Space consultancy Quilty Analytics is now Quilty Space, it emailed Friday.

Intelsat plans to use a mission extension pod from Northrop Grumman's SpaceLogistics to extend the life of one of its geosynchronous orbit satellites, it said Thursday. It said it hasn't settled on which satellite, but the mission would likely be in 2026, and extend life of the satellite for at least six years. SpaceLogistics did two mission extension missions on Intelsat satellites in 2021 (see 2104120046).

With an additional $92 million in hand from Series C fundraising, Kepler Communications said Thursday it plans to launch an optical data relay infrastructure of relay satellites next year to deliver data to and from other satellites. It said it plans to launch two Pathfinder satellites this fall to test and validate its optical communications technology.

Spectrum Five withdrew its 2020 petition seeking revocation of the Intelsat 30 and Intelsat 31 licenses for willful violations of license terms, (see 2012010057), it said Thursday in docket 20-399. It didn't comment.

Eutelsat largely agrees with a SES/Intelsat/Telesat proposal for establishing rules for C-band Phase II accelerated clearing certification. In a docket 18-122 filing Thursday, it said a final list on all incumbent earth station claims should be published as soon as the satellite operators agree on the fewer than 10 incumbent earth stations claims issues that remain unresolved. Filing that list would then let the FCC Wireless Bureau freeze claims, opening the door to satellite operators filing their accelerated relocation certifications, it said.

Viasat's ViaSat-3 broadband satellite to cover the Americas is scheduled to go up Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, it said Thursday.

Umbra Lab is eyeing Q4 for the launch of two additional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) microsatellites to bolster its existing earth exploration satellite service constellation. In an FCC Space Bureau application Tuesday seeking permission to launch and operate two SAR microsatellites, Umbra said the two would have virtually identical RF and orbital characteristics as its licensed six-satellite constellation. Five of those six have been launched, with the sixth to go up this month, it said.

Comments are due May 12, replies June 12, on the FCC's proposed supplemental coverage from space framework, per a notice for Wednesday's Federal Register. The SCS NPRM, proposing a model where satcom operators partner with terrestrial service operators and get mission authorization for operating satellites on flexible-use spectrum allocated terrestrially in a specific set of bands, was adopted 4-0 in March (see 2303160009). It's docket 23-65.

Noting it finished its C-band clearing more than a year ago, Embratel supports an SES-Intelsat-Telesat proposal for certifying Phase II accelerated clearing of the band (see 2304060026). The three want a Phase II accelerated relocation certification process that would start June 1. In a filing Friday to be posted in docket 18-122, Embratel said any delay of filing beyond that "would not serve any corresponding benefit," especially since it exited the U.S. C-band market a year ago.

Intelsat's 40e geosynchronous orbit satellite successfully launched Friday on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Intelsat said. It said 40e will provide North American capacity for commercial aviation, mobility and network service customers.