Finnish Satellite Firm ICEYE Bids for EU Security Ground Station Tender
Satellite company ICEYE, led by Polish CEO Rafał Modrzewski, has officially entered an EU tender for the EOGS program aimed at building an EU security system.
Space
D-Orbit Sends Mandalorian Helmet to Orbit in Disney Partnership
D-Orbit, an Italian spacetech scaleup, collaborated with Disney Italia to send a 3D-scanned replica of the Mandalorian helmet to orbit aboard the Wayfinder mission on March 30, 2026, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of the Transporter-16 mission. The helmet was deployed at approximately 510 kilometers altitude in sun-synchronous orbit and captured unique images with Earth in the background using cameras developed internally by D-Orbit.
European Space Agency Launches SMILE Satellite to Study Earth’s Magnetic Shield and Solar Wind Interactions
The European Space Agency launched the SMILE satellite from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana aboard the Vega-C rocket. This mission, developed in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will observe for the first time how solar winds interact with Earth’s magnetic field. The satellite will detect X-ray radiation to study Earth’s protective magnetic shield at the magnetopause and polar cusps, improving space weather models crucial for satellite and telecommunications infrastructure protection.
Portugal Positions Itself as Europe’s Space Gateway at eRadar Conference
At the eRadar Annual Conference in Lisbon, Geosat CEO Francisco Cunha participated in a panel discussing Portugal’s unique position as a gateway for European space access and return. The discussion highlighted Portugal’s strategic Atlantic location, the importance of public-private partnerships in the aerospace sector, and the role of institutions like IPN in supporting space companies. Open Cosmos, a British company, is producing satellites at IPN facilities at a rate of approximately 10 satellites per year as part of the Atlantic Constellation project.
Polski Fundusz Rozwoju and Allegro Launch Space Technology-Focused Pioneers School Program
Polski Fundusz Rozwoju and Allegro launched the 9th edition of Szkoła Pionierów PFR focused on space technology solutions. The program includes networking opportunities, a mission to Turin, and a prize pool of 160,000 PLN. The initiative was inaugurated at the Impact’26 congress.