Satellite and Space Projects Newsletter October 2025

The Act has now been referred to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Council's working party on space for examination.

The public feedback window is now extended until 7 November 2025.

EU Space Act causes tensions in U.S. – EU space trade relations: Following a two day Space dialogue, the United States and European Union published a Joint Statement on U.S. - EU Space Cooperation on 10 September 2025. Based on these discussions, the statement commits both sides to 'fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade'.

The Joint Statement alludes to discontent within the Trump administration towards the proposed EU Space Act. This sentiment derives from a U.S. assessment that the new Act would create European barriers to entry for U.S. companies by making engagement more costly and time intensive because of the proposed authorisations, mandated design features and technical standards. Read more about the EU Space Act in our briefing: https://www.fieldfisher.com/en/insights/eu-space-act-redefining-the-european-space-regulatory-landscape

Commentators have also suggested the focus on environmental sustainability in the Act probably creates another point of tension for U.S. industry and policymakers, given the U.S.'s recent roll back on various climate regulations.

Project Kuiper targets live services by March 2026: Amazon’s Project Kuiper is accelerating its satellite broadband rollout, aiming to provide services in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France by the end of March 2026 and approximately 26 countries by the end of that year.

102 satellites have already been deployed and Amazon has three more launches planned this year. By December 2025, it expects to have launched 12% of the total satellites which it is required by its regulators to achieve by mid-2026. Going forward, Kuiper aims for global coverage by 2028 at which point it will begin launching a second-generation constellation of 3,200 satellites.

ReOrbit raises €45 million in largest Finnish Series A round: Finnish spacecraft developer ReOrbit has raised €45 million in a Series A funding round to scale up the production of its Silta and Ukko satellites and meet growing demand from government customers for spacecraft production. The funders were 85% Finnish, with the remaining 15% of funds coming from other Nordic countries.

Telesat cancels plans for more than 1,600 satellites: Telesat has cancelled plans for an additional 1,671 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which were expected to augment its Lightspeed fleet of approximately 200 satellites. However, financial pressures have forced it to narrow its focus to the Lightspeed fleet.

Moody's have downgraded Telesat's credit ratings in response to growing concerns around debt maturity and subsequent refinancing risk. Telesat has C$2.4 billion of debt maturing next year and a further C$604 million repayable in 2027 but has only C$401 million in cash reserves, resulting in a shortfall over C$2.6 billion.

Ofcom consults on improving NGSO licensing: UK regulator Ofcom has launched a consultation on the NGSO licensing process with four changes proposed, aiming to:

• Stop routinely consulting on NGSO gateway licence applications;
• Strengthen the evidence and requirements needed at the application stage for NGSO licences;
• Extend the consultation comment period and clarify how stakeholder issues will be addressed; and
• Amend NGSO gateway licences, enabling future gateway use in new frequency bands.

Through the proposed changes Ofcom hopes to clarify the requirements for holding a licence, make faster decisions across the licensing process and reduce administrative and coordination burdens on NGSO satellite operators. Ofcom believes this will enhance innovation, opportunities and growth across the sector.

The consultation closes on 18 November 2025, with a decision expected in early 2026.

NATO DIANA launches new Space Front Door for space-tech startups: NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) has launched a new 'Space Front Door' programme to make it easier for space startups in NATO nations to deploy their technologies. DIANA looks to increase dual-use innovation capacity by finding and developing emerging technologies from SMEs.

Under the programme community 'challenges' are launched which startups can submit solutions to, with some applicants then invited to accelerator sites for further testing and development of their ideas. Those who complete the DIANA process receive a NATO badge making it easier for them to 'get through the front door' of defence ministries.

Additionally, efforts are being made to create direct pathways from concept to adoption and connect the startups to capital, thereby allowing the new technologies to become directly embedded into NATO operations.