EUROPE

European Space Agency

ESA and GSMA Foundry launch a €100 million call for satellite-terrestrial integration projects

On 2 March, the European Space Agency (ESA) and GSMA Foundry opened a call for ideas offering up to €100 million in funding for projects aimed at accelerating the convergence of satellite and terrestrial communications. The call focuses on four challenge areas:

• the optimisation of AI in non-terrestrial networks (NTN);
• supporting the development of direct-to-device (D2D) services;
• establishing new hybrid 5G and 6G testing hubs; and
• 6G innovation.

Commenting on the initiative, Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity at ESA, said: “By offering funding access for AI, NTN, and D2D, we are not just developing technology; we are preparing for the seamless, global 6G infrastructure of tomorrow.”

United Kingdom

Orbit Fab and Airbus Defence and Space to collaborate on in-orbit refuelling feasibility

On 5 March, Orbit Fab announced that they plan to work with Airbus Defence and Space to assess the feasibility of incorporating Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refuelling valve into future geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites. The collaboration forms part of the RADICAL project, under the ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme, funded by the UK Space Agency (UKSA). The project aims to enhance the competitiveness of European telecom satellite operators and manufacturers by preparing them for in-orbit refuelling operations.

Commenting on the collaboration, Jacob Geer, Managing Director of Orbit Fab in Europe, said: “We are pleased to be working with such a significant company as Airbus on the topic of in orbit refuelling. Combining Orbit Fab’s market leading RAFTI technology with the deep platform and propulsion knowledge of Airbus will enhance Europe’s competitiveness in the crucial Telecoms sector. As the orbital environment and Telecoms market evolves, adopting new services like refuelling is essential to respond to these changing conditions.

UK allocates £500m to national space programs

On 4 March, the UK Government announced an allocation of £500 million to national space programmes, backing high-growth technologies and supporting British companies to scale and compete internationally. The investment focuses on four priority areas: satellite communications; in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM); space domain awareness (SDA); and launch capacity.

Announcing the package, Liz Lloyd, UK Space Minister, said: “Our vision is clear – to make the UK a competitive, agile space power. We’re allocating £500 million today, on top of ESA funding, to drive forward our priorities and will continue to work closely with industry and investors to maximise private capital flows and unlock the full potential of commercial space.”

Astroscale UK selects Isar Aerospace to launch ELSA-M debris removal mission

On 16 March, Astroscale UK announced the selection of Isar Aerospace to provide launch services for its ELSA-M In-Orbit Demonstration mission. Under the agreement between the companies, Isar Aerospace will launch the ELSA-M servicer spacecraft from its dedicated launch site at Andøya Space, Norway. ELSA-M will capture and remove an end-of-life Eutelsat OneWeb satellite. The mission is supported by the UKSA through ESA’s ARTES programme.

Commenting on the agreement, Nick Shave, Managing Director at Astroscale UK, said: “With Isar Aerospace providing both launch flexibility and the orbital precision our rendezvous mission requires, we are ready to deliver an active debris removal service that will enable a more sustainable space environment and circular economy in space.”

UKSA and State Space Agency of Ukraine sign bilateral space cooperation agreement

On 18 March, the UKSA and the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster civil and commercial space cooperation. The MoU marks the first agency-to-agency agreement between the two organisations, reflecting a shared commitment to the peaceful use of outer space, international cooperation, and the development of space technologies for social and economic benefit.

Commenting on the signing, Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UKSA, said: “Space is central to modern economies, from communications and navigation to climate monitoring and infrastructure resilience. This agreement marks an important step in strengthening our partnership with Ukraine in the civil and commercial space sector.”

Ofcom publishes updated Procedures for the Management of Satellite Filings

On 2 March, Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator and the UK national administration to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published updated Procedures for the Management of Satellite Filings (Procedures). Satellite filing management in the UK operates within a framework of international rules set by the ITU, which applicants must follow to ensure compliance. The updated Procedures reflect changes to the governing international regulations, as well as other national considerations, responding to the growing number of operators applying for spectrum filings through the UK and the expanding range of services they provide.

The updated Procedures can be read here.

Austria

Space Inventor and GATE Space partner on Austria’s first military satellite

On 2 March, Danish satellite manufacturer Space Inventor announced a partnership with Austrian propulsion specialists GATE Space to develop BEACONSAT, Austria’s largest domestically developed satellite and its first military satellite. Scheduled to launch in February 2027, BEACONSAT is designed to detect and analyse interference with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and will also serve as an in-orbit demonstration platform for a GATE Space chemical propulsion system. 

Cyprus

Cyprus becomes first EU Member State to complete operational use of GOVSATCOM services

On 10 March, Cyprus became the first European Union (EU) Member State to successfully complete the acquisition and operational use of secure satellite communications services delivered through GOVSATCOM, the European Union (EU) Space Programme component that began operations in January 2026. GOVSATCOM is managed by the European Commission and implemented by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), pooling secure governmental satellite services from five Member States (France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain) and making them available across the EU.

The Netherlands

Netherlands Space Office rebrands as the Netherlands Space Agency

On 5 March, the Netherlands Space Office officially became the Netherlands Space Agency (NLSA), reflecting the nation’s growing ambition in space and aiming to strengthen its international profile.

Commenting on the change, Dietmar Pilz, Director of ESA’s technical centre ESTEC in Noordwijk, said: “With an agency, the Netherlands can represent its interests more effectively in European organisations such as ESA. This new name will make the Netherlands’ commitment and influence more visible.”

Sweden

SSC Space and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration agree satellite launch capability at Esrange

On 16 March, SSC Space announced the signing of an agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to establish satellite launch capability from the Esrange Space Center. The agreement lays the foundation for sovereign capabilities that will give the Swedish Armed Forces the ability to launch their own satellites into orbit, with the capability scheduled to be operational by 2028.

The initiative forms part of a government decision taken in 2023 to allocate approximately SEK 1 billion to the Swedish Armed Forces through 2032 for the development of Sweden’s space capabilities.

Egypt

Egyptian Space Agency launches the Egyptian Space Academy

On 13 March, the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) announced the launch of the Egyptian Space Academy, a specialised training entity dedicated to developing skills in future technologies. The Academy will operate as a year-round learning platform, delivering advanced education and training across a wide range of scientific and technological fields, supporting the development of qualified professionals capable of keeping pace with rapid technological change.

The Academy is designed to serve university students, working professionals, specialists and institutions, supporting knowledge exchange and regional cooperation across Africa and beyond.

Kenya

Kenya Space Agency launches Africa Business Innovation Lab

On 9 March, the Kenya Space Agency launched the Africa Business Innovation Lab (ABIL), a platform supporting innovators, startups and entrepreneurs developing solutions powered by space technologies.

The ABIL will enable young innovators to tackle real-world challenges, collaborate with experienced mentors and explore how space-based technologies can advance national priorities across critical sectors including agriculture, climate resilience, disaster management, health, urban planning and natural resource management.

The initiative signals Kenya’s commitment to harnessing space innovation as a driver of economic growth and resilience.

NORTH AMERICA

Canada

Canada commits $200 million to spaceport in Nova Scotia

On 16 March, the Government of Canada announced a $200 million federal investment in a multi-user spaceport near Canso, Nova Scotia. Once operational, the facility will enable satellites to be launched directly from Canadian soil, advancing Canada’s sovereign space capabilities and supporting its response to evolving global security challenges.

Commenting on the investment, Canada’s Minister of National Defence, David J. McGuinty, said: “Today, we build on Canada’s proud legacy as a nation of innovators, explorers and builders. With this step, we are not only advancing our capabilities here on Earth – we are reaffirming our place among the spacefaring nations shaping the future beyond it.”

MIDDLE EAST

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Centre for Space Futures and the University of Bologna sign space governance MoU

On 28 February, the Centre for Space Futures announced the signing of a MoU with the University of Bologna to advance global space governance. The Centre for Space Futures is an initiative established in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Saudi Space Agency, focused on advancing the global space economy. The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation in space law, regulation and policy, encompassing joint research, professional training, internship programmes and capacity-building initiatives.

OCEANIA

Australia

Australia and Canada agree to advance civil space cooperation

On 5 March, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, released a joint statement following Carney’s visit to Canberra, announcing the two nations’ agreement to advance civil space cooperation. The statement builds on the existing MoU between the Canadian Space Agency and the Australian Space Agency, reinforcing the two nations’ commitment to international partnership as a means of achieving shared goals in space exploration and utilisation. The MoU includes collaboration on Earth observation missions to support bush and wildfire monitoring internationally through satellite imaging and data sharing.

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