A startup's first antenna just woke up in orbit

After five years of work, Meridian Space's first communications payload powered on in orbit this week. Launched October 1 aboard a SpaceX rideshare, the tech demo carries a new kind of antenna — a lightweight, electronically steerable reflector that could let governments and companies run their own satellite networks instead of renting capacity. 'The vision becomes a commercial reality,' said CEO Massimiliano Ladovaz. Small satellite, big idea: connectivity on your own terms.