stromgade

#3IATLAS update: we've just pinpointed the comet's path with 10 times more accuracy, using data from our #ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft. 😎🧪🔭

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

ULA launches Viasat’s second shot at a terabit-class broadband satellite An Atlas 5 rocket sent Viasat’s second ViaSat-3 satellite toward geostationary orbit Nov. 13, bringing the U.S. broadband provider closer to operating a terabit-per-second giant it had hoped to debut six years ago.

ULA launches Viasat’s second shot at a terabit-class broadband satellite

An Atlas 5 rocket sent Viasat’s second ViaSat-3 satellite toward geostationary orbit Nov. 13, bringing the U.S. broadband provider closer to operating a terabit-per-second giant it had hoped to debut six years ago.

LAUNCH at 2055 UTC of New Glenn no. 2 from Canaveral. Successful landing of GS1 stage on the Jacklyn barge. GS2 ascent burn still underway

Enfin, ça urge!

After some delay, we now have Space Force orbital data for:
Chutian 2-01/2-02, in 713 x 731 km x 98.3 deg sunsync orbit
WHDW 13 (SatNet LEO 13-1 to 13-9) in 795 x 812 km x 50 deg orbit
Shiyan-32 01 to 03 in 430 x 450 km x 53.0 deg orbit
Yaogan 46 is in a 7361 x 7497 km x 20.0 deg orbit

I should have made a polymarket bet

« On peut rapidement rattraper le retard » : avec son nouveau QG, le Commandement de l’espace change de division dans le combat en orbite Le Commandement de l’espace (CDE) prend possession d’un nouveau siège ultramoderne à Toulouse, inauguré ce 12 novembre et qui accueillera 500 militaires à terme. Un atout essentiel pour répondre aux m...

Général Vincent Chusseau, commandant de l’espace : « Nous avons 10 à 15 ans de retard sur l’action dans l’espace. Mais quand on regarde la vitesse à laquelle les Chinois ont progressé en 5 ans, on voit bien qu’on peut rapidement rattraper ce retard »

4) Active defense in space. Reversible and irreversible effects, on short notice, from the ground or from orbit. Will allow for varied response options to control escalation

The military space C2 will have a backup and be connected to other C2 and early warning. It will be interoperable with NATO and allied

3) SSA/SDA, with sensors on the ground in mainland France and overseas territories (at low and high latitudes), and on orbit.

2)core sovereign capabilities must become more robust and reactive. Future capacities will be more modular, split among more orbits. Responsive launch of backup satellites will be introduced, along with resilient, flexible constellations for connectivity and intelligence

It will balance hardening assets, switching to secondary systems, increased security standards and private-public sharing of capabilities. A yearly exercise will be conducted

More on the military space aspect from the strategy document.
4 high level objectives:
1) critical space sector assets must be resilient. That includes ground segment, cyber and critical commercial capabilities. A continuity plan will be created

The full strategy has been published in French: www.sgdsn.gouv.fr/files/files/...

Announces a minister in charge of space at the cabinet level, and a summit in paris with germany, italy and other europeans for april 2026

European preference shall be mandatory for all institutional missions. Governance must be reformed, with the European Union taking the lead at a political level, and ESA acting ad the technical expert, like for IRIS2.

5) cooperation, especially within the EU. EU architectures must be competitive, so get rid of geographic return policies. Critical mass is needed, so Macron welcomes the merger of the space divisions of Airbus Thales and Leonardo.

4) science and exploration: from global warming to astrophysics, you should not cut funding because you don't like the results

3) defense

2) industrial base: old space and new space must work together, consolidation is needed in some sectors, innovation in all

The national strategy has 5 pillars:
1) independent access to space
On the short term it means Ariane 6 must be competitive, on longer term reuse and small launchers are critical

Macron's speech on French national space strategy starts with an overview of military space. Mentions competitors have operational ground-based directed energy weapons, and the russian plan for nuking low earth orbit

French startup U-Space raises $24 million for smallsat manufacting SAN FRANCISCO – French startup U-Space has raised €24 million ($27.8 million) to expand its role in the small satellite constellation market. With funding from the Series A round, Toulouse-based U-Space will develop the software to ramp-up to production of one satellite per week by 2027. Eventually, U-Space seeks to manufacture one satellite per day for global constellations. The investment round announced Nov.

French startup U-Space raises $24 million for smallsat manufacting

SAN FRANCISCO – French startup U-Space has raised €24 million ($27.8 million) to expand its role in the small satellite constellation market. With funding from the Series A round, Toulouse-based U-Space will develop the software to…

New article is up: thespacereview.com/article/5100/1

Exclusive: Albedo Drops its Commercial Imagery Business Albedo will abandon its imaging business to focus entirely on building VLEO satellite buses for other payload operators.

In case like me you missed it:
payloadspace.com/exclusive-al...

Funding for SDA’s next missile tracking contracts diverted to troop payments: Sources "When the funding will be authorized, given the shutdown and all the fun there, is a question mark," one industry source told Breaking Defense.

Funding for SDA’s next missile tracking contracts diverted to troop payments: Sources
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/11/funding-for-sdas-next-missile-tracking-contracts-diverted-to-troop-payments-sources/

China breaks annual launch record with VLEO Chutian and Shiyan technology test launches China conducted a pair of solid rocket launches late Saturday, seeing the country surpass its previous record for orbital launch attempts in a calendar year.

China breaks annual launch record with VLEO Chutian and Shiyan technology test launches

China conducted a pair of solid rocket launches late Saturday, seeing the country surpass its previous record for orbital launch attempts in a calendar year.

Yaogan 46 has now circularized its orbit at 7400 km, similar to the Yaogan 45 orbit.

Presented without comment. Spotted in Gallery Place metro today

AST SpaceMobile sheds more light on sovereign direct-to-device plan for Europe AST SpaceMobile has registered plans with international regulators via Germany for a sovereign, space-based network that would provide broadband directly to devices across Europe, the U.S.-based satellite operator said Nov. 7.

AST SpaceMobile sheds more light on sovereign direct-to-device plan for Europe

AST SpaceMobile has registered plans with international regulators via Germany for a sovereign, space-based network that would provide broadband directly to devices across Europe, the U.S.-based satellite operator said…