satellites

Russia says its strikes have destroyed around 25% of Ukraine's internet infrastructure as well as facilities used by Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet service that Ukraine relies on for battlefield and civilian communications. Ukraine has not confirmed the claim, and the full extent of the damage remains unclear. The assertion highlights how communications networks have become a direct target as the war grinds on.

Space law experts say the U.S. Federal Communications Commission can approve massive spaceflight projects on its own, even ones that could permanently alter the view of the night sky for the entire world. Critics have raised concerns about these projects, but experts note there is very little other regulatory oversight capable of stopping them, concentrating the decision in one agency's hands.

New research from the University of Arizona analysing decades of satellite imagery finds that the world's drylands, though greening as vegetation responds to rising carbon dioxide, are increasingly locked into extreme 'boom-and-bust' cycles — rapid plant growth followed by sudden collapses. Scientists warn the pattern could destabilise ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

The BBC reports that the UK military is jamming satellites belonging to other nations as a means of self-defence, according to sources it spoke to. The disclosure sheds light on British electronic warfare operations in orbit, an area usually kept secret, and raises questions about how such actions fit international rules on space and armed conflict. It is likely to fuel debate over escalating military activity in space.

Dr M G Suresh Kumar discussed ISRO's move to open its facilities and programmes to the private sector, in remarks drawing wide attention in Kerala. The discussion focused on what greater private participation means for India's space programme, from satellite building to launches, as the space agency shifts toward enabling a broader commercial ecosystem.

An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites to measure density variations in the upper atmosphere, effectively turning the satellite constellation into a global 'planetary barometer'. The approach exploits how satellites sink faster when the thermosphere thickens, offering dense atmospheric data from thousands of spacecraft. Readers are debating the ingenuity of repurposing satellites many astronomers consider a nuisance for observational science.

New Jersey regulators fined a data center $1.1 million after aerial photographs revealed 62 gas-powered generators on the site. The images suggested the facility had been running extensive diesel or gas backup equipment that was not properly disclosed or permitted. The case is drawing attention to how data centers powering the AI boom expand their infrastructure quietly, and how enforcement increasingly relies on satellite and drone imagery rather than on-site inspections.

Taliban authorities have arrested three people in Khost province, Afghanistan, over the alleged use of Starlink satellite internet terminals, according to the Kabul Tribune. The detentions highlight the Taliban's restrictions on internet access and their efforts to control unlicensed satellite communications, which bypass the country's state-controlled telecommunications infrastructure.

The U.S. Space Force has scheduled on-orbit servicing missions for 2027 with Astroscale U.S. and Starfish Space. The missions will involve satellite servicing technologies such as refueling, repair or repositioning in orbit, marking a step toward routine commercial support of military spacecraft. It signals growing reliance on commercial space companies to extend satellite lifespans and maintain orbital assets.

SpaceX may be preparing a push into the US mobile market, building on its satellite connectivity ambitions, even as Elon Musk says the 'Star' branding across his companies has spread too far. Observers are watching whether the company will follow its Starlink internet service with a direct-to-consumer mobile offering, and how Musk squares that expansion with his branding comments.

Planet Labs has delivered its Pelican-12 spacecraft to Cape Canaveral ahead of the upcoming SpaceX Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. The satellite's arrival at the Florida launch site marks a key milestone ahead of integration with the rocket. Planet's Pelican constellation provides high-resolution Earth imaging, and the mission continues the company's deployment of next-generation imaging satellites aboard SpaceX's regular small-payload rideshare flights.