Communications satellite

SpaceX is working with the National Reconnaissance Office to build a classified system of swarming spy satellites, according to a report published by Reuters. And while the $1.8 billion contract was reportedly signed in 2021, news of the program’s ties to NRO just leaked on Saturday—a great reminder that it’s entirely possible for some tech companies to do highly classified work for years without the public learning about it.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their View The new satellite…

With four damaged underwater cables in the Red Sea, telecommunication providers are now looking to the skies for connectivity. Satellite operators are lending their space-based connectivity to reroute internet traffic, suggesting that a hybrid system combining underwater and orbital internet might be the best approach moving forward.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewEarlier this week, four out of 15 communication cables were cut, disrupting network traffic that flows through the…

Following the launch of its next-generation satellite, Hughes Network Systems is now starting to offer faster internet speeds to compete with its main industry rival SpaceX.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe Maryland-based company has launched new high-speed satellite internet plans for its customers in the Americas, with download speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), Hughes announced this week. This brings it a little bit closer to SpaceX’s Starlink internet speeds,…

Space companies and telecommunication providers are racing to litter the Earth’s skies with tens of thousands of new twinkling satellites capable of completing a vast variety of tasks, from research and internet communication to military espionage. Up until now, the security practices of these hefty floating computers have remained more or less a black box. But new academic research shedding light on the practice shadows satellitemanufacturers may be neglecting basic cybersecurity considerations in their haste to blast…

In light of this sort of thing, America’s military establishment is worried that its satellite network is not up to snuff. But it has a plan. The Space-Based Adaptive Communications Node (Space-BACN, or “Space Bacon", to its friends) will, if successful, create a laser-enabled military internet in orbit around Earth by piggybacking on a number of satellites that would have been launched anyway. Space Bacon is a brainchild of DARPA, the special-projects research arm of the Department of…

If you’re constantly struggling with dropped Wi-Fi connections or are dealing with pesky buffering when you’re streaming online videos due to slow Internet speeds, you’re not alone. According to a 2021 Parks Associates study, more than 40% of U.S. households with broadband have experienced Wi-Fi issues, including slow speeds, connection dropouts, and difficulty connecting devices to the Internet. Although you could just buy a new router, you don't have to. Solving these issues involves a simple fix, and the problem…

Denver-based company Lockheed Martin has announced the launch of a subsidiary for the purpose of setting up communication and navigation services around the Moon for future lunar missions.China's Plan to Land Astronauts on the MoonLockheed Martin announced the launch of Crescent Space Services LLC on Tuesday, with the new company set to provide“infrastructure-as-a-service for lunar missions,” the company wrote in a press release. Crescent will operate its own network of satellites in lunar orbit to support spacecraft on…

Rivada Space wants to build a constellation of 600 satellites. Illustration: Terran OrbitalSatellite manufacturer Terran Orbital has beenawarded a hefty contract by Rivada Space Networks to build 288 low Earth orbit satellites, and 12 spare satellites, for its communications constellation. Terran Orbital announced the deal this week, which makes it the main contractor for satellite communication company Rivada. “Our partnership will show why Terran Orbital continues to be a satellite manufacturer of choice for…

Air Force Band members singing the new U.S. Space Force theme song during the 2022 Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor.Photo: U.S. Space ForceThe U.S. Space Force is getting a piece of a massive government funding bill, which it will use to boost the number of its satellites and to expand its newly acquired Space Development Agency (SDA).On Thursday, the Senate approved a $1.7 trillion government funding bill and on Friday, the House did the same, sending the bill to the President’s desk.$858 billion is…

Sending an Emergency SOS with an iPhone 14.Photo: Florence Ion / GizmodoApple’s Emergency SOS service has officially launched in the U.S. and Canada for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. Emergency SOS is a new feature that connects you with emergency services using a satellite connection rather than cellular or wifi so that you can call for help even in rural places. I went to Cupertino to see Emergency SOS in action. The company’s relay centers weren’t actually dispatching during my session, and thus no emergency services…