Plans for a satellite launch site in the Shetland Islands have been submitted to the local authorities for planning permission.

The LauncherOne rocket reached space for the first time on Jan. 17, carrying 10 small satellites to orbit.

Thales Alenia Space has been awarded a European contract to prepare for an in-orbit demonstration of spacecraft servicing.

Japan’s SoftBank has re-invested in OneWeb, the satellite communications company that was sent into Chapter 11 nine months ago after the Tokyo-based holding company withdrew its support.

Airbus says it has completed the Preliminary Design Review on the UK’s new Skynet 6A military communications satellite.  The review occurred in November and was completed virtually due to the restrictions in place because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Airbus announced Jan. 14.

Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for NASA’s deep-space crewed Orion spacecraft, has completed assembly and testing of the capsule earmarked for a flight test in November and transferred possession to NASA.

Blue Origin credits a team of experienced industry partners with its success so far as a competitor to build NASA’s lunar Human Landing System to shuttle future astronauts between lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface.

Blue Origin tested an upgraded New Shepard suborbital launch system on Jan. 14, sending the uncrewed, six-passenger capsule to an altitude of 347,568 ft. before it made a parachute return to the West Texas desert.