Auria Signs Partnership and Contract with Mitsubishi Electric for Next-Generation SATCOM Software

Airbus has completed the first batch of 32 new OneWeb Low Earth Orbit satellites for Eutelsat, part of a broader program covering 669 planned satellites for the operator. The batch forms part of Eutelsat's LEO fleet renewal program aimed at supporting global satellite connectivity services, with Airbus acting as manufacturing partner for the next wave of OneWeb satellites and further launches already planned. Airbus, a €148.6b aerospace and defense group, uses its satellite manufacturing arm alongside its commercial aircraft and space systems operations to supply hardware that telecom operators such as Eutelsat rely on for global connectivity. The work lines up with Airbus Defence and Space's push to build a clearer second profit pillar alongside helicopters and commercial jets, with the company's industrial footprint in Toulouse supplying complex hardware for global connectivity. Investors will be watching upcoming Defence & Space disclosures around LEO constellation production throughput and margin trends in the 2026 and 2027 reporting periods.

NASA on Friday issued a final request for proposals to develop commercial space stations that could replace the International Space Station, advancing plans to shift low Earth orbit operations to private companies while maintaining a continuous U.S. presence in space. Proposals are due Dec. 8, with contract awards expected in spring 2027, and NASA plans to select at least two contractors for initial development before holding a subsequent competition for final design, testing, certification and operational services. The agency intends to award multiple firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts covering development, certification and operation of the stations, seeking companies able to provide integrated destinations and transportation services for astronauts conducting research and technology development in low Earth orbit. Publicly traded aerospace companies with potential exposure include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Redwire, while private firms Axiom Space, Vast and Starlab Space are also pursuing commercial orbital destinations. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized that commercial operators will need business models extending beyond government contracts, saying the opportunity is significant but the economics ultimately have to work.

Planet Labs PBC has successfully launched 20 satellites aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking its 40th successful launch and bringing the total number of satellites it has built and delivered to orbit to 718. The payload comprised the company's second Tanager satellite, 18 SuperDoves and the first demonstration mission associated with Google's Project Suncatcher. Planet Labs established initial contact with Tanager-2, the Suncatcher prototype and two SuperDove satellites after deployment, while the remaining 16 SuperDoves are expected to be deployed through D-Orbit's ION satellite carrier as planned. The Suncatcher demonstration is designed to test the feasibility of using Google Tensor Processing Units in space for machine-learning workloads, and Tanager-2, developed with Carbon Mapper, carries hyperspectral imaging capable of identifying methane emissions and supporting rare-earth element identification, water-quality monitoring and agricultural intelligence, capturing imagery across 426 contiguous spectral bands at roughly 5-nanometer spectral and 30-meter spatial resolution. The 18 SuperDoves are part of Planet Labs' Flock 4J mission and are expected to add capacity to its PlanetScope constellation, which provides near-daily global monitoring, and the company expects to launch at least three additional Tanager satellites.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is exploring a robotics solution for research and laboratory operations aboard future commercial space stations, working with space and defense technology provider Redwire Corporation. Honda's U.S.-based space development team is combining its multi-fingered robotic hand with Redwire's STAARK robotic arm and experiment locker technology to automate research tasks and cut the time astronauts spend on routine lab work. The push comes as NASA shifts from the International Space Station toward commercially operated stations in low Earth orbit, where smaller crews and shorter astronaut stays are increasing the need for automation. Honda's hand uses actively controlled joints with force and tactile sensing across the fingertips and palm for precise, human-like manipulation, while Redwire operates eight facilities on the ISS and has tested the STAARK arm's ability to autonomously track and grasp dynamic objects. The integrated system could eventually support the broader experiment workflow, from sample handling and material transfers to equipment operation, plus inventory management, cargo movement and inspections.

Teledyne Imaging Sensors announced it has delivered more than 1.3 billion infrared detector pixels in support of the U.S. Space Force and Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, and has been selected to provide infrared focal plane technology for both Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 awards. The pixel deliveries support SDA Tracking Layer programs for missile warning and missile tracking missions. To date, Teledyne has delivered more than 170 infrared focal planes for the SDA Tracking Layer and is under contract to provide more than 115 additional focal planes. The AMDT3 awards, announced by SDA in July 2026, will add more than 30 additional missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defense satellites to the Tracking Layer in direct support of the Golden Dome for America initiative. Teledyne has also advanced its large-format focal plane arrays to formats as large as 6K × 6K and 8K × 8K pixels.