August 29, 2025

Part of Starship Exploded on Re-Entry (Source: Futurism)
As the spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, facing temperatures around 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, part of its aft appeared to explode, the New York Times reported. Per Spaceflight Now, it seems that the craft's protective skirt blew apart, and one of its rear flaps partially melted. There's a silver lining, however: even in the face of that damage, the remaining portion of the craft performed as intended for the rest of the trip. (8/28)

Spaceport Company Supports Offshore Rocket Motor Test (Source: The Spaceport Company)
The Spaceport Company (TSC) hosted an engine test campaign by Microgravity Inc. aboard the 'Once In A Lifetime' floating launch platform off the coast of Mississippi. Two firings were conducted in one day. The engine test stand was designed and fabricated in less than two months. The operation itself took less than two days including set-up, rehearsals, operations, and demobilization. (8/28)

Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes (Source: Quanta)
According to Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, the behavior of a black hole depends on two numbers: how heavy it is, and how fast it is rotating. And that’s it. Black holes are said to have “no hair” — no features that distinguish them from their fellows with the same mass and spin. With new data, it has started to become possible to test this no-hair conjecture.

Astronomers recently summed up their tests, covering a variety of methods and results, including an analysis of gravitational wave signals. Assembling data from multiple black hole collisions, that group found that the data agreed with Einstein’s theory as best they could tell. Any deviation from what general relativity predicts for the shape of space-time around a black hole — any “hair” — would have to lie closer to the hole than 40 kilometers. (8/27)

Rocket Lab's Geost Sells Optical Payloads to Space Force (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab's recently acquired subsidiary, Geost, has received a contract expansion from the U.S. Space Force to produce two optical payloads for geostationary orbit missions. This expansion allows Rocket Lab to bring mission-critical payload development in-house, enhancing its capability to deliver complete, integrated satellite systems for national security purposes, reducing costs, and accelerating program timelines. (8/28)

What Does SpaceX’s Starship Test Success Mean for the US-China Moon Race? (Source: SCMP)
The first successful flight for Starship – the biggest and heaviest rocket ever built – has revived US hopes of beating China in the race back to the moon, but experts warned the breakthrough may not be enough to stop Beijing from building the first lunar base. NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy wrote that Flight 10’s success “paves the way for the Starship Human Landing System that will bring American astronauts back to the moon on Artemis III”.

Starship’s lunar lander variant is designed to ferry astronauts from the moon’s orbit to the surface and back for the Artemis III mission, which is targeting 2027 for its departure – a timeline that Duffy insisted was realistic and vital to beating China. (8/28)

NASA Debuts New Orion Mission Control Room for Artemis 2 (Source: Space.com)
With shiny new next-generation spacecraft come the complex systems required to track their technologically advanced systems. When it comes to NASA's Orion spacecraft, that need is a whole extra room of monitors. NASA has opened a new complex in the Mission Control Center at its Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston ahead of the Artemis 2 mission to send astronauts around the moon aboard the Orion space capsule — the vehicle's first-ever crewed flight test. (8/28)

August 28, 2025

Isar Aerospace Secures Launch Agreements with ESA (Source: Isar)
Isar Aerospace has secured two launch service agreements with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission as part of the Flight Ticket Initiative. The contracts mark the first launch agreements between a privately funded European launch service provider and European institutions, setting a precedent for future institutional launches aboard Isar Aerospace’s launch vehicle ‘Spectrum’. (8/27)

Pentagon R&D Chief: Defense Needs to Expand Industrial Base (Source: Space.com)
The Defense Department wants to improve how it works with emerging companies, including in the space sector. Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael said Wednesday that the Pentagon has to change how it builds relationships with industry, “especially with new entrants.”  He said the DOD must make it easier for new companies to work with it, citing how companies such as SpaceX had to file lawsuits to win their first contracts. Michael said the space industry is one sector in which the Pentagon can ride a wave of private investment because of the dual-use nature of many space technologies. (8/28)

New Cause Considered for "Wow!" Signal (Source: Space.com)
A signal detected nearly 50 years ago that has become legendary among SETI researchers may instead have a natural origin. The signal was detected by an Ohio State University radio telescope in 1977 and is known as the “Wow!” signal from the annotation an astronomer made on a computer printout. Some scientists speculated the signal could be a transmission from an extraterrestrial intelligence, but has not been detected since; others think it may have just been terrestrial interference. New analysis suggests the signal may instead be an astronomical phenomenon where high-energy radiation from a source like a magnetar causes a brightening in a hydrogen line in interstellar clouds. (8/28)

Isar and Avio Picked by ESA for Launch Demos (Source: Space News)
Two European companies won contracts to launch technology demonstration missions. ESA announced Wednesday it selected Avio and Isar Aerospace for the first awards in the Flight Ticket Initiative it runs in collaboration with the European Commission. Avio will launch three technology demonstration payloads as rideshares on a future Vega C launch, while Isar will carry two payloads on a Spectrum launch. ESA and the EU created the Flight Ticket Initiative to provide ways for European companies and organizations to test technologies in orbit. It also provides new competitive opportunities for European launch companies. (8/28)

NASA Hoping to Gain Mars Orbiter with Budget Reconciliation Funds (Source: Space News)
NASA is still working on a strategy for acquiring a Mars telecommunications orbiter funded in the budget reconciliation bill. That bill provided NASA with $700 million for a communications relay satellite at Mars, requiring that spacecraft, competitively selected, to be delivered by the end of 2028. Kevin Coggins, NASA's deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation, said this week that the agency was still developing a strategy to acquire the spacecraft. That approach stands in contrast to efforts by NASA to move to a services model, working with industry to purchase communications services for operations in Earth orbit and out to the moon. (8/28)

Is NASA’s Nuclear Moon Plan Sheer Lunacy? (Source: The New World)
The first thing to say about the suggestion by Sean Duffy, the former lumberjack champion who is now the current acting administrator of NASA, that the US space program intends to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 is that not everything about this idea is gold-plated lunacy. Nuclear power may be essential for a future lunar base, but NASA’s latest announcement looks more like a flag-planting contest than a serious mission plan. (8/27)

Satlyt Gains $25K Grant From San Jose (Source: Space News)
A space startup is one of four to win funding from the city of San Jose, California, as part of an AI incentive program. One-year-old Satlyt will receive $25,000 from the initiative, city officials announced Wednesday. The company is developing software to turn satellites into virtual data centers, taking advantage of unused onboard computing capacity on spacecraft. The San Francisco-based company, which has raised $1 million in venture funding, will use the award to establish an office in San Jose. Satlyt and the other winners will also receive professional services such as real estate consulting, legal support and IT expertise. (8/28)

SpaceX Launches Thursday Starlink Mission at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX reached a new milestone in booster reuse with a Starlink launch early Thursday morning. A Falcon 9 lifted off from the Cape, putting 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. The first stage used for this launch, designated B1067, made its 30th flight, a record for the company. (8/28)

Air Guard Transfers to Space Force Appear Likely as Senators Backtrack on Effort to Stop It (Source: Military.com)
Senators are backing down from efforts to block a transfer of Air National Guard personnel to the Space Force. Amendments submitted this month by Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) would permit the transfer of nearly 600 Guardsmen to the Space Force on a “one-time, voluntary” basis. There had been bipartisan efforts to block that transfer and President Trump said while campaigning last year he supported the creation of a Space National Guard, which the Pentagon opposed. The senators said they still backed a Space National Guard but introduced the amendments to ensure the transfer does not set a precedent. (8/28)

SNS Insider Forecasts $4.2B Space Semiconductor Market by 2032 (Source: SNS Insider)
A new report forecasts the space semiconductor sector will exceed $4.22 billion by 2032, growing at a 6% CAGR. Accelerated satellite constellation deployment and in-space systems demand drive this upside. Investors may view this as a positive indicator for component suppliers positioning in next-generation space hardware. (8/20)

These Stars Don’t Burn – They Annihilate Dark Matter (Source: SciTech Daily)
Astronomers may have discovered a whole new type of star — mysterious “dark dwarfs” that could glow forever by feeding on dark matter, the invisible substance thought to make up most of the universe. Using theoretical models, the scientists suggest that dark matter could become trapped inside young stars, generating enough energy to prevent them from cooling down. This process could transform them into long-lived, stable objects known as dark dwarfs. (8/27)

Unusual Characteristics for Interstellar Comet (Source: Gizmodo)
JWST has revealed even more of 3I/ATLAS’s distinctive features. Most comets have comas dominated by water, but this one is chock-full of carbon dioxide, according to the study. In fact, the researchers found that its ratio of carbon dioxide to water is among the highest ever observed in any comet. These new findings suggest the comet formed under conditions far different from those in our corner of the galaxy, adding to a growing list of traits that make it unlike any seen before. (8/27)

What's Next for Starship (Source: Space.com)

The company plans to continue iterating with Starship, which checked all of its boxes during its 10th-ever test flight on Tuesday evening. The current Starship variant, known as Version 2, stands 397 feet tall and features a total of 39 Raptors — 33 on Super Heavy and six on Ship. Its successors will be even bigger and more powerful. Musk said that the next iteration, V3, will be 408 feet tall. One of his slides also depicted a variant described as "Future Starship," which will tower at a whopping 466 feet.

"Starship V4 will have 42 engines when 3 more Raptors are added to a significantly longer ship. That will fly in 2027. Starship V3 is a massive upgrade from the current V2 and should be through production and testing by end of year, with heavy flight activity next year," Musk wrote. Some of those V3 flights will head to Mars, if all goes to plan: SpaceX is targeting 2026 for its first-ever Starship Red Planet missions, which will be uncrewed, stripped-down test flights.

"We'll attempt to land the initial infrastructure [on Mars] and start delivering more equipment while evaluating available resources on the planet," said SpaceX's Amanda Lee. "And we'll also have Optimus on board for the ride, designed to do the initial heavy lifting," she noted, referring to the humanoid robot built by Tesla, one of Musk's other companies. (8/27)

15 Animals Most Likely to Be the First Colonists on Mars (Source: AOL)
Life on Mars is still a big maybe, but if humans ever manage to settle there, they won’t go alone. Any future colony will need organisms that can tolerate intense radiation and a serious lack of oxygen. Scientists already have a shortlist of Earth species that might actually stand a chance. Here’s a look at animals that could call Mars their second home. Click here. (8/27) https://www.aol.com/15-animals-most-likely-first-133122567.html

NASA Seeks Volunteers to Track Artemis II Mission (Source: NASA)
NASA seeks volunteers to passively track the Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth. The Artemis II test flight, a launch of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.

The mission, targeted for no later than April 2026, will rely on NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for primary communications and tracking support throughout its launch, orbit, and reentry. However, with a growing focus on commercialization, NASA wants to further understand industry’s tracking capabilities. (8/27)

Starlink, T-Mobile Eye EchoStar’s Spectrum After AT&T Deal (Source: Semafor)
Starlink and T-Mobile have separately expressed interest in acquiring some or all of the spectrum controlled by struggling DISH Network-parent EchoStar, according to people familiar with the matter.

At stake is one of the largest pots of underused airwaves, which are owned by the public but licensed to telecom companies. EchoStar’s chairman, Charlie Ergen, has hoarded his spectrum holdings with the unfulfilled ambition to build a national network, but has come under pressure from Federal Communications Commission chief Brendan Carr, among others, to find a buyer to put that bandwidth to work. (8/26)

Polish President’s Veto Threatens Ukraine’s Starlink Access (Source: European Interest)
A veto by Poland’s right-wing President Karol Nawrocki threatens Ukraine’s access to the strategically vital Starlink satellite internet service, says Krzysztof Gawkowski, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. Poland underwrites Ukraine’s use of the Elon Musk Starlink internet link that is crucial to Kyiv’s fight to repel Russia’s invading forces. A Digital Affairs Ministry statement noted that, thanks to the veto, Warsaw will be unable to authorize further payments for the Starlink service from 1 October onwards. (8/27)

'Terrified it’ll Destroy My House’: SpaceX Plans Concern Space Coast Residents (Source: WESH)
SpaceX expects its Starship super-heavy-lift rocket to take us back to the moon and, eventually, to Mars. It is also looking to launch the rocket from Florida’s Space Coast. However, back-to-back failed test flights have drawn criticism and local pushback. “I live straight across the Indian River in Titusville. My house — right now — during a regular SpaceX launch, I can sleep through it. A heavy, I hear it,” Charlene Melcher said. “This one — I’m terrified it’s gonna destroy my house.”

“An alternative has to be found,” Kremer said. “This is just focused on 39A, but there’s also a possibility of 37, and I think that would vastly minimize the impacts on Playalinda Beach and the other communities.” Under the current FAA proposal, up to 44 Starship Super Heavy launches could occur each year. This would prompt temporary airspace closures, maritime closures and Playalinda Beach closures for an estimated 60.5 days annually. (8/27)

A Trump Grab For Stakes In Defense Firms Could Be A Nightmare For Musk's SpaceX (Source: Forbes)
The U.S. government spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year with defense companies. The Trump administration seems to think it deserves something more in return than goods and services: equity. The Defense Department is considering taking ownership stakes in defense contractors, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.

Unlike the ailing chipmaker and rare earths mine developer MP Materials, both of which gave the government equity stakes in return for badly needed funding, SpaceX and other major defense contractors have robust balance sheets. If Trump started making eyes at companies like SpaceX or Lockheed Martin, it's unclear that the administration has any legal authority to seize stakes “in perfectly healthy defense companies,” noted Todd Harrison, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.

Musk, who comfortably controls the majority of SpaceX’s voting shares, is unlikely to give the government a stake, said Kimberly Siversen Burke, director of government affairs at the consultancy Quilty Space, for the same reason that he hasn’t taken the company public – he doesn’t need the money and he doesn’t want outside scrutiny. “The second outside shareholders — let alone Uncle Sam — get a look under the SpaceX hood, the whole game changes,” she said. “Transparency, board seats, GAO audits ... Elon’s worst nightmare.” (8/27)

CPR in Space Could Be Made Easier by Chest Compression Machines (Source: New Scientist)
NASA’s CPR protocol for the International Space Station demands that you wedge yourself and the patient between two hard surfaces, do a handstand on their chest and push with your legs to provide compression.

In search of a better way, Nathan Reynette at the University of Lorraine in France and his colleagues tested various CPR methods in an Airbus A310 airplane flying parabolic curves, a maneuver that creates 22 seconds of microgravity. They also tested three different chest compression machines that are commonly used in cramped environments on Earth, such as in the back of air ambulance helicopters. (8/27)

With Starship, SpaceX Encounters an Obstacle That Haunted NASA’s Space Shuttles (Source: Art Technica)
"There are thousands of engineering challenges that remain for both the ship and the booster, but maybe the single biggest one is the reusable orbital heat shield," said Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and CEO, on Monday.

SpaceX started off flying Starships with roughly 18,000 hexagonal tiles, each about the size of a dinner plate. These tiles were made of ceramic material, similar to the design of the heat shield tiles that flew on NASA's space shuttles. Beginning with a test flight in January, SpaceX introduced its "latest generation tiles" and added a backup layer between the tiles and Starship's underlying stainless steel structure to protect it from heat shield damage.

Returning from space, the ship sees temperatures up to 2,600° Fahrenheit (1,430° Celsius), hot enough to melt aluminum. One of the reasons SpaceX chose stainless steel for Starship's primary structure is because of the metal's higher melting point. "The space shuttle heat shield would come back essentially partially broken and would require many months of refurbishment in order to fly again," Musk said. "What we’re trying to achieve here with Starship is to have a heat shield that can be reflown immediately." (8/27)

Avio and Isar Aerospace Win ESA Flight Ticket Initiative Launch Contracts (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency has awarded launch service contracts to Avio and Isar Aerospace under its Flight Ticket Initiative. Announced in October 2023, the Flight Ticket Initiative is a program run jointly by ESA and the European Union that offers subsidized flight opportunities for European companies and organizations seeking to demonstrate new satellite technologies in orbit.

In May 2024, ESA and the European Union selected Arianespace, Isar Aerospace, PLD Space, Orbex, and Rocket Factory Augsburg as part of a pool of launch service providers for Flight Ticket Initiative missions. On 27 August 2025, ESA announced that it had awarded Avio and Isar Aerospace the first launch contracts under the Flight Ticket Initiative. (8/27)

Space Force Advances Ground, Space Surveillance (Source: Aviation Week)
The US Space Force is enhancing space domain awareness with new ground-based capabilities and satellites as well as future surveillance plans. L3Harris Technologies has upgraded the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance system at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, with similar upgrades planned for Maui, Hawaii. Northrop Grumman has advanced the Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability program by integrating seven antennas at the first site in Australia, and the Space Force plans to launch new Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites by year-end. (8/27)   
 
LeoLabs Pivots to Defense Tech Amid Geopolitical Tensions (Source: Wall Street Journal)
LeoLabs has shifted its focus to defense technology amid rising geopolitical tensions, resulting in increased demand for its radar and analytics services. Originally tracking objects in low Earth orbit, LeoLabs now helps countries assess space threats. (8/26)

August 27, 2025

Russia's Energia at Risk of Closure (Source: Gazeta)
The head of RSC Energia has warned employees of the Russian space company that it is in danger of shutting down. In a notice on an internal website, Igor Maltsev, general director of the company, said the company has severe debts and that many employees have lost motivation. He said he could not rule out closing the firm if the problems continued. Energia, whose origins date back to a design bureau created by Sergei Korolev, currently produces Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. (8/27)

Concerns Over SKAO Financial Management (Source: Guardian)
A radio telescope project is facing allegations of financial mismanagement. The Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) is a multibillion-dollar project building a network of thousands of radio antennas in the Australian outback. Costs of the project have gone up significantly, which a whistleblower alleges were due in part to losses from investments using SKAO funds, covered up by reshuffling other funds and claiming losses from currency fluctuations. SKAO is an international organization governed by a treaty that exempts it from taxes and normal legal processes. SKAO leadership has commissioned an external review of those claims. (8/27)

Giant Star Stripped to its Core Reveals Origins of Silicon and Sulfur (Source: Space Daily)
Researchers have identified a rare type of supernova that exposes the hidden inner layers of a massive star, revealing where heavy elements such as silicon and sulfur are produced. The discovery centers on SN2021yfj, a stellar explosion detected in September 2021. Unlike most observed supernovae, which mainly display hydrogen and helium, this event was dominated by signatures of silicon, sulfur, and argon. The findings provide direct observational proof of the onion-like structure long theorized in massive stars. (8/26)

Can Humans Live on Mars? This NASA Mission Intends to Find Out (Source: The Times)
The atmosphere on Mars is less than 1 per cent of Earth’s surface pressure and comprises largely carbon dioxide, with only trace amounts of oxygen. Minus a spacesuit, helmet and life-support systems, I would suffer rapid collapse and — within a couple of minutes — death by suffocation if this were a true red-planet scenario. Here in the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue (CHAPAE), a simulated Martian habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, the stakes are lower and crew members face mock challenges without danger.

Throughout their 378-day missions — one completed last year and another two to come — almost everything else here mimics life on Mars as envisaged by scientists and engineers. The purpose is to help researchers understand and mitigate the physical and psychological challenges and inform the design of future missions. (8/25)

ICEYE Secures €9.38M in Funding from Poland’s National Development Bank (Source: European Spaceflight)
Earth observation data provider and satellite manufacturer ICEYE has secured over PLN 40 million (€9.38 million) in new funding from Vinci S.A., an investment vehicle of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), Poland’s National Development Bank. As an investment vehicle for BGK, Vinci S.A. is tasked with investing in the commercialization and expansion of Polish startups. (8/25)

Picking Winners: Pentagon Considers Stakes in Defense Contractors (Source: CNBC))
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has revealed that the Pentagon is considering acquiring equity stakes in major defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, similar to the recent 10% acquisition of Intel. This move could signify a significant shift in defense financing, raising concerns about increased government control over the private sector. (8/27)

DOGE Team to Lead Sweeping Review of DOD Contracts (Source: Bloomberg)
The "Delivering Outcomes, Greater Efficiency" team at the Pentagon will review more than 400,000 contracts and grants in an effort to identify and eliminate waste, according to a fiscal 2026 budget document. Savings identified in the review would be redirected to other programs, the document says. (8/27)

Elbit's JUPITER Camera Launches (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Elbit Systems has launched its JUPITER space camera aboard the NAOS Satellite using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The high-resolution camera is compatible with advanced image processing and AI engines, and can be integrated with ground station analytics and onboard systems. (8/27)

Belgium's Aerospacelab Secures $110 Million to Expand Satellite Production and Development (Source: Space Daily)
Aerospacelab has closed an extended Series B funding round worth $110 million, strengthening its industrial roadmap and positioning as a leading European satellite manufacturer. The round combined $66 million in new financing with a $44 million commitment from a European financial institution.  A portion of the capital is supporting the vertical integration of key subsystems, reinforcing industrial autonomy, and accelerating product development. (8/26)

Starship Flies Again, Deploys Test Payloads, Achieves Soft Landing (Source: Space News)
SpaceX’s Starship vehicle performed a largely successful test flight Tuesday after a string of failures. The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from Starbase, Texas on the Flight 10 mission. The vehicle avoided the problems that caused the three previous launches to fail. Starship deployed eight mass simulators of next-generation Starlink satellites during the suborbital flight and performed an in-space relight of a Raptor engine. The vehicle survived reentry and made a pinpoint “soft” splashdown in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX said after the flight that the launch achieved all of its major goals. (8/27)

EchoStar AT&T Spectrum Deal Boosts Direct-to-Device Constellation Scheme (Source: Space News)
EchoStar is selling spectrum to AT&T in a deal that should boost its efforts to deploy a direct-to-device satellite constellation. EchoStar will sell the terrestrial wireless spectrum to AT&T for $23 billion, ending its bid to operate as a traditional mobile carrier in the United States. The proceeds from the spectrum sale should allow EchoStar to pay down much of its more than $25 billion in debt and help it finance a $5 billion constellation of direct-to-device satellites. EchoStar ordered 100 satellites from MDA Space earlier this month for that constellation. (8/27)

Firefly Says Structural Failure Caused Alpha Rocket Failure (Source: Space News)
Firefly Aerospace said a structural failure caused by excessive heating was the key problem with its Alpha rocket in April. The company announced Tuesday it completed the investigation into the failure, which caused the loss of a Lockheed Martin technology demonstration satellite.

On the launch, a higher angle of attack during ascent than used on previous launches caused aeroheating on part of the first stage. That weakened the structure, which ruptured from the forces of stage separation. The pressure wave from the rupture took off the nozzle of the second stage engine, reducing its performance and keeping the stage and its payload from reaching orbit. The company said it has implemented changes to prevent the problem from happening again and has received approval from the FAA to resume launches. (8/27)

XTAR Plans New Satellites for Government Business (Source: Space News)
Satellite operator XTAR is planning new satellites to expand opportunities with U.S. and allied military customers. The Virginia-based company is shifting from its two legacy X-band satellites to next-generation spacecraft funded by its minority shareholder, Spain’s Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos.

One of the satellites, Spainsat NG-1, launched in January, while Spainsat NG-2 is scheduled for launch in the fall. Both next-gen satellites carry payloads in X-band, military Ka-band and UHF. XTAR’s new CEO, Patrick Rayermann, said the satellites will give XTAR more tools to compete for U.S. Department of Defense and allied government contracts. (8/27)

SpaceX Launches NAOS and Several Smallsats From California (Source: Space News)
SpaceX launched an imaging satellite for Luxembourg and several secondary payloads Tuesday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Its primary payload was the National Advanced Optical System (NAOS) satellite, a high-resolution imaging satellite built by OHB Italia for the government of Luxembourg. The launch also carried seven secondary payloads for Capella Space, Dhruva Space, Pixxel and Planet. The launch was an example of the “shared launch” rideshare services that SpaceX provides in addition to its dedicated rideshare launches. (8/27)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites on Wednesday at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Another Falcon 9 launched more Starlink satellites Wednesday morning. The Falcon 9 lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, carrying 28 Starlink satellites. Those satellites were deployed a little more than an hour after liftoff. (8/27)

August 26, 2025

Space Coast Startup Offers Spaceflight for Cremated Remains (Source: Ashes to Space)
Longtime space industry engineer Ryan Mitchell has started Space Beyond, "a privately-held vertically-integrated aerospace services company dedicated to democratizing spaceflight." Space Beyond's "Ashes to Space" service provides an affordable way to send a symbolic portion of your loved ones’ remains to Earth orbit. The service features an online ordering process with a mail-in kit that can be provided to a funeral service provider or directly to the customer.

When received in a small vial by Space Beyond, a loved-one's ashes are stored in a controlled location until ready for spacecraft integration. A licensed funeral director supports integration into a flight-certified carrier and Space Beyond handles carrier testing, certification, and launch vehicle processing. The customer is informed at every step, up to and including virtual or in-person launch day viewing. Click here. (8/26)

UCF-Developed Testing Tech to Launch on Blue Origin Mission (Source: UCF)
The Florida Space Institute is on the verge of launching a Blue Origin payload into space. If all goes as planned, Julie Brisset’s NASA-funded project will send an experiment into space. Brisset, interim director of the Florida Space Institute, has a passion for advancing space exploration, which the project aims to do.

The technology to be tested is a Dust In-situ Manipulation System (DIMS) — a payload designed to create and control dust clouds in low-gravity environments, specifically for simulating how dust behaves in undisturbed environments, for example interstellar dust clouds or pollution aerosols in our atmosphere. (8/25)

Don’t Shortchange Public Comment, Scientific Input on SpaceX Plans (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Space is written into Central Florida’s DNA. Local residents still thrill to the sight of a rocket climbing into the sky, and grin when a sonic boom from a decelerating spacecraft rattles their windows. When tragedy strikes, our grief knows no bounds. That doesn’t mean local residents are ready to write a blank check for space-related activities — particularly use of taxpayer-owned assets by for-profit companies. If private space enterprises like SpaceX or Blue Origin want to launch from government facilities, they should reimburse for those costs — particularly when they seek exclusive use of launchpads or other infrastructure.

And when they ask for leeway to close public assets, like area beaches or the Merritt Island Natural Wildlife Refuge, they need to make their case to the public, not just NASA — with full and open accountability. That should include a willingness to answer tough questions in an open forum, and due diligence to ensure that restrictions on public access to public land aren’t tighter than they need to be. Community advocates say that’s not happening with planned launch/landing facilities being requested by SpaceX. They are urging locals to speak out at a series of public meetings — and are justifiably unhappy that the meetings aren’t as public as they could be.

The critics raise multiple issues. First, the potential environmental impacts on a fragile, beloved piece of coastline need extensive study — particularly when it comes to impacts on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which lies north of the proposed launch site. If all goes well, there still could be significant impacts on the birds and other species that call the refuge their home. And as any casual observer knows, things don’t always go well with SpaceX launches or landings. Federal officials should take the time to listen to local residents, and find a way for everyone to be accommodated. (8/26)

Filtronic Gets Fresh $62.5 Million Contract From SpaceX (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Filtronic signed a $62.5 million contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, its single largest order to date. The U.K. defense and aerospace telecom-equipment maker on Tuesday said that the order is for the supply of its proprietary gallium nitride E-band product which enhances low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity as it delivers more than double the output power of its existing gallium arsenide product line. (8/26)

With a New Soyuz Rocket, Russia Seeks to Break its Ukrainian Dependency (Source: Ars Technica)
The chief of Roscosmos said the country's newest rocket, the Soyuz-5, should take flight for the first time before the end of this year. From an innovation standpoint, the Soyuz-5 vehicle does not stand out. It has been a decade in the making and is fully expendable, unlike a lot of newer medium-lift rockets coming online in the next several years. However, for Russia, this is an important advancement because it seeks to break some of the country's dependency on Ukraine for launch technology.

Essentially, the Soyuz-5 booster is a slightly larger copy of an older rocket manufactured in Yuzhmash, Ukraine, the Zenit-2. This medium-lift rocket made its debut in the 1980s and flew dozens of missions into the 2010s. It was the last major rocket developed in the Soviet Union and was designed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in Dnipro, Ukraine. The Zenit's first and second stages were manufactured there. However, the first-stage engine, the extremely powerful RD-171 engine, was designed and built by NPO Energomash in Russia. (8/25)

The U.S. Space Industry Became Dependent on SpaceX (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX is valued at around $400 billion and is critical for U.S. space access, but it wasn’t always the powerhouse that it is today. Today, SpaceX dominates large parts of the space market from launch to satellites. In 2024, SpaceX conducted a record-breaking 134 orbital launches, more than double the amount of launches done by the next most prolific launch provider, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. These 134 launches accounted for 83% of all spacecraft launched last year. According to a July report by Bloomberg, SpaceX was valued at $400 billion. (8/24)

SpaceX Starship Critical Test Launch Scrapped Over Ground Systems Issue (Source: Fox News)
SpaceX’s 403-foot Starship was set to lift off Sunday evening from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas, marking its most ambitious test yet after a string of setbacks. But the launch of SpaceX’s tenth test flight was scrapped after there was an issue with the ground systems. (8/24)

Spacesuit Milestone Reached with 20 Spacewalks on Chinese Station (Source: Space Daily)
The extravehicular spacesuit B aboard China's space station has achieved a major milestone by supporting 20 spacewalks. Astronaut Chen Dong most recently used the suit on Aug. 15 during the Shenzhou XX crew's third series of extravehicular activities. This accomplishment marks the first time a Chinese spacesuit has met its extended service goal of sustaining 20 EVAs within four years. The suit has been worn by 11 astronauts across eight manned missions, demonstrating both reliability and durability. (8/21)

Solar System Internet Achieves Breakthrough DTN Edge Processing Test on Lunar Mission (Source: Space Daily)
In a milestone for interplanetary communications, Lonestar Data Holdings confirmed the successful test of the Solar System Internet's Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) aboard its lunar data center mission launched on Intuitive Machines' Athena lander in February. The demonstration validated the use of DTN technology, engineered to maintain robust communications in high-latency space environments.

The test showed that advanced medical data could be transmitted across long distances, a development with major implications for astronaut health monitoring and future telemedicine in space. Lonestar's space-based edge processing simulated real-time medical data transfer from cis-lunar orbit and the lunar surface to Earth, offering critical insights into how space-grade communication can support both exploration and healthcare. (8/22)

Mitsubishi Electric to Lead JAXA Fund Project on Next Generation Solar Cells for Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) has been chosen as a representative organization under JAXA's Space Strategy Fund for the initiative "Development of Domestic Solar Cells, Cover Glass, and Solar Arrays," part of the agency's first-phase program to strengthen Japan's satellite component supply chain. A formal contract has been signed with JAXA.

Rising demand for satellite solar cells and protective cover glass-particularly with the growth of low Earth orbit constellations-has been driving shortages, high prices, and longer delivery times worldwide. The project aims to mitigate these issues by fostering cost-effective, mass-producible solar technology within Japan. (8/2)

SDA's First Tranche 1 Satellites Set for Vandenberg Launch on Falcon 9 (Source: Space News)
The first satellites for the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture are set to launch next month. York Space Systems said Monday it delivered 21 satellites to Vandenberg Space Force Base for a Falcon 9 launch scheduled for Sep. 10. The satellites are the first for Tranche 1 Transport Layer B of the overall architecture, and the first operational satellites for the overall constellation after the deployment of experimental Tranche 0 satellites in 2023.

Tranche 1 is designed to deliver usable services to military operators, with Ka-band payloads and Link 16 tactical data links as well as optical intersatellite links. The September mission is the first of six launches planned to build out the Tranche 1 Transport Layer, with 126 satellites spread across six near-polar orbital planes. (8/26)

China Readies Rocket Landing Attempt After Orbital Launch (Source: Space News)
China is preparing for its first attempt to land a rocket stage after an orbital launch, following years of development and testing. Both the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and commercial company Landspace recently made progress with testing of their respective Long March 12A and Zhuque-3 rockets, which make debut test flights possible before the end of the year. Achieving reusable launch capabilities has long been a goal for China’s space ambitions to enable deployment of the Guowang and Qianfan/Thousand Sails constellations. (8/26)

China Launches More Guowang Satellites, Maybe Military Versions (Source: Space News)
China continues to accelerate the deployment of its Guowang constellation with a launch Monday. A Long March 8A rocket lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center carrying the 10th group of Guowang satellites. This was the sixth Guowang satellite launch within 30 days as the project’s cadence ramps up. Little is known about the satellites themselves, with no images published and only terse descriptions of the spacecraft.

Some suggest that the satellites, in addition to broadband payloads, may carry additional payloads or functions, potentially mimicking elements of SpaceX’s Starshield service. Monday’s launch was the third flight of the Long March 8A, a variant of the standard Long March 8 with upgraded engines and a larger payload fairing that appears designed to support Guowang. (8/26)

Constellations Failing with Astronomy-Friendly Goals to Reduce Brightness (Source: Space News)
Satellite constellations like Guowang are falling short of brightness limits set to mitigate their effect on astronomy. A recent study found that constellations - with the exception of OneWeb - were missing goals to keep their satellites no brighter than magnitude 7, with some constellations having an average brightness as high as magnitude 3.3. At a conference last month, industry officials said that while that goal was worthwhile, it was “really, really difficult” to achieve because of the complexities of satellite designs and the need to ensure those satellites can still carry out their primary missions. (8/26)

Weather Scrubs Second Starship Launch Attempt (Source: Space.com)
Weather scrubbed a second attempt to launch SpaceX’s Starship on its latest test flight Monday. SpaceX called off the launch at about 8 p.m. Eastern, halfway into a one-hour window, because of anvil clouds in the area that violated weather constraints for launch. The company said it will try again Tuesday in a window that opens at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. (8/26)

DeepSat Wins USAF Contract for VLEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Satellite startup DeepSat won a U.S. Air Force contract to support work on very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites. DeepSat received a $1.25 million “Direct to Phase 2” contract from AFWERX to develop technologies for Orion’s Belt, a proposed constellation of about 20 VLEO satellites for maritime monitoring in the Indo-Pacific region. The satellites will gather visual and shortwave infrared imagery in addition to tracking vessels and aircraft with Automatic Identification System and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receivers. DeepSat plans to use satellite buses and other services from Redwire. (8/26)

More DoD Officials Fired for Political Leanings? (Source: Reuters)
The head of the Pentagon office that has worked with commercial space and other companies has stepped down. Doug Beck, director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), resigned on Monday, according to an email he sent to the unit’s staff. The reason for his departure, and whether it was voluntary, was not clear, but sources said Defense Department leadership noted his past donations to Democratic political candidates. Several other DOD officials have also been removed from their posts in recent days. DIU supports companies developing technologies with military applications, including in the space sector. (8/26)

ESA Jupiter Probe Glitches Before Venus Flyby (Source: ESA)
A software glitch caused a loss of communications with an ESA spacecraft as it prepared for a Venus flyby. ESA said that the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, spacecraft, stopped communicating with controllers on July 16. Engineers spent the next day sending commands into the blind, hoping they would be received by the spacecraft. One of those commands did reach Juice, confirming that the spacecraft was in good condition with no major malfunctions of systems.

An investigation uncovered a software bug that could cause a signal amplifier on the spacecraft to turn off when a timer resets, something that takes place only once every 16 months. The spacecraft has since resumed normal operations and will make a flyby of Venus on Sunday, part of a series of gravity-assist maneuvers to send it to Jupiter. (8/26)

August 25, 2025

Northrop Grumman Wins Space Force Satellite Contract (Source: Defence Connect)
Northrop Grumman has secured a contract from the US Space Force to design the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global system for secure and resilient military communications. The contract will begin with initial design work and is expected to expand to satellite production. The system will use the GEOStar-3 platform and operate in the X and Ka bands. (8/25)

Dragon Docks at ISS With Reboost Kit (Source: Space News)
A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station on a mission that will include reboosting the station’s orbit. The CRS-33 Dragon launched Sunday on a Falcon 9 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, docking with the ISS Monday morning. The spacecraft is carrying 2,300 kilograms of supplies and experiments for the station. It also has a “reboost kit” installed in the trunk section consisting of Draco thrusters and propellant that will be used to maintain the station’s orbit instead of the station’s own thrusters or Progress spacecraft. The use of the reboost kit is for now a one-time event, although NASA did not rule out using it on future Dragon missions if needed. (8/25)

Astranis Sees Increased Interest in Small GEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Astranis has found that small GEO satellites can be a big business. In a recent interview, Astranis CEO John Gedmark said the company is seeing interest in its satellites from enterprise customers, ranging from companies to governments, who want dedicated private networks rather than leasing capacity on larger GEO satellites. The company launched four small GEO satellites in December, two of which have now entered service, and has the capacity to produce up to 24 satellites annually. (8/25)

India Conducts Gaganyaan Drop Tests (Source: Indian Express)
India’s space agency ISRO performed the first drop test of its Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft Sunday. In the test, the crew capsule was carried aloft under a helicopter and dropped from an altitude of three kilometers. The capsule deployed its parachutes as planned and splashed down in the ocean off the coast from the Sriharikota spaceport. The test was a key milestone before the first uncrewed launch of Gaganyaan late this year. (8/25)

Russia Launches Military Satellite on Angara Rocket (Source: Russian Space Web)
Russia launched a classified military payload on an Angara rocket last week. The Angara 1.2 rocket lifted off at 5:32 a.m. Eastern Thursday on what the Russian military said was a successful launch of defense payloads. Four satellites, thought to be optical reconnaissance spacecraft, were tracked from the launch, three in low circular orbits and a fourth in a more elliptical orbit. (8/25)

Indian Launch of AST SpaceMobile Satellite Likely Slips to 2026 (Source: WION)
The launch of an AST SpaceMobile satellite from India might not occur until next year. The BlueBird Block 2 satellite is now scheduled to launch on an Indian GSLV rocket in the first quarter of 2026, the head of the Indian space agency ISRO said Saturday. He did not give a reason for the delay. The launch was originally planned for early this year but slipped several times. The Block 2 satellites are much larger than AST SpaceMobile’s existing satellites, and the company plans to deploy several dozen of them into low Earth orbit for direct-to-device services. (8/25)

Urban Sky Wins STRATFI Contract for Stratospheric Ballooning (Source: Space News)
Stratospheric ballooning company Urban Sky won a STRATFI contract from the U.S. Air Force. The company said Friday it received a Strategic Funds Increase, or STRATFI, contract from the Air Force Research Lab and AFWERX, which includes $15 million in R&D funding and $15 million in orders from government customers. Urban Sky is matching that money with $30 million from its Series B round raised in February. It said the funds will be used to mature balloon technologies that can be used for imaging and communications applications in place of, or complementing, satellite services. (8/25)

August 24, 2025

ISRO Unveils Module Of Bharatiya Antariksh Station, Launch Set For 2028 (Source: News18)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Friday unveiled a model of the highly anticipated Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) module during the two-day National Space Day celebrations in New Delhi. India plans to launch the first module of the BAS, its home-built space station, by 2028, marking its entry into the group of a handful of nations that operate orbital laboratories. (8/23)

SpaceX Is Losing a Staggering Amount of Money Every Time One of Its Starships Explodes (Source: Futurism)
Each Starship prototype costs hundreds of millions of dollars to build, highlighting the astronomical costs of SpaceX's unique iterative design approach to developing the world's most powerful rocket. It's an eye-wateringly expensive process that's so far delivered muted results. The mess is also reportedly starting to affect the company's fundraising efforts, according to Bloomberg, with investors balking at a proposed $500 billion valuation. (8/23)

What’s Really Inside Jupiter? (Source: SciTech Daily)
New research challenges the long-standing idea that Jupiter’s unusual core was formed by a colossal planetary collision. Instead, scientists now believe its “dilute core”—a fuzzy mix of rock, ice, hydrogen, and helium—formed gradually as the planet grew. (8/22)

Exoplanets Suffering From a Plague of Dark Matter Could Turn Into Black Holes (Source: Physics World)
Dark matter could be accumulating inside planets close to the galactic center, potentially even forming black holes that might consume the afflicted planets from the inside-out, new research has predicted. According to the standard model of cosmology, all galaxies including the Milky Way sit inside huge haloes of dark matter, with the greatest density at the center. Now some researchers propose that dark matter could elastically scatter off molecules inside planets, lose energy and become trapped inside those planets, and then grow so dense that they collapse to form a black hole. (8/21)

Indigenous Clocks Delay ISRO’s Plans to Replace Defunct Navic Satellites (Source: The Hindu)
Officials at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) say they are looking to launch at least three satellites before 2026-end, to replace defunct satellites that are part of the ‘Indian GPS’ or Navic (Navigation with Indian constellation) system. However, there seems to be a key element impeding the launch — the development of indigenous clocks. These high-precision clocks — now proposed at five per satellite — are what provides accurate timing (and hence location) services to users on earth. (8/23)

Rocket Lab Launches 5 Satellites on Mystery Mission (Source: Space.com)
Rocket Lab launched five satellites for a confidential customer this evening (Aug. 23) on the 70th overall liftoff of its Electron rocket. An Electron carrying the satellite quintet lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site. (8/23)

Florida Starship Ops Bring Investment and Jobs (Source: Florida Today)
Florida officials project the Starship program will generate at least $1.8 billion in capital investment and 600 new full-time jobs on the Space Coast by 2030. Already under construction at the Cape: a Gigabay standing 380 feet tall and housing about 46.5 million cubic feet of interior processing space with 815,000 square feet of workspace. (8/23)

Rocket Lab to Expand U.S. Investments for National Security Programs and Semiconductor Manufacturing (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab is boosting its U.S. investments to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity and provide supply chain security for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors for national security space missions. The Trump Administration will support these investments with a $23.9 million award through the Department of Commerce, part of the CHIPS and Science Act that ensures U.S. leadership in space-grade semiconductor technology. (8/22)

Amazon and Starlink Awarded 50% of Colorado’s Underserved Broadband Locations (Source: Colorado Sun)
Satellite internet companies dominated Colorado’s revised broadband plan that aims to finally get the rest of the state’s households online and up to modern-day internet speeds, the Colorado Broadband Office announced Friday. Amazon’s upcoming Project Kuiper and Space X’s Starlink satellite services bid on pretty much every eligible location for a chance to qualify for some part of the state’s $826.5 million allocation as part of the federal Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD program. (8/23)

August 23, 2025

Scientists May Have Found Evidence of Life Beyond Earth (Source: Popular Mechanics)
One of the most mind-blowing recent scientific developments is the repeated detection of something called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) on a faraway exoplanet called K2-18b. DMS is a gas that, on Earth, is only produced by living organisms. In 2023, JWST’s instruments picked up hints of DMS alongside methane and carbon dioxide.

Then, earlier this year, JWST’s follow-up observations provided updated evidence for DMS and/or its cousin, DMDS. When we reported on the finding, we literally said, “This Is Not a Drill,” because even though no one is using the “aliens” word just yet, this biosignature might be our first solid clue that something—something!—is alive on another world. (8/22)

SpaceX Tries to Prove Starship Isn’t a Total Flop With Flight 10 (Source: Gizmodo)
SpaceX is gearing up for the tenth test flight of its megarocket following a streak of failures that have cast doubt on Starship’s ability to fly to Mars in 2026. Starship is slated for lift-off on Sunday, August 24, during a launch window that opens at 7:30 p.m. ET. (8/23)

Avionics Issue Delays Launch of Blue Origin's 200th Payload on 35th New Shepard Spaceflight (Source: Space.com)
Blue Origin planned to launch its 35th New Shepard mission on Saturday (Aug. 23), but had to delay. Blue plans to send its 200th payload above the Kármán line on this uncrewed suborbital flight, which will include experiments and research designed by students, teachers and university teams. When ready, the NS-35 flight, will liftoff from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in West Texas. (8/23)

Abu Dhabi’s Starlink Competitor has Big Plans for Africa - Including Better Maps (Source: News24)
Abu Dhabi's Space42 is in talks to raise funds to help the satellite communications company expand its mapping initiative in Africa. Space42 is having early discussions with potential backers including the African Union Development Agency and financial firms about the project. (8/23)

South Texans Fear SpaceX Could Take Over Land at Boca Chica State Park (Source: Houston Chronicle)
SpaceX could swallow up land at Boca Chica State Park in South Texas after a Thursday decision by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. SpaceX approached the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with an offer to buy four non-contiguous parcels totaling 1.9 acres. SpaceX said it aims to use the land to expand employee housing around its launch facilities, a move that would transform a segment of the state park the department acquired in 1994. (8/22)

WilCo Partners with Cedar Park to Create Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation (Source: Liberty Hill Independent)
The Williamson County Commissioners Court approved the creation of the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation (CTSDC) and its by-laws with the city of Cedar Park as its partner on Aug. 19. The CTSDC is a non-profit entity that will focus on infrastructure and development in the fields of specialized launch and landing facilities for space crafts, rockets and satellites in Williamson County and Cedar Park, near Austin.

Williamson County appointed Dr. Julie Lessiter, Ed Trevis, Dave Porter and Dr. Lori Magruder to the seven-member CTSDC Board of Directors. Cedar Park appointed Jana Spruce, Han Kim and Mark Burgett. The board will have the powers and authority granted to Space Development Corporations under Chapter 507 of the Texas Local Government Code. (8/22)

Japan to Launch New ISS Resupply Vehicle in October (Source: Japan Times)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch the first HTV-X new resupply vehicle to the ISS on Oct. 21. The new vehicle is scheduled to be launched on the seventh H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. It is a successor to the HTV, or Kounotori, which carried out nine missions until 2020. The new vehicle is about 8 meters long and can carry approximately 5.8 tons of cargo, up from about 4 tons with Kounotori. (8/23)

Extraterrestrial Mineral Found in a Meteorite Breaks Known Laws (Source: Union Rayo)
There is something that has the entire scientific community on edge because there is absolutely nothing like it on Earth. It is an extraterrestrial mineral, or at least that is what they believe in the article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), and it all comes from a meteorite that fell in what is now Germany in 1724!!!

It is called silica tridymite, a very rare form of silicon dioxide that has nothing similar on our planet, and the most curious thing about this element is that it has the ability to maintain a constant thermal conductivity!! And now they believe new ways of working with this material could open up in industries where high temperatures are needed (such as steel production). (8/22)

Starlink Power Cuts Reveal Vulnerabilities of Space-Based Internet Systems (Source: The National)
Two major power cuts on Elon Musk's Starlink have shown how vulnerable satellite internet systems can be, especially when compared to the more resilient fiber and mobile networks most people rely on. Even though these systems, which Jeff Bezos's Amazon is also developing through its Project Kuiper constellation, are helping to revolutionize global connectivity by reaching remote areas, the recent blackouts show they are still prone to disruptions.

Starlink users across several continents lost service in July for more than an hour after a technical issue in the company’s network software. Another power cut on Monday left thousands of customers in North America without internet access until engineers restored the system. (8/21)

SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites on Falcon-9 From Vandenberg (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday. The Starlink 17-6 mission will add another 24 satellites to the low Earth orbit constellation. With a successful completion of this mission, SpaceX will have launched more than 1,800 of its Starlink satellites in 2025 alone. (8/22)

NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions (Source: NASA)
NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day mission around the Moon and back, will advance the agency’s goal to land astronauts at the Moon’s south polar region and will help set the stage for future crewed Mars missions. While the Artemis II crew will be the first humans to test NASA’s Orion spacecraft in space, they will also conduct science investigations that will inform future deep space missions, including a lunar science investigation as Orion flies about 4,000 to 6,000 miles from the Moon’s surface. (8/21)

Linde Announces Florida and Texas Expansion to Support Commercial Space Sector (Source: Linde)
Linde announced ambitious new investments to fuel the next frontier of space exploration. With two new long-term agreements to supply bulk industrial gases for rocket launches, Linde is strengthening its leadership in the rapidly expanding U.S. space industry. As part of these agreements, Linde will significantly expand its industrial gases facility in Mims, Florida. This site will provide critical liquid oxygen and nitrogen to support rocket launches at nearby space facilities.

The additional capacity is expected to start up in the first quarter of 2027, marking the latest phase in Linde’s growth at Mims, following expansions in 2020 and 2024 driven by robust demand for industrial gases in the region.

Further amplifying its leading role in the U.S. space sector, Linde will build, own and operate a new air separation unit (ASU) in Brownsville, Texas, under a separate agreement. Expected to start up in the first quarter of 2026, this new facility will deliver liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, addressing the needs of its customer’s space operations in the region. Beyond supporting space exploration, the Brownsville ASU will enhance Linde’s extensive network of industrial gas infrastructure and expand merchant capacity across Texas. (8/20)

L3Harris Expands Satellite Integration Facility on Space Coast, Eyes Golden Dome Business (Source: L3Harris)
L3Harris has completed a $100 million expansion at its satellite integration and test facility in Palm Bay to support DoD's urgent need for on-orbit technology for the Golden Dome for America. L3Harris has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure and manufacturing processes across the United States to deliver national defense capabilities at the pace and scale required. (8/21)

August 22, 2025

Blue Origin, Anduril Win Cargo Transport Study Contracts (Source: TechCrunch)
Blue Origin and Anduril have secured study contracts from the US Air Force under the Rocket Cargo program to explore using rockets for global military cargo transport. Blue Origin has received $1.37 million to analyze point-to-point material transportation, while Anduril has received $1 million to develop a reentry container for five to 10 tons of payloads. The initiative, part of the Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics program, aims to deliver cargo to remote locations within an hour. (8/21)   

X-37B Launches on Latest Mission (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX has launched the US Space Force's X-37B space plane on its eighth mission, carrying next-generation technologies such as laser communications and a quantum inertial sensor. Launched aboard a Falcon-9 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, the mission aims to enhance navigation in areas without GPS coverage and improve satellite communications. (8/22)

RGNext Drops Protest Over Amentum Launch Range Contract (Source: Space News)
Government services contractor Amentum has started work at the nation’s space launch ranges after a rival dropped its legal challenge. Amentum won the Space Force Range Contract in May, worth up to $4 billion over 10 years, but incumbent company Range Generation Next (RGNext) protested the award in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. RGNext dropped its protest last week, allowing Amentum to start work. Beyond providing day-to-day sustainment and launch support, the company is tasked with modernizing the ranges to handle higher launch rates. While Amentum is the newcomer for this Space Force range contract, it has extensive experience working with NASA through Jacobs Technology, which it acquired in 2024. (8/22)

Industry Concerns About UK Space Agency Move (Source: Space News)
Britain’s space industry has some concerns about plans to move the U.K. Space Agency (UKSA) inside another government department. Under the plan announced earlier this week, UKSA will become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology next April. British companies said the move “seems to have come out of nowhere” and could reduce visibility into spending on space activities. However, the change could also provide more government oversight into the agency’s activities. About three-quarters of UKSA’s budget goes to the European Space Agency, and ESA’s director general, Josef Aschbacher, said he was reassured the change would not hurt British contributions to his agency. (8/22)

New Chinese Rockets Under Development (Source: Space News)
Even more new launch vehicles are under development in China. China Rocket, nominally a commercial spin-off from state-owned space giant China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said a variant of the Long March 10 called the Long March 10B had been approved for development. With its first stage recovered, it would be capable of carrying 16,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. New Beijing-based company Arktech announced Thursday that it had secured tens of millions of yuan for development of its Bingchuan-1 (Glacier-1) rocket, capable of placing up to 40,000 kilograms into LEO. Those and other rockets are emerging despite an already competitive field and imminent test flights of vehicles already in development. (8/22)

JAXA and ESA to Collaborate on Asteroid Mission (Source: Reuters)
The Japanese space agency JAXA said it will collaborate with ESA on an asteroid mission. The vice president of JAXA, Masaki Fujimoto, said Friday that JAXA will provide an H3 rocket to launch the Ramses mission being developed by ESA to study the asteroid Apophis, which will make a close approach to Earth in April 2029. JAXA would also offer spacecraft components for Ramses and fly its own asteroid mission, DESTINY+, as a rideshare payload on that launch. Fujimoto said that “JAXA must increasingly support Ramses to study Apophis through Japan-Europe collaboration, on behalf of humanity worldwide” given that a NASA mission to Apophis, OSIRIS-APEX, faces termination in NASA’s 2026 budget request. (8/22)

India's Gaganyaan Spacecraft Set for December Launch (Source: Times of India)
The first launch of India’s Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft is set for December. The G1 mission will place a Gaganyaan spacecraft, with no people on board, into orbit to test spacecraft life support and other systems. While Gaganyaan will be uncrewed, the spacecraft will carry Vyommitra, described as a “half-humanoid robot” to monitor operations. (8/22)

South Korean Cubesats to Use SteamJet Thrusters (Source: Space News)
A novel spacecraft propulsion system will be put to the test on a cubesat mission launching next year. South Korea’s K-RadCube spacecraft is one of four cubesats hitching a ride on the Artemis 2 mission, and will be placed into a highly elliptical orbit with a perigee of effectively zero. That means it must have its own propulsion system to raise its perigee in a matter of hours to avoid reentry. K-RadCube is carrying a thruster from British company SteamJet Space Systems that generates steam from water to produce thrust. The company said at the recent Small Satellite Conference that ground tests gave them confidence that the thruster can produce enough thrust within 14 hours to raise the perigee to more than 180 kilometers, enough to avoid reentry. (8/22)

Avio to Launch Vega C From Kourou (Source: European Spaceflight)
Avio has secured a license to operate Vega launches from French Guiana. The license from the French government, issued this week, will allow Avio to serve as the launch operator for Vega C launches from Kourou for 10 years. Those launches have been handled by Arianespace, but it is transferring that responsibility to Avio, the prime contractor for Vega, as part of a 2023 agreement. (8/22)

Space Machines Finalizes Scintilla Propulsion Engine for Optimus Viper (Source: Space Daily)
Space Machines Company has announced the completion of its in-house Scintilla propulsion engine, designed to power the Optimus Viper platform for rapid orbital maneuvering and space domain awareness. The engine has achieved 65-second sustained burns, more than 1,200 seconds of cumulative testing, and 40 restarts to date.

The metal 3D-printed thruster delivers 50 Newtons of thrust at 92 percent efficiency, surpassing the firm's initial 90 percent target. Engineers expect future versions to approach near-perfect efficiency. The system emphasizes reliability and scalability, allowing thrust output to increase tenfold with only minimal design modifications. (8/21)

Space Force Establishes Systems Delta 85 to Strengthen Space Defense Integration (Source: Space Daily)
Space Systems Command has officially activated Systems Delta 85, a new organization designed to unify acquisition and operational support for space defense missions. The new SYD 85 brings together functions in Space Domain Awareness, missile warning and tracking, missile defense, Command and Control, Battle Management, and Space Intelligence. (8/21)

Blue Origin Targets Sep. 29 for Next New Glenn Launch (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will launch a pair of identical spacecraft on NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission, no earlier than Sep. 29 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The two satellites, named Blue and Gold, will make a roughly 11-month journey to Mars where they will perform an ~11-month science mission while orbiting the planet. Blue and Gold were manufactured by Rocket Lab over about 3.5 years and carry science experiments from the University of California, Berkeley. This launch of the New Glenn rocket will also feature a landing attempt on its landing barge in the Atlantic Ocean. (8/21)

Why the Next Solar Superstorm Could Hit Satellites Even Harder (Source: SciTech Daily)
As carbon dioxide continues to rise in Earth’s upper atmosphere, the way solar storms interact with it may shift dramatically. New modeling suggests that future geomagnetic storms will occur in a colder, thinner atmosphere, causing a sharper spike in density despite the overall reduction. This change could increase satellite drag and disrupt critical services like GPS and communications. (8/20)

Rogue Planets Floating in Space Appear to Be Forming Their Own Moons (Source: Science Alert)
Free-floating, planetary-mass objects that are just drifting carefree through the galaxy, untethered and starless, appear to be able to generate their own systems of moons, like a planetary system on a miniature scale. An analysis of new JWST observations on a number of rogue planets – each weighing between five and 10 Jupiters – has revealed the presence of disks with a significant proportion of crystalline silicate, just like those surrounding some baby stars right before their planets start to form. (8/20)

FAA Proposal Could Limit Beach Access for Starship Launches (Source: WESH)
The FAA has submitted a draft proposal for Starship launches and landings from Launch Complex 39A at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Part of the proposal would establish restricted zones for launches, limiting public access to nearby beaches. One of the beaches in question is Playalinda Beach. According to the documents, it could be closed for 60 days or more per year to accommodate the launches.

“I can see maybe a couple of days out of the year, but not 60 days,” Patty Velez said. “That’s a lot.” Many other beachgoers expressed mixed feelings. “I’m not happy about the beach being shut down, but I’m happy about more launches,” David Ashcraft said. “I hate it. I absolutely hate it,” Michael Logan said. “There’s nothing that we can do about it besides just say how we feel,” Velez said. Several meetings are scheduled to allow the public to voice concerns and learn more. (8/20)

China’s Guowang Megaconstellation is More Than Another Version of Starlink (Source: Ars Technica)
US defense officials have long worried that China's Guowang satellite network might give the Chinese military access to the kind of ubiquitous connectivity US forces now enjoy with SpaceX's Starlink network. It turns out the Guowang constellation could offer a lot more than a homemade Chinese alternative to Starlink's high-speed consumer-grade broadband service.

The megaconstellation is managed by a secretive company called China SatNet, which was established by the Chinese government in 2021. Unlike Starlink, the Guowang network consists of satellites manufactured by multiple companies, and they launch on several types of rockets. Guowang, or "national network," may also bear similarities to something the US military calls MILNET.

Proposed in the Trump administration's budget request for next year, MILNET will be a partnership between the Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). One of the design alternatives under review at the Pentagon is to use SpaceX's Starshield satellites to create a "hybrid mesh network" that the military can rely on for a wide range of applications. US officials believe Guowang is a step toward integrating satellites into China's own kill web. (8/20)

India's AgniKul Develops 3D Printed Rocket Engine (Source: 3D Printing Industry)
Indian space startup AgniKul Cosmos has 3D printed what it claims to be the world’s largest single-piece 3D printed Inconel rocket engine, which has also received a US patent. Measuring about one meter in length, the engine is printed as a single integrated structure that runs from fuel inlet to exhaust without welds, joints, or fasteners. The approach is intended to lower manufacturing complexity, reduce points of failure, and cut production time by more than 60%.

The electric motor-driven engine is intended to power Agnibaan, which can be configured to carry between 30 kg and 300 kg  into low Earth orbits of about 700 km. AgniKul highlighted that the engine could be printed in under four days and at roughly a tenth of the cost of conventional assembly, demonstrating the potential of additive manufacturing in rocketry. (8/21)

SpaceX Starship Has Built New Grid fins for the Version 3 Super Heavy Booster (Source: Next Big Future)
SpaceX has redesigned the grid fin for the next generation Super Heavy booster. The new fins are 50% larger and higher strength, moving from four fins to three for vehicle control while enabling the booster to descend at higher angles of attack. The fins are positioned lower on the booster to align with the tower’s catch as, with the fin shaft, actuators, and fixed structure now placed inside the booster’s main fuel tank. This also includes a new catch point addition for vehicle lift and catch operations. (8/13)

Stronger, 30% Cheaper Next-Gen 3D-Printed Titanium Alloy Developed for Aerospace (Source: Interesting Engineering)
Engineers at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have developed a new type of 3D-printed titanium alloy that is significantly cheaper and stronger than the current industry standard. “By developing a more cost-effective formula that avoids this columnar microstructure, we have solved two key challenges preventing widespread adoption of 3D printing,” said Ryan Brooke. (8/17)

FAA Chief Aims to Restructure (Source: The Air Current)
Recently confirmed FAA chief Bryan Bedford is planning to restructure the sprawling 46,000-strong agency in a bid to fix what he sees as a siloed organization without a clear goal or mission. He is initially focused on the agency's leadership structure, which is currently split into five "lines of business" and nine staff offices. (8/19)

Picking a Spot for NASA’s Lunar Nuclear Reactor Is Trickier Than It Sounds (Source: Gizmodo)
A source of nuclear energy will be necessary for visiting Mars, because solar energy is weaker there. It could also help establish a lunar base and potentially even a permanent human presence on the Moon, as it delivers consistent power through the cold lunar night.

As humans travel out into the solar system, learning to use the local resources is critical for sustaining life off Earth, starting at the nearby Moon. NASA plans to prioritize the fission reactor as power necessary to extract and refine lunar resources. First, where is the best place to put an initial nuclear reactor on the Moon to set up for future lunar bases? Second, how will NASA protect the reactor from plumes of regolith—or loosely fragmented lunar rocks—kicked up by spacecraft landing near it? These are two key questions the agency will have to answer as it develops this technology.

In order to be useful, the reactor must be close to accessible, extractable, and refinable water ice deposits. The issue is we currently do not have the detailed information needed to define such a location. As for regolith plumes, they will sandblast anything close to the landing site, unless the items are placed behind large boulders or beyond the horizon, which is more than 1.5 miles away on the Moon. (8/18)

Post-Shuttle Recovery Money in Dispute Between County and City Governments (Source: Florida Today)
Titusville is disputing Brevard County's handling of the remaining money still left with the recently disbanded North Brevard Economic Zone. The zone was established in 2011 as a way of helping the Titusville area weather the economic fallout following the end of the space shuttle program. Zone officials used property tax revenue from new commercial and industrial construction in North Brevard County to help provide economic incentives for projects within the zone.

In April, the County Commission voted to end the program. Even though the remaining money was generated by properties in Titusville, the county will collect the interest. City attorneys for Titusville are currently researching whether the city or county have any statutory or other legal obligation to keep the money parked in one entity's account over the other's. Meanwhile, Titusville is exploring options on how they can bring back their own version of NBEDZ to spur growth in the city. (8/21)

The Destruction of NASA Would Be a Blow to Our Collective Imagination (Source: WIRED)
After decades working on projects like the Space Shuttle and ISS, Steve Rader had, since 2021, been leading an office on open innovation, tasked with bringing outside ideas and talent into NASA. But in the early days of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Affairs (DOGE), the atmosphere inside the agency was heavy with sadness and paranoia. Everyone was thinking of leaving, afraid they were going to be fired, or both.

No one was really talking at work about their own plans. “I think leaders especially didn't want to influence other people into leaving,” Rader said. That’s what made what happened next so shocking. There were 10 people at Rader’s apartment. They were, in his description, “the hardcore NASA people”—the kind of ultra-qualified, hyper-driven leaders who could work anywhere, for just about any salary, but still chose the federal government.

Right at the start of the meeting, half of them announced they were leaving. Some of them, like Rader, were near retirement. Others were much younger, members of what should have been the next generation of NASA leadership. “One of them, her and her family are moving to Costa Rica,” Rader says. “That's how scared she is of what's going on.” (8/21)

SpaceX Partners with Astronomers to Protect Radio Astronomy from Satellite Interference (Source: Space.com)
An automated data-sharing system co-developed by SpaceX and American radio astronomers promises to protect radio telescopes around the world from disruptive interference from satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Big constellations such as SpaceX's Starlink bring high-speed internet to people in remote, under-connected areas. But they also stain optical telescope images with streaks and disrupt observations by radio telescopes — highly sensitive antennas designed to detect weak radio waves emitted by distant galactic cores, black holes and neutron stars.

A team of researchers from the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) has spent three years working on a solution. Together with SpaceX, the scientists developed a complex data-sharing system that in real time informs the Starlink system about scheduled telescope observations, including the frequencies in which astronomers plan to observe. When the satellites fly over the telescopes, the system orders them to redirect their beams away from the sensitive antennas or to mute their electronics. (8/20)

SpaceX has Built an Impressive Production Site in Texas. Will Starship Success Follow? (Source: Ars Technica)
Over the years, as the company began assembling its Starship rockets on site, SpaceX first erected small tents, then much larger tents, and then towering high bays in which the vehicles were stacked. Starbase grew and evolved to meet the company's needs. All of this was merely a prelude to the end game: Starfactory. SpaceX opened this truly massive facility earlier this year. The sleek rocket factory is emblematic of the new Starbase: modern, gargantuan, spaceship-like.

The ultimate goal of this factory is to build one Starship rocket a day. This sounds utterly mad. For the entire Apollo program in the 1960s and 1970s, NASA built 15 Saturn V rockets. Over the course of more than three decades, NASA built and flew only five different iconic Space Shuttles. SpaceX aims to build 365 vehicles, which are larger, per year.

The interior was super impressive, of course. Yet it could not quell some of the concerns I have about the future of SpaceX's grand plans to send a fleet of Starships into the Solar System. There can be no question that the Starship rocket, with its unprecedentedly large first stage and potentially reusable upper stage, is the most advanced and ambitious rocket humans have ever conceived, built, and flown. The failures this year, however, have led some space industry insiders to ask whether Starship is too ambitious. (8/21)

This Hypersonic Space Plane Will Fly From London to N.Y.C. in an Hour (Source: Robb Report)
After the NASA space shuttle was retired in 2011, it seemed like space planes might become relics. But they are on a comeback. U.S. companies Sierra Space Corp., Dawn Aerospace, and Radian Aerospace have all introduced their own versions of an aircraft that takes off like a plane, but soars like a rocket. Virgin Galactic soon plans to introduce the Delta version of its space plane. Among militaries, the U.S. Air Force operates a robotic orbital space plane called the X-37B, while China has a similar aircraft called Shelong.

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently jumped into the burgeoning space-plane sector, announcing funding for a new research program called Invictus, which will develop a hypersonic space plane capable of Mach 5 (3,386 mph). The aircraft could fly from London to New York in an hour. If plans stay on track, it could be operational by 2031. U.K. consulting firm Frazer-Nash will lead the project, which will use technology developed by Reaction Engines Ltd., a private firm launched in 1989 that previously designed a space plane called Skylon. (8/21)

Meet Wukong, the AI Chatbot China Has Installed on Its Space Station (Source: WIRED)
The latest addition to China’s Tiangong space station is an AI chatbot with expertise in navigation and tactical planning. Named Wukong AI—after the protagonist of the “Monkey King” legend in Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong—the chatbot was introduced on the TSS in mid-July, and has already completed its first mission: supporting three taikonauts during a spacewalk. (8/21)

Space Force Unveils New Dress and Appearance Policy as It Preps for Fresh Uniforms (Source: Air & Space Forces)
Five and a half years in, the Space Force officially has its own dress and appearance policy. But a big revamp is likely coming soon. The new policy, Space Force Instruction 36-2903, officially went into effect Aug. 14 after years of issuing interim guidance while the service largely continued following the Air Force’s rules. The 114-page document largely mirrors the Air Force’s own regulations, with a few key differences.

In years past, the Space Force approved grooming and appearance standards different from the Air Force to allow neck tattoos and slightly wider mustaches. But the Air Force has since updated its policy to allow those things, and the Space Force did not expand them any further. Meanwhile, the Space Force policy matches a recent change to Air Force policy that limits which colors of nail polish female service members can wear and how long eyelash extensions may be.

One of the few significant differences between the new Space Force policy and the Air Force instruction is their approach to patches. Starting Feb. 1, the Air Force cracked down on duty identifier patches, also known as career field identifier patches—such as “SF” for security forces, “MUNS” for munitions or “PA” for public affairs—leaving only a dozen approved arch-shaped tabs signifying a special, unique qualification or training. The Space Force instruction authorizes new “mission tabs” for Guardians to showcase what field they work in—though given the service’s small size, options are few. (8/19)

Appeals court says NLRB structure unconstitutional, in a win for SpaceX (Source: Tech Crunch)
A federal appeals court handed SpaceX a win on Tuesday, in a ruling that prevents the National Labor Relations Board from prosecuting unfair labor practices against the company. The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which suggests the structure of the NLRB is likely unconstitutional, could have far-reaching effects.

The ruling keeps unfair labor practice cases against SpaceX and two other companies, Energy Transfer and Findhelp, on hold while the companies pursue their claim that the NLRB structure violates the U.S. Constitution. While the court did declare it unlawful, this is far from a settled issue and the NLRB is undoubtedly likely to challenge the ruling. (8/21)

SpaceX Says States Should Dump Fiber Plans, Give All Grant Money to Starlink (Source: Ars Technica)
Starlink operator SpaceX is continuing its fight against state plans to expand fiber broadband availability. After saying the Trump administration should deny a Virginia proposal, SpaceX is taking the same approach in a fight against Louisiana.

SpaceX made its view known to the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity in a filing, which was reported yesterday by PCMag. SpaceX complained that Louisiana proposed awarding 91.5 percent of funds to fiber Internet service providers instead of to the Starlink satellite system. SpaceX alleged that Louisiana was influenced by "a legion of fiber lobbyists and other hangers-on seeking to personally benefit from massive taxpayer spending." (8/19)

Starship Launches Could Delay Florida Flights Up To 2 Hours, FAA Says (Source: Tech Crunch)
As regulators weigh SpaceX’s plans to launch its massive Starship rocket from Florida, federal documents warn those flights could ripple through Florida airspace, forcing ground stops at multiple airports, reroutes, and delays of up to two hours. Even after launch, reentry of Starship’s two stages could require ground stops at some of the busiest airports in the country, according to a draft environmental impact statement (EIS).

Florida airports affected by the launches may include Orlando International, Miami International, Tampa International, and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International. Average delays could be as long as 40 minutes to 2 hours for launches and Super Heavy booster landings, and 40 minutes to one hour for Starship reentries. Diversions and cancellations are possible, the FAA said in a companion slide deck.

To manage risk, the FAA would establish Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs) over potentially impacted zones, as it does for commercial space launches today. Depending on the Starship flight trajectory, those zones could overlay routes above the Atlantic, parts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and airspace in several Central American countries. (8/20)

NASA’s Final Piece of Artemis II Rocket Hardware Leaves Marshall (Source: NASA)
The final piece of Artemis II flight hardware for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket departed NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 18, and will arrive at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this week for integration with the rest of the rocket. (8/19)

Extreme Environments Of Latin America: Natural Laboratories For Astrobiology (Source: Astrobiology)
Extreme environments are places where sustaining life is considered challenging by human standarts due to harmful environmental conditions. In the last decades, these kinds of environments have awakened the interest of planetary scientists due to their similar conditions to extraplanetary bodies.

Most of the research done in extreme environments has been conducted in the North American and Eurasian regions, while in Latin America only the most outstanding places have been explored, even though the region hosts numerous and varied extreme environments. The primary aim of this review is to present an extensive catalogue of around 300 extreme environments in Latin America. (8/20)

NASA Pilot Program to Use Citizen Science to Improve Hurricane Response (Source: ABC)
A NASA pilot program will utilize citizen science to help expedite hurricane disaster recovery. The space agency -- along with the Globe Program, a global science and education program -- is spearheading its new Response Mapper program, which will use before-and-after photos submitted by the public to track conditions on the ground.

Through the summer and fall, NASA is inviting the public to participate in the program, especially for those who live in the Southeast, where many tropical cyclones can have an impact. (8/19)

GE Aerospace Expands Defense And Semiconductor Partnerships With Kratos, Axcelis (Source: Benzinga)
GE Aerospace advanced its portfolio this summer with a propulsion partnership with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, a new labor agreement with IAM-represented workers in Ohio, and a semiconductor collaboration with Axcelis Technologies. In June, GE Aerospace’s Edison Works signed a teaming agreement with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to develop turbofan propulsion systems for unmanned aircraft. (8/20)