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Eutelsat extends Airbus contract for further low Earth orbit OneWeb satellites | Computer Weekly

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Eutelsat extends Airbus contract for further low Earth orbit OneWeb satellites | Computer Weekly


As the space communications industry shows no signs of slowing down this year following on from a robust 2025, Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by operator Eutelsat to build 340 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to ensure operational continuity of the OneWeb constellation.

OneWeb formed in 2012 with the aim of addressing the communication needs of hard-to-reach places, stating that its network has a unique capability to serve hard-to-reach communities and provide improved capacity, mobile resilience, backhaul and coverage, including Fixed Wireless Access, in challenging geographic locations.

However, the company’s evolution was a struggle and OneWeb filed for bankruptcy in the US in March 2020 after failing to find private investment. It was rescued by a $500m investment from both the UK government and Bharti Global, and returned to business in December 2020 with a 36-satellite payload, with an aim to implement a constellation of 650 LEO satellites with a network of global gateway stations and a range of user terminals. These were seen as a way to provide an affordable, fast, high-bandwidth and low-latency communications service, connected to internet of things (IoT) devices, and a pathway for mass adoption of 5G services.

In September 2021, OneWeb confirmed the completion of substantial investment by French satellite operator Eutelsat, as part of the latter’s strategy of looking for growth beyond traditional broadcast and broadband applications, with it becoming a shareholder partner. Less than a year later, Eutelsat entered into merger with OneWeb.

Flying in 12 synchronised orbital planes 1,200km above the Earth, OneWeb LEO satellite network currently delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity on a global basis. Airbus believes that the availability of these latest satellites will assure full operational continuity for customers of the constellation, progressively replacing early batches coming to end of operational life. 

Looking to achieve its objectives, Eutelsat procured a batch of 100 Airbus Space satellites in December 2024, taking the total number of satellites ordered by Eutelsat to 440. These new satellites will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line, with delivery from the end of 2026. Airbus said this represents a further step for European sovereignty.

The new craft will integrate technology upgrades including advanced digital channelisers, enabling enhanced onboard processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility, according to the company. Airbus added that it will incorporate optimised architecture designed to maximise long-term operational performance.

With these latest satellites, Eutelsat will also be evaluating opportunities for new business cases, notably through embarkation capabilities for hosted payloads.

Commenting on the new contract, Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher said: “We are pleased to rely on our long-standing partner, Airbus, for the procurement of these latest satellites. They ensure service continuity for the growing number of our customers and distribution partners benefiting from the unparalleled performance of our ubiquitous, low-latency LEO capacity, and enable us to pursue our growth path.”

Alain Fauré, head of space systems in Airbus, added: “This latest contract from Eutelsat is an endorsement of our design and manufacturing expertise for LEO satellites. Airbus has been a key partner and supplier to Eutelsat for more than 30 years and this award further cements our important relationship.”



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Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’

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Minnesota Sues to Stop ICE ‘Invasion’


The State of Minnesota and the cites of Minneapolis and St. Paul on Monday filed a sweeping federal lawsuit to halt what they call an unprecedented and unlawful surge of US federal agents in the Twin Cities, arguing the deployment amounts to a constitutional violation and a direct threat to public safety.

The 80-page complaint, filed in US district court in Minnesota, targets the US Department of Homeland Security and senior federal officials, including DHS secretary Kristi Noem. It asks a judge to immediately block what the federal government calls “Operation Metro Surge,” a large-scale immigration operation that plaintiffs say has sent thousands of armed, masked federal agents into Minnesota communities far from the border, overwhelming local infrastructure and law enforcement.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison said the lawsuit is intended to stop what he described as an unlawful federal escalation. “This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota, and it must stop.” He accused DHS agents of sowing “chaos and terror” across the metro area through warrantless arrests, excessive force, and enforcement actions at schools, churches, hospitals, and other sensitive locations.

Ellison said the surge has forced school closures and lockdowns, hurt local businesses, and diverted police resources away from routine public safety work. He cited more than 20 ICE-related incidents, including reports of people being pulled into unmarked vehicles by masked agents and vehicles left abandoned in the streets, calling it an “unlawful commandeering of police resources.”

The lawsuit also points to the recent fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent as a turning point that intensified fear and unrest. Ellison said that the killing, along with subsequent federal rhetoric, left families and entire communities feeling unsafe in public spaces.

Good, 37, was a wife and mother of three. She was fatally shot by an ICE officer during a Minneapolis enforcement operation on January 7. The FBI has assumed sole jurisdiction over the investigation, effectively barring Minnesota authorities from accessing evidence or taking part in the probe, a move state officials say undermines transparency and the integrity of law enforcement in the public eye.

Plaintiffs argue the federal operation violates the Tenth Amendment, federal administrative law, and long-standing limits on immigration enforcement. They also accuse the Trump administration of “retaliatory conduct based on Minnesota’s lawful exercise of its sovereign authority.”

Asked by a reporter from PBS Frontline who said his crew had been pepper-sprayed by federal agents earlier in the day whether the litigation sought to curb the use of crowd-control weapons, Ellison urged journalists to file complaints. “Part of what our case is about is First Amendment protection,” he said. “The press is protected by the First Amendment, and it’s vitally important in this moment.”

In a separate lawsuit Monday, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago sued DHS and senior federal officials, accusing the Trump administration of unleashing a militarized immigration operation that has “rampaged for months through Chicago and surrounding areas, lawlessly stopping, interrogating, and arresting residents, and attacking them with chemical weapons.”



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Snag a Feature-Packed Gaming Headset for Under $100

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Snag a Feature-Packed Gaming Headset for Under 0


Looking for a wallet-friendly gaming headset with big feature support? The Corsair Void Wireless V2 is currently marked down to just $80 at both Best Buy and Amazon, a healthy $50 discount from its usual retail price. This lightweight yet capable gaming headset was already a great buy before the discount, with wide compatibility and a comfortable design built for long grinds.

It’s one of the more comfortable gaming headsets I’ve had the opportunity to review, thanks to a combination of its super lightweight build and breathable mesh ear cups, and it even fits my oversized noggin. Because there’s no active noise canceling, it has a much more open and natural sound profile, which is nice for anyone who needs to remain aware of their surroundings while deep in a round of Arc Raiders.

One of the big selling points is Dolby Atmos, a spatial audio implementation that’s fairly uncommon at this price point, and basically unheard of at the marked down price. It’s only supported in a handful of games, but even without it the headset has great spatial audio support that I found particularly good for games like Satisfactory, where it’s more of an immersive addition than a mechanical benefit.

Where a lot of headsets will lock you down to one or two consoles, the Corsair Void Wireless V2 is happy to work with a wide variety of systems, thanks to both Bluetooth and low-latency 2.4 GHz via the USB dongle. That means you can game on PC, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and even iOS/Android for mobile gaming. With a claimed battery life of up to 70 hours in ideal conditions, you won’t need to worry about charging often, although I’m not sure the mesh ear cups would be great for a long flight.

While the Corsair Void Wireless V2 is featured in our best gaming headsets roundup, other headsets undercut it at the same price point. With the discount, I’m very happy to recommend the Corsair over some of the other picks, particularly if you have a bigger head or prefer a less isolating experience than what some of the other headsets provide.



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We Found the Best Travel Cameras You’ll Actually Use on Vacation

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We Found the Best Travel Cameras You’ll Actually Use on Vacation


If I were buying a camera today, this is the body I would get, travel or otherwise. The A7C R is one of the smallest full-frame, interchangeable-lens cameras on the market. This is why it’s our top pick for travelers in our guide to the Best Mirrorless Cameras. The 61-MP sensor offers amazing detail and very good dynamic range (14.7 EV). The super fast autofocus system is among the best you’ll find in mirrorless camera, and there’s great subject tracking as well, making it perfect for shooting fast-moving scenes on the go.

While Sony’s R series cameras are mainly for high resolution still images, the video specs here are solid enough for the casual video user, with support for 4K/60 fps video in full-frame mode (1.2X crop) or oversampled 4K/30 fps video. Both support 10-bit 4:2 color depth, various Log formats, and even 16-bit RAW output to an external recorder.

My main gripe about the A7C R is the same as it was in my initial review. The viewfinder is cramped and low-resolution (2.36 million dots). It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it’s something to keep in mind and good reason to rent a camera before you invest.

The big question with this camera is, which lens do you pair it with for travel? There’s a compelling argument to be made for the Sony FE 24-105-mm f/4 G ($1,398), which gives you everything from wide to portrait with a little bit of extra reach as well. Another great option if you like primes is the Sony 40-mm f2.5 G ($798), which makes for a compact kit, and 40-mm is a surprisingly great focal length for travel in my experience.

★ Alternative: At $2,198, Sony’s A7C II (note, no R) is a bit cheaper. It uses Sony’s smaller 33-MP sensor but is otherwise very close in size and capabilities, with considerably more video chops than the A7C R. If you want to make videos as well as stills, the A7C II is a better choice.



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