordable, on-demand test infrastructure is one of the main challenges in advancing hypersonic development. Prometheus and Thor aim to fill that gap and provide a market capability that is sorely lacking: customers will be able to perform multiple tests on the same test article under different flight conditions, at a lower cost and higher cadence than what’s currently available. It can also perform a number of different tests, like weather testing, aerodynamic tests, and impact testing using the same underlying architecture.

The company is also trying to address the demand from the U.S. Space Force for “responsive” launch, or the ability to launch payloads to orbit with little to no advance notice. While there have been some impressive demonstrations of responsive launch in the past 12 months, with companies like Firefly Space launching a rocket with a 24-hour notice, Auriga wants to shrink that time to a matter of minutes.

“We call an Uber, and we expect the Uber to show up in a matter of minutes,” Lai said. “I think that should be the case for space, as well.”

Sidus Space, Inc. (Nasdaq: SIDU) has announced the pricing of a best-efforts public offering of 7,143,000 shares of its Class A common stock.

Each share of Class A common stock is being sold at a public offering price of $1.05 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $7.5 million, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and offering expenses. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by the Company.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on July 29, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. ThinkEquity is acting as sole placement agent for the offering.

The securities will be offered and sold pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-273430), including a base prospectus, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 26, 2023 and declared effective on August 14, 2023. The offering will be made only by means of a written prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the offering has been filed with the SEC on its website at www.sec.gov. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering will be filed with the SEC and made available on the SEC’s website. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may also be obtained, when available, from the offices of ThinkEquity, 17 State Street, 41st Floor, New York, New York 10004.

The scientific mission, MicroCarb, led by the French space Agency CNES, was successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

MicroCarb is a joint mission between the UK Space Agency and French Space Agency, Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), serving as the prime contractor. The mission is co-financed by these two agencies, as well as by the European Commission and the French government within the framework of the Investments for the Future Program (PIA), managed by the National Research Agency (ANR).

The satellite is designed to precisely map atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), capturing detailed data on emissions from human activities as well as absorption by natural sinks such as oceans and forests.

The satellite is built on the CNES Myriade platform. Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), completed the assembly, integration, and testing of the satellite platform at RAL Space in Harwell, UK, and was responsible for launch preparations. Airbus Defence and Space provided the instrument payload, the infrared spectrometer.

MicroCarb will operate in LEO at an altitude of 650 km and serves as a precursor to the European Union’s Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring (CO2M) mission—a constellation of three satellites, with payloads supplied by Thales Alenia Space, that will deliver precise measurements for human-induced atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane. MicroCarb complements the CO2M mission by providing early observations and valuable data, enhancing our capability for CO₂ and methane monitoring to inform climate policy makers.

Additionally, a special city-scanning mode will enable the mapping of CO₂ distribution within urban areas, which are responsible for the majority of global emissions.

Richard Thorburn, CEO of Thales Alenia Space in the UK, said, “I am immensely proud of the contribution our teams in the UK and France have made to MicroCarb – Europe’s pioneering satellite for mapping carbon dioxide on a global scale. Huge thanks to CNES and to the UK Space Agency for the trust they have placed in us, enabling Thales Alenia Space to play a key role in advancing Europe’s leadership in climate monitoring and environmental science, and helping to protect our planet.”

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 will launch on Saturday, July 26, Group 17-2 a batch of 24 smallsats for the Starlink mega-constellation into low Earth orbit at 1:34 – 10:28 am PDT, from Space Launch 4E, Vandenberg SFB, California.

The Falcon 9 first stage B1075 will attempt to land on ASDS Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) after its 19th flight. Booster B1075 last launched 05/23/2025 and has seen 18 successful launches and landings. Falcon 9 Block 5 booster first used for the Starlink Group 2-4 mission.

The second ASDS barge, Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) services launches in the Pacific Ocean and was the site of the first landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage during CRS-8, the launch of a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

INNOSPACE (KS:462350) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with STEP Lab, to enhance the HANBIT launch vehicle’s capabilities for high-precision and multi-satellite deployments and to jointly pursue high-quality, customer-centric launch services.

Under this agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the following key areas:

Technical integration of STEP Lab’s vibration isolation technology into the HANBIT launch vehicle Expansion of customer-tailored launch services by leveraging mutual expertise Commercialization of STEP Lab’s satellite separation systems and cooperation on global market entry

STEP Lab’s vibration isolation technology is designed to significantly reduce the extreme shock and vibrations that occur during rocket launches. This ensures structural integrity for sensitive payloads such as optical instruments, precision sensors, and space-based bio/pharmaceutical equipment. By alleviating design load requirements for satellites, the technology enables more flexible and lightweight satellite designs, contributing to improved payload performance and reductions in development time and cost—aligning with the growing demand for cost-effective and efficient solutions in the global space industry.

STEP Lab’s proprietary vibration and on-orbit, micro-vibration isolation systems have been deployed in various space missions, including South Korea’s national defense satellite launched in 2023, KOMPSAT-7, and the bio-cabinet payload onboard the next-generation mid-sized Satellite-3. The company has also demonstrated its technological reliability and stability through international technology development and export contributions, notably with Germany’s leading satellite system company, OHB Systems AG.

INNOSPACE aims to further enhance satellite operational stability and its capabilities in high-precision and multi-payload launches by applying this technology to the HANBIT launch vehicles. The two companies will also cooperate in proposing and delivering STEP Lab’s satellite deployment solutions based on customer needs, while responding to new customer demands in the global markets.

“By combining our technologies and expertise in the space sector, we believe this enables us to offer differentiated launch services even for complex missions that demand high precision and orbital stability,” said Soojong Kim, founder and CEO of INNOSPACE. “We will continue expanding technical partnerships that support high-quality, customer-centric services and pursue joint growth within the space industry.”

“This partnership with INNOSPACE marks a key milestone as STEP Lab’s core technologies are formally adopted for use in private space launch vehicles,” said Hyunung Oh, CEO of STEP Lab. “We expect the integration of our vibration isolation solutions with the HANBIT series to significantly strengthen competitiveness in the global small launch vehicle market and accelerate our joint expansion into the space sector worldwide.”

ThrustMe, Marble Imaging, and Reflex Aerospace have formed a strategic, three-way partnership for an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) of the JPT150, the world’s first low-power, iodine, Hall thruster system.

The propulsion system will be integrated into MIRI, a high-performance Earth Observation (EO) satellite developed by Reflex Aerospace for Marble Imaging, where it will provide the precise orbit control and maneuvering capabilities needed to support Marble’s daily, very-high resolution, imaging objectives.

The partnership represents a significant commercial collaboration between three European companies in the small satellite constellation market. With Reflex providing the spacecraft platform and integration, Marble leading satellite operations and IOD execution, and ThrustMe supplying the JPT150 propulsion unit, the collaboration demonstrates how combining mature technologies with agile development can bring next-generation capabilities to orbit quickly and efficiently.

The JPT150 Hall thruster builds on ThrustMe’s space-proven NPT30-I2 propulsion system, incorporating successfully demonstrated subsystems that have accumulated over 12,000 hours of successful in-space operations across more than 100 systems that have been launched to space to date. Like the NPT30-I2, the JPT150 uses iodine as propellant, offering key advantages in storage, handling, performance and system compactness.

The JPT150 has been successfully tested on-ground in a fully integrated prototype, validating its targeted performance levels across thrust, specific impulse, and power efficiency under representative operational conditions. This proven technological foundation reduces development risk while enabling advanced maneuvering capabilities for larger satellite constellations.

The agile approach of all three European companies, combined with the mature technology foundation, enables the partnership to move from a collaboration agreement in July of 2025 to an on-orbit demo in 2026. This accelerated development cycle reflects the efficiency gains possible when proven technology meets strategic commercial partnerships.

“This collaboration shows the agility and innovation driving the New Space economy,” said Ane Aanesland, CEO of ThrustMe. “By building on our proven iodine propulsion heritage, we’re able to rapidly advance Hall thruster technology while maintaining the reliability standards our customers depend on. The JPT150 represents the next evolution in sustainable space propulsion.”

“Working with ThrustMe and Reflex allows us to integrate cutting-edge propulsion capabilities into our satellite operations and to extend the operational lifetime of the MIRI satellite, maximizing mission value. This collaboration showcases the power of strategic partnerships in advancing commercial space missions,” said Robert Hook, CEO of Marble Imaging.

“This partnership shows how space companies can quickly innovate when we combine specialized expertise. The combination of proven technology and agile development approaches enables us to bring advanced capabilities to market efficiently,” said Sascha Weiss, Space Mission Manager at Reflex Aerospace.

Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) announced that its Enterprise business, part of the company’s Communication Services segment, launched its next generation IoT Nano connectivity service to deliver powerful, two-way messaging connectivity across the globe.

IoT Nano is designed to meet growing global demand for cost-effective, low-data, low-power, Internet of Things (IoT) services across remote and challenging environments where mobile connectivity is often required. With IoT Nano, businesses can effectively monitor and control fixed and mobile assets across industries like agriculture, transport, utilities, mining, and environmental monitoring—all with ultra-reliable satellite coverage through Viasat’s global L-band network.

IoT Nano is powered by ORBCOMM’s next-generation satellite IoT service, OGx, an evolution of the IDP (IsatData Pro) service that offers faster message delivery speeds, larger message sizes, and new hardware options relative to its predecessor. This new service expands Viasat’s diverse portfolio of IoT connectivity services, which range from ultra-low data rate narrowband IoT services to static VSAT IoT offerings.

IoT Nano delivers near real-time visibility and situational awareness, as well as richer, more actionable data for end customers. The new service will continue to support IDP mode, both preserving existing customer investments in IDP while also enhancing capabilities for reduced power consumption, larger messages, and faster speeds to enable new higher value use cases in OGx mode.

Viasat’s IoT Nano service will help lower costs in some cases by optimizing power usage, resulting in smaller and cheaper solar panels, batteries, and enclosures. The service also offers new capabilities for OEMs and solution providers looking to build their own terminals and devices using embedded third-party modules. This approach will allow OEMs and IoT solution providers to develop hardware that will support a wide variety of IoT applications with a range of data requirements. Viasat offers full development resources through its ELEVATE partner program. Additionally, the service supports a range of ORBCOMM terminals and modules.

Andy Kessler, Vice President, Enterprise and Land Mobile, Viasat, said, “The IoT Nano service represents a significant advancement in providing flexible, scalable, and energy-efficient IoT connectivity to businesses operating in the most remote corners of the world. By leveraging the enhanced capabilities of the ORBCOMM OGx service and equipping our partner ecosystem with new low-cost modules and service capabilities, we are empowering customers with access to smarter data, more frequently, in more places, at a lower cost.”

“OGx delivers faster speeds, larger messages, and lower power usage, all backed by ORBCOMM’s proven terminals, network, and field support,” said Dave Roscoe, President of Satellite IoT at ORBCOMM. “We are excited to partner with Viasat to enable solution providers to build and scale IoT applications across industries including agriculture, transportation, maritime, oil and gas, heavy equipment, and mining. By lowering the cost and increasing the effectiveness of satellite connectivity, OGx makes it possible for our partners to enter new markets, expand use cases, and drive incremental growth.”

Lynk Global, which is building a satellite-based service targeting cellular users, has abandoned its proposed merger with SLAM Corp, the ‘special purpose acquisition company’ (SPAC), which was working to mounting an IPO for the joint venture.

The JV suffered a series of legal actions between the pair.

The Slam business is headed by former baseball star Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez.

Luxembourg-based SES is a minor shareholder in Lynk.

Lynk, in a statement from CEO Ramu Potarazu, said, “With the Delaware litigation resolved and the [business combination agreement] mutually terminated, Lynk is now better positioned to pursue a broader set of strategic and commercial opportunities that were previously constrained by the agreement. We remain fully focused on executing our long-term vision and, in partnership with the newly merged SES and our global MNO partners, accelerating our mission to deliver mobile connectivity to anyone, anywhere—directly from space.”