All articles tagged with #satellite
Launched in 1976, LAGEOS-1 is a nearly passive spherical satellite with no onboard instrumentation, electronics, power, or propulsion. It uses corner-cube retroreflectors to bounce laser pulses back to Earth, providing a stable reference frame for ultra-precise geodesy and tests of general relativity, and is expected to orbit for millions of years.
Apple says it will extend free access to its satellite-based safety features—Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite—for iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users in supported countries for at least another year, as announced in a press release tied to the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro. The extension covers devices activated before today’s cutoff, with no announced plans for charging once the free period ends.
NASA awarded Blue Origin a $700 million contract to develop a Mars communications orbiter, slated for launch in just over two years, with Blue Origin proposing a variant of its Blue Ring spacecraft for the mission.
Modern smartphones offer more than calls: iPhone and Android include built-in emergency features such as satellite-based texting to reach emergency services when network coverage is unavailable, automatic contacts if you’re incapacitated, and alerts for storms, floods, wildfires and earthquakes to help you secure assistance in a crisis.
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies attempted to rescue NASA's Swift gamma-ray burst satellite by using Link to grab and boost it back into orbit, but Link spiraled out of control and ran low on xenon fuel, forcing the mission to abort. Link will instead conduct proximity maneuvers near Swift to test salvage techniques for future operations. Swift is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later this year with minimal risk to people on the ground. While unsuccessful, the mission yielded valuable lessons for future space-rescue efforts.
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg aboard a Falcon 9, marking the year’s 99th Falcon 9 liftoff and the 100th Falcon mission overall; the first stage landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, and the Starlink satellites deployed roughly 62 minutes later, as SpaceX’s constellation surpasses 11,000 satellites and the company eyes future expansion (including Starship-era plans).
SpaceX launched its 11,000th Starlink satellite on Aug. 19, deploying 24 Falcon 9–launched V2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg; the first stage landed on a droneship, marking another milestone in the rapid expansion of Starlink, which SpaceX is positioning for Gen3 with plans to scale up to 100,000 satellites for multi-gigabit global broadband.
NASA and its partner Katalyst Space Technologies are attempting to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory by sending LINK, a dedicated rescue satellite, to grapple and boost the observatory back to its original orbit. After early spin and communications hiccups, LINK’s spin has been reduced to about 1.5 degrees per second and a flight software update is planned to enable grapple maneuvers and a multi-month ion-thruster boost. Swift is at risk of reentering the atmosphere this fall if not raised, so the mission remains risky and time-sensitive.
Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link is attempting to save NASA’s Swift gamma-ray observatory by grabbing and boosting its orbit after Swift spun out of control and lost two reaction wheels. Link’s remaining thruster and one wheel are being used to slow the spin and regain attitude control, with engineers reworking control algorithms and aiming for a late‑August rendezvous and capture of Swift. This marks NASA’s first commercial satellite-servicing effort.
The U.S. FCC approved the Earendil-1 satellite by Reflect Orbital to test a thin-film reflector that can direct sunlight to targeted spots on Earth, potentially extending solar-energy collection and providing on-demand illumination. Reflect Orbital envisions a future daylight-on-demand network, but critics warn about glare risks to pilots and drivers and impacts on astronomy. The approval covers only Earendil-1; the company plans a rapid fleet expansion, while stressing they will ensure precise control and coordination with affected communities and scientific groups.
The US FCC has approved Reflect Orbital’s plan to launch Eärendil-1, a 60-foot square mirror satellite that will unfurl in orbit about 400 miles up to reflect sunlight onto a targeted three-mile-wide patch on Earth. Users could pay about $5,000 per hour for access, with a requirement of 1,000 annual hours, though the company also envisions a fleet of up to 1,000 much larger mirrors. While the tech could aid nighttime illumination for photographers or emergencies (and benefit solar farms at night), scientists warn it could drastically alter the night sky and disrupt circadian rhythms, animal migrations, plant cycles, and oceanic ecosystems.
Ukrainian attack drones struck the Dubna Space Communications Center near Moscow—Russia’s largest satellite ground hub—for a second time in a week as part of Zelenskyy’s 40-day plan to degrade long-range military and communications infrastructure.
SpaceX is planning the Starlink 17-40 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday at 9:09 a.m. PT, deploying 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit aboard Falcon 9 booster B1088, which will attempt a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' about eight minutes after liftoff; this year SpaceX will have logged 75 Falcon 9 launches, with 59 of those for Starlink, as the company continues to grow its satellite constellation now numbering more than 10,700 satellites.
Ukraine says its forces struck the Dubna Space Communications Center in Moscow region, Russia’s largest satellite hub, causing smoke and leaving damage assessment ongoing; the facility serves as a major ground link for Russia’s satellite network and also functions as a dual-use site with military and state-security roles.
Oppenheimer downgrades AT&T, arguing satellite low‑Earth‑orbit constellations like Starlink could lure customers away from AT&T’s broadband and pressure ARPU, given its massive wireline footprint. The analysis suggests increased subscriber migration to rival services as satellite competition rises, with mixed views from Wall Street vs. quant ratings on AT&T stock.