IRIS² moved into production after the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium signed the concession agreement.

IRIS² is structured to begin initial governmental service demonstrations before reaching full operational capability by 2030.

The CZ-3B mission was successful.

Final award selections for the joint UK Space Agency-Space Florida IAIF fund are expected in early 2027.

The UK Space Agency announced a £62 million ($83.3 million) funding package for domestic satellite communications and sovereign orbital technologies at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026.

Selected NSIP commercialization projects are slated to begin performance cycles in April 2027.

The UK Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Space Florida to establish a joint $400,000 (£300,000) commercial innovation fund.

The UK Space Agency’s £62 million commitment is split into two national technology streams aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains.

Applications for the joint UK Space Agency-Space Florida IAIF fund are scheduled to open in autumn 2026.

The integrated Starlink terminals on Orion use optical communications based on invisible infrared light.

The Starlink mini laser terminals will allow astronauts to send 4K video and high-resolution imagery back to Mission Control Center in Houston.

NASA will install two Starlink mini laser terminals on the exterior of the Orion spacecraft.

During the 2027 flight, four astronauts will test how Orion approaches and docks with commercial lunar landing systems required to return humans to the Moon in 2028.

NASA is shifting toward commercial satellite services for missions close to Earth to free up government resources for deep space exploration.

NASA successfully tested a similar laser system during the Artemis II mission.

SpaceX has used the Starlink network to stream live video during its Starship rocket tests.

The Orion hardware for the low-Earth orbit demonstration flight is based on the same technology that powers more than 25,000 laser links connecting Starlink internet satellites in orbit.

The Artemis II laser communications test sent high-definition video, photos, and voice communications when the spacecraft had a direct line of sight with ground receivers on Earth.

SpaceX demonstrated its laser technology for NASA during a 2025 spaceflight.

NASA has selected SpaceX to upgrade the communication capabilities of the Artemis III mission scheduled for next year.

The optical communications system expands available bandwidth and lets Orion send data and telemetry back to Earth faster than legacy radio systems.

NASA will use the new hardware to supplement Orion’s existing radio communication systems.

The integration of the Starlink terminals is part of NASA’s Communications Services Project in the Space Communications and Navigation division.

Global government space spending reached $141 billion across 53 budgets in 2025.

Satellite manufacturing revenue increased 67.2%.

Canada more than doubled its government space spending to $612 million in 2025.

Germany has pledged $41 billion in defense spending through 2030.

The United States accounted for 57% of global government space spending in 2025.

Stoke Space reported a $510 million Series D in October and a $350 million extension in February.

PNT services generated about 41% of total commercial space revenue in 2025.

The United Kingdom, France, and South Korea each increased their space budgets by more than 40% in 2025.

Commercial activity reached $544.3 billion in 2025, equal to 79% of the global space economy.

The Space Foundation’s annual State of the Global Space Economy report found that the space economy grew 12% compared with 2024.

Starcloud raised a $170 million Series A in March.

Private investment in space ventures crossed $12 billion in 2025.

Cowboy Space, formerly Aetherflux, raised a $275 million Series B in May.

Global military space spending is expected to exceed $150 billion for the first time in FY27.

PNT services and ground equipment together accounted for more than three-quarters of commercial space revenue in 2025.

K2 Space raised a $110 million Series B in February 2025 and a $250 million Series C ten months later in December.

Space Foundation projects the Pentagon will roughly double its national security space budget to $126 billion in FY27.

In-space servicing revenue increased 42.9%.

Finland operates one satellite per 187,000 residents through Iceye’s constellation.

Space Foundation projects non-U.S. military space spending will nearly double in 2027 to $31.5 billion.

The global space economy totaled a record $686 billion in 2025.

The Gravity-1 launch from waters off Shanghai completed its flight test mission successfully.

The Gravity-1 launch vehicle made its maiden flight in January 2024.

China launched the Gravity-1 launch vehicle from waters off the coast of Shanghai in eastern China.

The Gravity-1 launch placed nine satellites into their preset orbits.

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center launched the Gravity-1 commercial rocket at 10:54 Beijing time.

The ELT of the European Southern Observatory will have a 39-meter mirror.