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Khabre desk
Recent reporting, analysis and explainers from the Satellites desk.
technology
NASA has issued a Request for Information to assess commercial options for servicing Hubble, raising its orbit or safely disposing of it at the end of its mission. The agency says Hubble is likely to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2033 or 2034 and anticipates any mission would need to take place by 2032.
technology
Google’s Project Suncatcher studies whether solar-powered satellite constellations could support large-scale AI computing. Its early work includes a bench-scale optical-link demonstration and radiation testing of a TPU; a two-satellite learning mission with Planet is planned for early 2027.
technology
Google says its Project Suncatcher prototype has run the Gemma 4 model on an onboard TPU and returned an AI-generated response to Earth. The company describes it as the first AI response from a data-centre-class TPU in orbit.
technology
ESA says Sentinel-3C has returned its first colour images and radar-altimeter measurements, including data on sea-surface height and Greenland’s ice sheet. The satellite remains in commissioning, which is expected to take another five months.
technology
Google Research has published a preprint outlining Project Suncatcher, a proposed network of solar-powered satellites carrying TPUs for machine-learning computing in orbit. Its early work includes a bench-scale optical-link demonstration, satellite-formation modelling and radiation testing of a TPU.
technology
NASA-JPL says NISAR radar images captured the spread of lava from Russia’s Krasheninnikov volcano between December 2025 and August 2026. A 17-frame sequence shows the flow filling a crater and spreading across the surrounding landscape.
technology
Google says a Project Suncatcher prototype will carry Tensor Processing Units on a SpaceX Transporter-18 rideshare to collect data on how they handle spaceflight. The test is an early step towards the company’s proposed satellite clusters for AI computing.
technology
ESA has awarded ICEYE and Leonardo contracts to lead parallel architecture studies for the European Union’s future Earth Observation Governmental Service. The Commission-funded work will examine the full system, from satellites and sensors to data processing, distribution and governance.
technology
NASA has completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-metre radio antenna at its Goldstone complex in California. The antenna began operational tracking in August and is designed to increase the Deep Space Network’s flexibility and capacity for deep-space missions.