All Post

IonQ is expanding its quantum leadership with the acquisition of Skyloom Global, bringing advanced space-based optical communications into its growing full-stack quantum ecosystem. Backed by $3.5B in funding, IonQ aims to build a global quantum key distribution platform linking ground and satellite networks for secure, planet-scale connectivity.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is set to acquire Israel-based Orbit Technologies Ltd for $356.3 million. Orbit is a global leader in satellite-based communication systems for military and unmanned platforms. This strategic deal is expected to be immediately accretive for Kratos and significantly advance its position in the rapidly expanding global defense and space markets.

Decathlon is heading to space. In 2026, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot will test the EuroSuit IVA prototype on the ISS developed by Decathlon, CNES, Spartan Space, and MEDES. CEO Javier López Segovia calls it a “historic moment” that brings sport-driven innovation into human spaceflight.

SES and AMN have upgraded more than 200 rural sites in Côte d’Ivoire, expanding 2G and 3G services to over 500,000 people and powering nationwide growth in mobile money, education, and healthcare access. With new 4G sites launching in 2025, the initiative marks a major leap forward for Africa’s digital inclusion.

mPower Technology has launched the world’s first automated high-volume production line for space-solar modules at UIC in New York, marking a major leap from manual fabrication to industrial-scale space power. Starting at 1 MW per year and doubling by 2026, the facility supports major programs—including Airbus’ Sparkwing arrays, and positions mPower as a key player in powering next-generation orbital and lunar infrastructure.

France has inaugurated its new Space Command and unveiled a €4.2 billion National Space Strategy to strengthen military readiness and industrial innovation in orbit. President Macron’s bold vision signals Europe’s intent to achieve strategic autonomy and defend its interests in an increasingly contested space domain.

SkyFi has integrated ICEYE US synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data into its Earth Intelligence platform, enabling users to task the world’s largest commercial radar constellation for real-time, all-weather Earth observation. The partnership delivers persistent, high-resolution insights for defense, infrastructure, and environmental applications, anytime, anywhere.

Eutelsat and Paratus have expanded their partnership with a new multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal to deliver OneWeb LEO satellite services across Southern Africa. The collaboration strengthens efforts to provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity to industries and communities across the region.

India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has granted Mini Ratna Category-I status to Hindustan Shipyard Limited, marking a new phase of autonomy for the state-run shipyard. Declaring 2025 as the “Year of Reforms,” the government emphasized innovation, sustainability, and self-reliance across the defense sector.

Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have chosen Germany as the site for their European Satellite Operations Centre, advancing Europe’s digital sovereignty. The new SatCo venture will deliver space-based broadband across the EU, supporting both commercial and emergency communications through a secure, sovereign satellite network launching from 2026.

Rheinmetall AG and ICEYE Oy have launched a new joint venture, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions GmbH, in Neuss, Germany. With local SAR satellite production beginning in 2026, the partnership strengthens Europe’s space-based reconnaissance capabilities and advances the region’s strategic autonomy in defense intelligence.

The PocketQube community is set to celebrate a major milestone this year with the 100th PocketQube satellite heading to orbit. Enabled by affordable launch services from Alba Orbital, the PocketQube standard is empowering students, researchers, and startups worldwide to design, build, and fly real satellites, reshaping access to space.

Intuitive Machines is acquiring Lanteris Space Systems in an $800M deal, creating a next-generation commercial, civil, and national security space prime. With $850M in combined revenue and a $920M backlog, the merger expands Intuitive Machines’ mission from lunar operations to a full-spectrum space infrastructure player across LEO, GEO, Moon, Mars, and beyond.

MDA Space has invested $10 million in Maritime Launch Services, becoming both an equity owner and strategic partner in developing Spaceport Nova Scotia—Canada’s first commercial orbital launch complex. The partnership aims to strengthen Canada’s sovereign space capabilities and create a competitive alternative in the global launch services market.

In the weeks before every FATF review, Pakistan stages a flurry of drug busts and counter-terror operations—proof of compliance on paper, performance in practice. Beneath the headlines lies a cycle of optics over outcomes, where enforcement serves diplomacy, not justice. The “compliance curtain” hides a system perfected in illusion.

WISeSat.Space, a subsidiary of WISeKey, has partnered with South Korea’s INNOSPACE to launch its next-generation post-quantum secure satellites. Using INNOSPACE’s HANBIT series rockets, the collaboration aims to accelerate secure, cost-effective satellite deployments and advance global quantum-resistant IoT connectivity.

EnduroSat has raised $104 million in new funding and opened a state-of-the-art Space Center in Sofia to scale satellite production. The expansion enables manufacturing of up to two ESPA-class satellites daily, backed by investors including Google Ventures, Riot Ventures, and Lux Capital, accelerating EnduroSat’s mission to make space data accessible for all.

The South Pacific has become a new front in U.S.–China rivalry as both powers vie for influence across small island nations with vast maritime zones. From aid competition to strategic bases, the region’s “big ocean states” hold the keys to global connectivity and geopolitical balance in the Indo-Pacific.

Virgin Media O2 has announced a multi-year partnership with Starlink Direct to Cell to launch O2 Satellite, the UK’s first satellite-powered mobile service. Using Starlink’s LEO constellation, the service will deliver messaging and data coverage in remote areas, boosting Virgin Media O2’s UK landmass coverage to over 95% within 12 months of launch.

Success in space is not just about rockets and satellites. Education, public inspiration, and regional diplomacy form the invisible half of building a space nation. Learn how Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and South Africa show the power of soft power and human capital in shaping the space programs of tomorrow.