News brief: Burnaby, B.C.-based Orbital Research Inc. says it will build a space-based, 26 GHz Ka-band radio receiver for use on the SWIFT software-defined radios produced by Bothell, Wash.-based Tethers Unlimited Inc. for small satellites. “Together we can help smallsat ventures get to market faster with exceptionally high throughput and flexibility for challenging mission and regulatory environments,” Orbital Research CEO Ian McEachern said today in a news release. Last month, Tethers Unlimited said it’s been awarded a $1 million grant by the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Center to finish development of the SWIFT radio platform.
