Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, York Space selected to build DoD’s internet-in-space constellation

By Sandra Erwin,Published by Space News, 28 February 2022 Rendering of the Space Development Agency's Transport Layer low Earth orbit constellation. Credit: Northrop Grumman The agency awarded three contracts: $700 million to Lockheed Martin, $692 million to Northrop Grumman and $382 million to York Space for the Transport Layer Tranche

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Is Project Blackjack still relevant?

By Nathan Strout, Published by C4ISRNET, 14 February 2022 Faced with duplication and delays, DARPA weighs how its proliferated satellite demonstration can still make an impact WASHINGTON — Project Blackjack started as a bold idea. Instead of relying on a small handful of satellites operating 20,000 miles above Earth, what

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US needs to temper reliance on at-risk-undersea internet cables, satellites can help: Arospace

By Theresa Hitchens, Published by Breaking Defense, 3 February 2022 "Undersea cable infrastructure is ripe for sabotage," said Karen Jones, one of the authors of the study. WASHINGTON: Some 430 undersea fiber optic cables carry 99% of intercontinental internet traffic, and those lifelines of global commerce are highly vulnerable to

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Artists impression of laser-based communication between satellites. Credit: Northumbria University

UK Space Agency Funds Development of New Laser-Based Satellite Communications System

By Northumbria University, Published by Scitechdaily, 15 January 2022 The UK Space Agency has awarded almost £650,000 to Northumbria University to continue world-leading work to develop the first commercially available laser-based inter-satellite communications system. Currently satellites use radio frequency to transmit data, but this is limited in terms of speed,

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Illustration of satellite coverage for telecommunications services. Credit: ESA-Science Office

China’s megaconstellation project establishes satellite cluster in Chongqing

By Andrew Jones, Published by Space News, 12 January 2022 HELSINKI — A group leading China’s national low Earth orbit communications megaconstellation has founded two new firms to help develop the project, but overall plans remain vague. China Satellite Network Application Co., Ltd. and Chongqing Satellite Network System Research Institute

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Space-based solar power beaming (AFRL graphic)

Space was the place, including for starry-eyed optimism: 5 Stories From 2021

By Theresa Hitchens, Published by Breaking Defense, 27 December 2021 Among all the space action over the past year, AFRL's push to expand military space operations to cislunar space — the vast volume of space between the Earth's outer orbit and that of the Moon — and beyond has been

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