TAMPA, Fla. — Days after a failed launch, AST SpaceMobile has received permission to provide direct-to-smartphone broadband service on up to 248 satellites in the United States, with a complex plan to ramp up its deployment this year. The Federal Communications Commission approved the Texas-based company’s complete constellation on April 21, subject to conditions ranging … Read more
HELSINKI — A Beijing-based space startup has secured early-stage funding and extensive credit support as part of China’s broader push for space-based computing infrastructure. Beijing Orbital Twilight Technology Co., Ltd., also known as Orbital Chenguang, announced the completion of its Pre-A1 funding round on April 20th. Venture and industrial investors including Haisong Capital, CITIC Construction … Read more
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is establishing a dedicated acquisition office focused on lunar space, the region between Earth and the moon, as it begins to more formally evaluate requirements beyond traditional Earth orbit. “We’re launching a Lunar and Star Coordination Office on the acquisition side of the Space Force to focus on exactly … Read more
At the recent Mobile World Conference 2026 in Barcelona, the presence of Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite services and the large number of press releases related to agreements signed between D2D satellite service providers and mobile network operators (MNOs) gave the impression that large-scale implementation of D2D services by MNOs is imminent. However, the truth is quite … Read more
HELSINKI — China has conducted rendezvous and close operational tests involving a prototype cargo spacecraft and a satellite, a step toward low-cost orbital infrastructure. The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft was launched on March 30th on CAS Space’s first Kinetica-2 kerosene liquid oxygen rocket and successfully entered orbit carrying two small companion satellites. The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft, … Read more