March 13, 2025

Scientists Develop New Technique to Detect Life in Martian Rock Samples (Source: Space Daily)
Within the next decade, space agencies aim to bring back rock samples from Mars for examination on Earth. A major concern surrounding these missions is the potential presence of extraterrestrial microbes, which could pose unknown risks. To mitigate such concerns, scientists are developing advanced methods to detect life. For the first time, researchers from the University of Tokyo and NASA have successfully demonstrated a technique capable of identifying life in ancient rocks that share similarities with those expected from Mars. (3/13)

China's First Commercial Spaceport Launches 18 Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
China's first commercial spaceport successfully launched 18 satellites into orbit early Wednesday, utilizing a Long March 8 carrier rocket from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan province. According to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the state-owned enterprise overseeing the mission, the rocket lifted off from the spaceport's No. 1 launchpad. This event marks the inaugural use of the pad, which has been specifically designed for launches involving the Long March 8 rocket series. (3/13)

Airbus Selects Rocket Lab to Supply Solar Panels for Next-Gen OneWeb Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab has been awarded a contract by Airbus Constellation Satellites to supply high-efficiency solar panels for 100 OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites commissioned by Eutelsat Group. Rocket Lab will manufacture and deliver 200 solar panels, comprising carbon composite panel substrates, solar cells, and photovoltaic assemblies. Production will take place at Rocket Lab's 150,000-square-foot solar manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (3/13)

NASA Works to Regain Contact with Lunar Trailblazer and Evaluate Future Possibilities (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's mission team is continuing efforts to restore communication with the Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft after losing contact on February 27, just a day after its launch. The mission operators at Caltech's IPAC are working alongside NASA's Deep Space Network to send commands in an attempt to establish a connection. Several radio ground stations have also volunteered their resources to detect any signals from the small satellite as it travels further from Earth. (3/13)

Planetary System Discovered Around Barnard's Star (Source: Space Daily)
For over a century, astronomers have been intrigued by Barnard's Star, the closest single-star system to Earth, in their quest to identify planetary bodies orbiting it. Initially observed in 1916 by E. E. Barnard at Yerkes Observatory, this red dwarf has long been a target for exoplanet research. Red dwarfs are known for their propensity to host compact planetary systems, often composed of multiple rocky planets, making them key objects of study in exoplanetary science.

A significant breakthrough has been made by a research team led by Jacob Bean from the University of Chicago. Their specialized instrument, MAROON-X, designed explicitly for detecting exoplanets around red dwarfs, has confirmed the presence of multiple planets around Barnard's Star. MAROON-X is installed on the Gemini North telescope, part of the International Gemini Observatory, which is funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. (3/13)

Quantum Space Introduces Life Extension Services for Satellite Operators (Source: Space Daily)
Quantum Space, a pioneer in advanced space operations, has unveiled a new suite of life extension services designed to enhance satellite mission longevity and operational flexibility. Utilizing its agile Ranger spacecraft, the company aims to provide mission extension, orbital repositioning, and refueling solutions to meet the increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective satellite management. (3/13)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Florida Spaceport (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A Falcon 9 launched a set of Starlink satellites late Wednesday from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, placing 21 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch took place after a scrub Monday night because of high winds and unspecified issues on Tuesday. (3/13)

Isar Picked to Launch Norwegian Surveillance Satellites (Source: Space News)
Isar Aerospace won a launch contract from Norway's space agency. The Norwegian Space Agency said Wednesday it selected Isar's Spectrum rocket to launch a pair of satellites for the country's Arctic Ocean Surveillance in 2028. That launch will take place from Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. Isar's first Spectrum rocket is currently on the pad at Andøya, and the company said it is ready to launch pending a license from Norwegian regulators. (3/13)

Cognitive Space to Optimize Missile Tracking Under SDA Award (Source: Space News)
Cognitive Space will work with the Space Development Agency to optimize missile tracking and mesh-network routing. The company recently announced awards with a combined value of about $5 million to provide enhanced automated sensor management for missile-tracking satellites for SDA and to apply automated mesh network management for the SDA's communications network. The company said it will leverage its expertise in artificial intelligence technologies for both projects. (3/13)

SDA Recalibrates Procurement Strategy (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is recalibrating its procurement strategy for its next-generation constellation of military satellites. Following the deployment of its first batch of 27 military satellites last year, the agency is now acknowledging it needs to slow down and conduct more thorough testing before launching approximately 150 more satellites planned for this summer. SDA also will hire a dedicated contractor to serve as an integrator, ensuring all vendors' satellites work together from the beginning. The shift comes in the wake of a recent Government Accountability Office report criticizing the agency for pushing ahead with deployments before fully testing laser communications technologies in its initial demonstration satellites, known as Tranche 0. (3/13)

China Seeks International Partners for Mars Sample Mission (Source: Space News)
China is seeking international cooperation in its planned Mars sample return mission. The China National Space Administration published an announcement of opportunities Tuesday, officially opening the Tianwen-3 Mars mission to international cooperation. Teams can propose piggyback payloads requiring support from the Tianwen-3 spacecraft or independent scientific instruments. China is planing to launch Tianwen-3 as soon as late 2028, returning samples to Earth by 2031. NASA's own Mars Sample Return program has suffered cost overruns and delays and may not be able to return the samples being cached by the Perseverance rover until later in the 2030s. (3/13)

China's GEO Presence Spooks Neighbors (Source: Space News)
China's growing presence in geostationary orbit is raising concerns because of those satellites' unpredictable actions. China has been adding to its fleet of satellites in GEO in recent years with communications and remote sensing satellites, as well as classified spacecraft whose missions may include satellite inspection. At an event at Chatham House last week, experts said the movements of some of those satellites is "uncharacteristic" of conventional communications satellites. They also noted that China is "very good at hiding what they're doing until after the fact" in GEO. (3/13)

Intelsat Signs Arizona Sheriff's Office for Public-Safety Comms (Source: Space News)
Intelsat announced its first customer for a satellite communications service focused on public safety. The Cochise County Sheriff's Office in Arizona will deploy Intelsat's Multi-Layer Communication System along the U.S.-Mexico border to support operations in previously unconnected areas, the company announced Wednesday. The Intelsat service will use capacity from Starlink along with terrestrial 5G networks and a police radio gateway, providing voice and broadband connectivity in previously inaccessible border regions. (3/13)

RBC Signals to Acquire Microsoft Satellite-Tracking Antennas (Source: Space News)
RBC Signals is expanding its global network of ground stations by acquiring 10 satellite-tracking antennas from Microsoft. With the new antennas, RBC Signals aims to satisfy rapidly growing demand from government and commercial customers who often rely on S- and X-band to communicate with small satellites in low Earth orbit. The 10 antennas, distributed globally, will enhance communications with satellites in medium-Earth and geostationary orbit as well as spacecraft performing rendezvous-and-proximity operations in equatorial orbits. (3/13)

Slow Progress for Indian Space Docking Experiment (Source: Times of India)
Two Indian technology demonstration satellites have undocked in orbit. The two Space Docking Experiment spacecraft undocked from each other, the Indian space agency ISRO announced Thursday, nearly two months after docking. ISRO launched SpaDEx at the end of last year to test docking technology, and the two spacecraft are expected to perform more docking and undocking tests. (3/13)

Ohio Wants NASA Headquarters (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Ohio is the latest state seeking to host NASA's headquarters. Members of Ohio's congressional delegation sent a letter to Vice President Vance and Jared Isaacman, the nominee to be NASA administrator, arguing that the Glenn Research Center offered a cheaper alternative to Washington for the headquarters and would allow the agency to escape the "bureaucratic stagnation" of D.C. Both Florida and Texas officials have pitched their states to host the headquarters. NASA's lease on its current headquarters expires in 2028 and the agency has started to look for new locations, but that search is currently focused on buildings in the Washington area. (3/13)

Fleet Space Expands Exploration Capabilities with Acquisition of HiSeis (Source: Space Daily)
Fleet Space Technologies, a leader in space-enabled mineral exploration, has announced the acquisition of HiSeis, a premier provider of active seismic exploration technology for the minerals sector. This strategic move strengthens Fleet Space's ability to deliver comprehensive exploration solutions, integrating cutting-edge seismic data acquisition and AI-driven drill targeting through its ExoSphere platform. (3/11)

Orange Africa and Eutelsat Partner to Expand Satellite Internet in Africa and the Middle East (Source: Space Daily)
Orange Africa and Middle East (OMEA) and Eutelsat (Paris:ETL) (LSE:ETL) have entered into a strategic alliance to enhance digital connectivity through satellite broadband services across Africa and the Middle East. This initiative is designed to connect remote regions, fostering greater digital inclusion.

Under this multi-year agreement, Orange will leverage the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite to deliver high-speed, reliable internet access. The initial rollout will cover Jordan, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a long-term goal of expanding coverage across the entire region. (3/11)

GCT Semiconductor and Globalstar Collaborate on IoT Modules for Satellite and Cellular Networks (Source: Space Daily)
GCT Semiconductor Holding Inc. announced a strategic collaboration with Globalstar to develop advanced two-way satellite messaging systems for Globalstar's mobile devices and modules. (3/11)

Rocket Lab Schedules Two Launches Three Days Apart (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab has scheduled two Electron launches from its privately owned launch site in New Zealand three days apart, a first for the company. Rocket Lab will launch its next Electron rocket no earlier than March 15 for iQPS, followed three days later by its latest launch for Kinéis, a global Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity provider. The launch for Kinéis is the fifth in a series of five dedicated Electron launches for the French Internet-of-Things constellation operator, and will put Rocket Lab on track to deploy the entire constellation in less than a year. (3/10)

Chinese Citizen Pleads Guilty to Flying Drone Over Vandenberg Space Force Base (Source: Edhat)
A 39-year-old man from Contra Costa County and Chinese citizen, Yinpiao Zhou, pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Monday morning for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Zhou was arrested in December on charges of failing to register an aircraft that was not providing transportation and violation of national defense airspace. (3/11)

SpaceX Rivals Urge FCC to Reject 'Anticompetitive' Starlink Upgrades (Source: PC Magazine)
SpaceX's ambitious plan to enhance Starlink with more capabilities, including gigabit speeds, is drawing accusations that it will be anticompetitive to the satellite industry as a whole. On Monday, Globalstar, Viasat, Hughesnet’s parent Echostar, and Iridum urged the FCC to deny parts of or dismiss SpaceX's proposed upgrades, which call for operating nearly 30,000 Starlink satellites and expanding the radio spectrum it can access.

US-based Viasat was particularly vociferous in its resistance, warning that SpaceX’s plan could push out competitors, citing the scale of the upgraded Starlink network. (3/11)

Jio Ties Up with SpaceX to Offer Starlink’s Broadband Internet in India (Source: The Hindu)
This agreement, which is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorizations to sell Starlink in India, would enable Jio and SpaceX to explore how Starlink can extend Jio’s offerings and how Jio can complement SpaceX’s direct offerings to consumers and businesses. (3/12)

Ethiopia and Zimbabwe Expand in Space (Source: Business Insider)
Ethiopia plans to launch its third Earth observation satellite by 2026 with China's collaboration. It is expected to have better image quality than its predecessors and strengthen space technology capabilities. Zimbabwe recently announced the launch of its third observation satellite, ZimSat-3, after launching ZimSat-2. (3/12)

Another Budget CR Approved by House Republicans (Source: Space Policy Online)
Generally speaking, the CR keeps agencies funded at their FY2024 levels for all of FY2025, with some exceptions, especially for defense. Democrats say it cuts $13 billion from non-defense and adds $6 billion for defense compared to FY2024. The only mention of NASA funding in the bill is that it provides $3.092 billion for Safety, Security, and Mission Services, slightly less than the $3.130 billion in FY2024. The FY2025 request for SSMS was $3.044 billion.

NASA received a total of $24.875 billion in FY2024, a two percent cut from the $25.384 billion it had in FY2023 and more than $2 billion less than President Biden’s request. Biden’s FY2025 request was to restore the agency to its FY2023 level, a two percent increase over FY2024. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved about the same as the request, but this CR would keep it at $24.875 billion. (3/12)

Canada’s Technology Helps Repel Lunar Dust on Blue Ghost Moon Lander (Source: SpaceQ)
One payload on Firefly's lunar lander, the Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC) payload, has a significant Canadian contribution from Markham Ontario’s Integrity Testing Laboratory Inc. (ITL). The RAC is focused on one key problem: regolith dust. While the moon and its regolith surface may seem rocky and static, it’s actually covered in a large amount of fine dust that can (and does) get disturbed and swirl up beneath, around, and above objects on the lunar surface. (3/11)

German Military Could Launch Intelligence Satellites From Scotland (Source: Insider)
Intelligence-gathering satellites could be launched into space from Scotland under an initiative involving the German military. In a bid to strengthen Europe’s defense links, the German air force’s space command wants to use SaxaVord Spaceport for “sovereign launch” capabilities. (3/12)

Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Lunar Lander is On Deck to Deliver NASA Payload to the Moon (Source: Geekwire)
NASA says it has penciled in Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 cargo lander to deliver a scientific payload to the moon’s south polar region as soon as this summer. The uncrewed lander would rank as the largest spacecraft sent to the moon’s surface, and would set the stage for a larger crewed lander that would be used for moon missions in the 2030s. By that time, if all proceeds according to plan, SpaceX’s Starship would take over the top spot as the world’s most massive moon ship.

NASA’s payload for Blue Origin’s first mission to the moon is a suite of cameras that’s designed to record how the blast from Blue Moon’s engines disturbs the dirt and rocks at the lunar landing site. The data from that experiment — known as Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies, or SCALPSS — would be factored into the preparations for crewed landings.

Similar payloads flew on Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander, which conducted a partially successful mission last year; and on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost M1 lander, which landed on the moon earlier this month. The data from the Blue Moon mission would give NASA a better sense of what to expect when a heavier spacecraft touches down. NASA indicated a launch is set for August. (3/11)

Manufacturing Defect Blamed for Vulcan Solid Rocket Motor Anomaly (Source: Space News)
The loss of a solid rocket motor nozzle on the second flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur last October was caused by a manufacturing defect that has been corrected as the company awaits certification of the vehicle by the Space Force. The Cert-2 launch of Vulcan suffered an anomaly a little more than half a minute after its Oct. 4 liftoff when the nozzle of one of the two solid rocket strap-on boosters provided by Northrop Grumman fell off. The vehicle compensated for diminished thrust that resulted from the missing nozzle and still completed its mission. (3/12)