In the consumer electronics playbook, custom silicon is the final step in the marathon: you use off-the-shelf components to prove a product, achieve mass scale and only then invest in […]

The post Silicon as strategy: the hidden battleground of the new space race appeared first on SpaceNews.

China launched the ChinaSat-9C communications satellite Friday to replace an aging, foreign-built predecessor and boost domestic broadcasting capabilities.

The post China launches ChinaSat-9C geostationary communications satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China launched a new communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit Saturday to replace the aging ChinaSat-10 spacecraft. A Long March 3B rocket lifted off at 7:11 a.m. Eastern […]

The post China launches ChinaSat-10R communications satellite from Xichang appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China launched a new communications satellite towards the geostationary belt Thursday, but revealed very little information about the spacecraft. A Long March 7A lifted off from Wenchang Satellite […]

The post China launches ChinaSat-4A communications satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.

Measuring photometric brightness is a common tool for characterizaing satellites. However, characterizing satellite mega-constellations and their impact on astronomy research requires a new approach and methodology. A few measurements of […]

The post Characterizing the All-Sky Brightness of Satellite Mega-Constellations and the Impact on Astronomy Research appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA is building optical communications technologies into its networks, using infrared laser links to offer missions higher data rates than comparable radio frequency systems. NASA’s Low-Cost Optical Terminal (LCOT) will […]

The post Commercial Optical Communications Hardware Reduces Cost and Expands Access appeared first on SpaceNews.

When NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover touched down on the Red Planet, the agency’s Deep Space Network (DSN) was there, enabling the mission to send and receive the data that […]

The post NASA’s Deep Space Network Looks to the Future appeared first on SpaceNews.

Engineers at West Virginia University are helping to solve one of the greatest limitations of space exploration–sending and receiving information between a spacecraft and the ground station– thanks to a […]

The post WVU Engineers Tackle Limitations Of Data Transfer During Space Exploration appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA plans to implement three new ground stations that will provide near-continuous communications support to missions up to two million kilometers from Earth through NASA’s Near Space Network. These Lunar […]

The post Expanding Direct-To-Earth Communications Capabilities for Artemis appeared first on SpaceNews.

The ability to transmit and receive data is crucial in space exploration. Spacecraft need robust networking capabilities to send data – including large files like photos and videos – captured […]

The post Upgrades to NASA’s Space Communications Infrastructure Pave the Way to Higher Data Rates appeared first on SpaceNews.

Keeping information secure in today’s interconnected world is becoming ever more important, so ESA is supporting efforts to ensure that future communications are kept confidential. A new generation of supercomputing […]

The post Quantum Communication In Space Moves Ahead appeared first on SpaceNews.

Launching this summer, NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will showcase the dynamic powers of laser communications technologies. With NASA’s ever-increasing human and robotic presence in space, missions can benefit […]

The post Laser Communications: Empowering More Data Than Ever Before appeared first on SpaceNews.

Chinese scientists have established the world’s first integrated quantum communication network, combining over 700 optical fibers on the ground with two ground-to-satellite links to achieve quantum key distribution over a […]

The post The World’s First Integrated Quantum Communication Network appeared first on SpaceNews.

MEV-1, launched Oct. 9, 2019, recently completed its orbit raising to an orbit approximately 180 miles above geosynchronous orbit. IS-901 is a fully operational communication satellite that is running low […]

The post MEV-1 Docks With IS-901 To Extend Its Life Span appeared first on SpaceNews.

Thought your Internet speeds were slow? Try being a space scientist for a day. The vast distances involved will throttle data rates to a trickle. You’re lucky if a spacecraft […]

The post Lasers Could Give Space Research its ‘Broadband’ Moment appeared first on SpaceNews.

The launch of a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station on April 8 set the stage for an historic rendezvous in orbit. Although the SpaceX and Orbital […]

The post Dragon and Cygnus Meet For The First Time In Space appeared first on SpaceNews.

An Ariane 5 has lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana and delivered two telecom satellites into their planned orbits. Launch of flight VA221 occurred on 6 December […]

The post Ariane VA221 Launches DirecTV-14 and GSAT-16 appeared first on SpaceNews.

Marking a first in space, Sentinel-1A and Alphasat have linked up by laser stretching almost 36 000 km across space to deliver images of Earth just moments after they were […]

The post Sentinel 1A and Alphasat Link Up By laser appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to investigate the possibility of using commercial Mars-orbiting satellites to provide telecommunications capabilities for future robotic missions to the Red Planet. “We […]

The post NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial Mars Data Relay Satellites appeared first on SpaceNews.

After a careful four-day road trek from Switzerland, the first model of the Small GEO communications satellite platform has arrived at ESA for testing. During its time at ESA’s ESTEC […]

The post Small GEO Satellite Platform Lands at ESA appeared first on SpaceNews.

Bell Labs, the research arm of Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) will celebrate one of its great historical achievements with the 50th anniversary of the launch of Telstar I, […]

The post 50th Anniversary of Telstar appeared first on SpaceNews.

SES TechCom, a subsidiary of SES S.A. (SESG.PA)(SESG.PA), announced today that it has signed contracts with Astrium and DLR at the German Space Operations Center in Oberpfaffenhofen to furnish important […]

The post SES TechCom, Astrium and DLR Agree on European Data Relay System appeared first on SpaceNews.

Today marks T-minus two months to the 50th anniversary of the launch of the solar-powered Telstar satellite, which christened the modern media era by transmitting the first intercontinental television broadcasts. […]

The post Hailing the 50th Anniversary of Telstar’s Launch appeared first on SpaceNews.