Boeing has secured a contract from Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES to design and build seven medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites, which will be part of the O3b mPOWER platform.

When launched in 2021, the super-powered MEO satellites will provide high-performance network communications to users worldwide.

The European Space Agency has awarded a two-year contract to Airbus to build a satellite demonstrator for the European Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) programme.

Scheduled to be launched by 2020, the programme is intended to provide secured satellite communication services.

The demonstrator will be developed using Newtec’s Dialog technology.

"When launched in 2021, the super-powered MEO satellites will provide high-performance network communications to users worldwide."

The California Association for Research in Astronomy and Nasa have signed a new co-operative agreement to continue research at the W M Keck Observatory in Hawaii, US.

Under the agreement, Nasa will conduct research for James Webb Space Telescope, Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) between March 2018 and February 2023.

The agency will also conduct studies on the Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) and Small Explorers (SMEX) programmes.