Tag

Geostationary Orbit

All articles tagged with #geostationary orbit

military3 days ago•12 min saved

Rocket Lab clinches Space Force's inaugural GEO satellite program

Rocket Lab has won a $90 million U.S. Space Force contract to design, build, and operate two geostationary satellites using its Lightning bus to monitor objects in GEO. The program marks its first GEO satellite production effort and includes spacecraft manufacturing, launch integration, and up to five years of on-orbit operations. The satellites will carry Heimdall electro-optical payloads for space-domain awareness as part of a broader Space Force push to deploy distributed, commercially derived surveillance in geostationary orbit.

via SpaceNews|

#geostationary-orbit #heimdall-payloads #military

technology7 days ago•7 min saved

2-Watt GEO Laser Achieves 1 Gbps Ground Link

A Chinese team demonstrated a 1 Gbps optical downlink from a geostationary satellite to a ground telescope using only 2 watts of transmitter power. By combining adaptive optics and mode-diversity reception, they recovered a usable signal despite atmospheric turbulence, showing that low-power GEO laser links can achieve high data rates and enable continuous, ground-connected space communications—though this remains a single demonstration with specialized ground infrastructure, not a commercial service.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#adaptive-optics #geostationary-orbit #ground-stations

space1 month ago•35 min saved

Falcon Heavy Returns to Flight with ViaSat-3 F3 Payload from Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX plans to launch its Falcon Heavy for the first time in 18 months on April 27 from Kennedy Space Center, carrying the ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite to geostationary orbit to provide high‑throughput broadband across the Asia‑Pacific region. The two side boosters are expected to land back at Cape Canaveral, while the central booster will not be recovered; the upper stage will deploy ViaSat-3 F3 to GEO about five hours after liftoff. Coverage will be available live from SpaceX and Space.com, continuing Falcon Heavy’s return to flight after its last mission in October 2024.

via Yahoo|

#falcon-heavy #geostationary-orbit #kennedy-space-center

space-and-defense2 months ago•14 min saved

US GSSAP Sats Bracket China’s Shijian-29 in GEO

Commercial space-domain data show USA 324 and USA 325 (GSSAP) bracket and then hand off to monitor China’s Shijian-29A/B in geostationary orbit, providing continuous surveillance from opposite sides of the GEO belt from March 14–18; Shijian-29, launched December 2025, appears to be part of tech verification for space-target detection, highlighting rising proximity operations among major powers in GEO.

via SpaceNews|

#geostationary-orbit #gssap #rendezvous-proximity-operations

technology2 months ago•7 min saved

Geostationary 2-Watt Laser Delivers 1Gbps Ground Link, Outpaces Starlink

Chinese researchers demonstrated a 1 Gbps optical downlink from a geostationary satellite about 36,000 km away using a 2-watt laser and a ground receiver built to correct atmospheric distortion, achieving higher speeds than Starlink and showing how adaptive optics plus multi-plane light conversion can recover usable data through turbulence.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#adaptive-optics #geostationary-orbit #laser

space2 months ago•4 min saved

SpaceX to loft EchoStar-25 direct TV satellite from Cape Canaveral

SpaceX plans to launch EchoStar-25, a Dish Network direct-broadcast satellite built by Lanteris Space, atop a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral to GEO via a geosynchronous transfer orbit, with a 149-minute window and a plan to land the first stage on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas; the satellite operates in the 12.2–12.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 17.3–17.8 GHz (Earth-to-space) bands and represents EchoStar’s latest Dish satellite in its long-running collaboration with SpaceX, which follows EchoStar’s 2025 spectrum sale for Starlink Mobile.

via Spaceflight Now|

#echostar #echostar-25 #falcon-9

space-exploration3 months ago•44 min saved

Disintegrating Russian Inspector Satellite Sparks GEO Debris Concerns

Ground-based imagery shows Russia's Luch/Olymp inspector satellite, retired to a graveyard orbit above GEO in Oct 2025, appears to have fragmented and begun tumbling, with additional debris pieces spotted on Jan 30, 2026. If confirmed, the fragmentation suggests an external impact or other failure and raises concerns about debris in the geostationary belt and its graveyard region, especially given Russia's continued operation of a second Luch/Olymp asset.

via Space|

#geostationary-orbit #lucholymp #russia

space4 months ago•2 min saved

SpainSat NG 2 Satellite Encounters Space Particle Impact, Activates Contingency Plans

A Spanish military communications satellite, SpainSat NG 2, launched in October 2024, was struck by a 'space particle' while maneuvering in orbit, potentially affecting its mission. The incident occurred at about 50,000 km altitude, possibly involving micrometeoroids or space weather effects, but not orbital debris. The satellite's operator, Indra Group, is analyzing the damage and has contingency plans, including potential replacement, which could take years. The satellite is part of a European secure communications network.

via SpaceNews|

#geostationary-orbit #space #space-debris

technology5 months ago•4 min saved

China Satellite Destroys Starlink with 2-Watt Laser from Space

A Chinese satellite in geostationary orbit successfully fired a 2-watt laser to ground, achieving 1 Gbps data transfer and outperforming Starlink's speeds, demonstrating a more efficient and potentially scalable approach to space-based internet using optical communication.

via Indian Defence Review|

#china-satellite #geostationary-orbit #high-speed-data

science-and-technology7 months ago•4 min saved

HEO Robotics Advances On-Demand Solar System Imaging

HEO Robotics, an Australian company, is expanding its spacecraft imaging capabilities from low Earth orbit to higher orbits like geostationary orbit, with long-term plans to enable on-demand imaging of solar system objects such as asteroids, aiming to revolutionize space observation and exploration.

via Space|

#geostationary-orbit #heo-robotics #low-earth-orbit

space7 months ago•4 min saved

Mystery Surrounds 56-Year-Old Skynet-1A Satellite's Unexpected Orbit Shift

Skynet-1A, a British military satellite launched in 1969 and inactive since 1971, has mysteriously changed its orbit in 2024, likely due to onboard thrusters being used, raising concerns about space debris and collision risks in congested geostationary orbit. The incident highlights issues of space debris management, historical record loss, and the need for responsible space stewardship.

via Indian Defence Review|

#geostationary-orbit #satellite-maneuvering #skynet-1a

technology8 months ago•2 min saved

Chinese Satellite Surpasses Records, Threatening Starlink with Secret Tech

A Chinese satellite tested in geostationary orbit has set new records with a 1 Gbps downlink speed using a two-watt laser, posing a potential threat to Starlink's dominance in satellite internet technology, although it is still in the testing phase.

via supercarblondie.com|

#chinese-satellite #geostationary-orbit #laser-technology

technology10 months ago•2 min saved

SpaceX to Launch Israel's Dror Satellite

SpaceX is set to launch Israel's Dror 1 communications satellite into geostationary orbit, marking their first such mission, with the satellite designed to provide Israel with independent communications for at least 15 years. The launch from Cape Canaveral follows a previous failed attempt in 2016, and the rocket will return to Earth after deployment.

via Globes - Israel Business News|

#dror-1 #elon-musk #geostationary-orbit

space11 months ago•4 min saved

Chinese Spacecraft Ready for Orbital Refueling Amid US Satellite Surveillance

China's Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites are maneuvering in geostationary orbit for a rendezvous and docking, likely to demonstrate on-orbit refueling capabilities, amid nearby U.S. surveillance satellites, highlighting advancements in satellite servicing and strategic space activities.

via SpaceNews|

#chinese-satellites #geostationary-orbit #orbital-refueling

space1 year ago•2 min saved

Intelsat 33e Failure Highlights Space Domain Risks

The breakup of Intelsat 33e in geostationary orbit has created over 700 pieces of debris, highlighting vulnerabilities in space security. ExoAnalytic Solutions, which tracks space debris, warns that such incidents could be exploited by adversaries to hide activities in the cluttered environment. The event underscores growing concerns about space threats, particularly from China's expanding satellite capabilities and maneuvers. While the immediate threat from the debris has decreased, the incident has raised awareness about the need for improved space traffic management.

via SpaceNews|

#china #exoanalytic-solutions #geostationary-orbit