BAE Systems demonstrates strategic radiation-hardened capability for Endura space processor

Planet Labs PBC announced the successful launch of 20 satellites: the first demo mission for Google's Project Suncatcher, its latest hyperspectral satellite Tanager-2, and 18 SuperDoves. The spacecraft launched to orbit aboard the Transporter-18 rideshare mission with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Planet has made initial contact with Tanager-2, the Project Suncatcher prototype, and two SuperDoves and begun commissioning, and expects to contact the remaining 16 SuperDoves that will deploy on the D-Orbit ION orbital transfer vehicle on schedule. This marks Planet's 40th successful launch and a total of 718 satellites built and delivered on orbit. Developed with Google, the Project Suncatcher satellite will run the first-ever test of Google's Tensor Processing Units in space, while Tanager-2, developed with Carbon Mapper, captures imagery in 426 contiguous bands with roughly 5 nm spectral resolution at 30 m spatial resolution, and Planet plans to build and deploy at least three additional Tanager satellites following Tanager-2.

ICEYE and Nokia announced a partnership to develop secure, sovereign and high-performance broadband low Earth orbit satellite communications systems for governments, supporting missions from defense and border security to emergency services and disaster response. Built on trusted European technology, the jointly developed systems will give nations ownership and control of the satellites, ground segment and terminals, with the first communications satellites expected to be launched in 2028. The systems will deliver targeted, high-throughput, low-latency connectivity over priority mission areas, designed to complement military and commercial networks rather than replace them. The partnership combines ICEYE's track record delivering sovereign satellite missions with Nokia's experience in secure networking technologies and growing defense portfolio, integrating satellites, ground infrastructure and ruggedized end-user terminals. ICEYE CEO and Co-founder Rafal Modrzewski said nations must be able to fully own and control their communications without dependency on a foreign commercial operator's terms of service, while Nokia President and CEO Justin Hotard said sovereign operations depend on secure, resilient connectivity across land, sea, air and space. Modrzewski and Hotard will take the stage at the Helsinki Security Forum on October 2 for a session titled "How to Salvage Europe's Technological Sovereignty."

Sophia Space and Redwire Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance the development and deployment of scalable computing infrastructure in orbit. The agreement combines Sophia Space's modular TILE architecture, which integrates high-performance computing, solar power and passive radiative thermal management for AI inference and data processing in orbit, with Redwire's deployable space systems, solar power generation and distribution, heat management and rejection, spacecraft integration, avionics and systems engineering. Under the MOU, the two companies will explore collaboration across near-term demonstration missions and longer-term orbital data center architectures, aiming to move the emerging orbital computing market from individual technology demonstrations toward the repeatable, scalable infrastructure needed for a global build-out of orbital data centers. Sophia Space and Redwire intend to jointly pursue select U.S. government and commercial opportunities, including potential programs involving DARPA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Space Development Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office, across areas such as concept development, joint proposals, internal research and development, customer engagement and international market opportunities. Rob DeMillo, CEO and Cofounder of Sophia Space, said the question is now how quickly high-performance computing in orbit can be scaled, while Al Tadros, Chief Technology Officer of Redwire Space, said the maturation of the orbital data center market represents opportunities to build next-generation architectures that could unlock significant economic value.