March 14, 2025

India's Small Launcher Will Take 2 Years to be Ready for Commercial Missions (Source: Mint)
In 2023, ISRO had announced it will transfer SSLV technology and design specifications to private players, in a move aimed at getting the private sector to build satellite launchers and fostering space sector growth. Twenty three companies applied to build the SSLV. We learn now it will take at least two more years to reach the launch pad, even as work to find the ideal candidate for the job reaches its final stage. (3/14)

Isaacman, the High-School Dropout Who Will Lead NASA (Source: The Economist)
In 2021 Jared Isaacman, the man soon to become NASA’s boss, bought a 30-second ad at the Super Bowl. Mr Isaacman—a boyish-looking 42-year-old billionaire, jet pilot and one-time owner of the world’s biggest private air force—had paid for four seats on one of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. Viewers were told that one lucky member of the public willing to donate to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee, for which the mission eventually raised over $250m, would be able to join him and the rest of the crew. Click here. (3/13)

The True Cost of Trump’s Cuts to NOAA (Source: Time)
As the world’s leading weather and climate watchdog and the parent organization of the National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA runs a standing army of personnel and hardware on and off the planet to keep an eye on the Earth’s often stormy temperament. The agency owns or operates 13 weather satellites; manages more than 200 deep-water buoys; and gathers weather and climate information from a storm of data provided by no fewer than 10,600 state, local, and federal governments, as well as universities and private companies nationwide.

The current cuts to NOAA were equal parts ill-timed and foreseeable. Project 2025, the conservative manifesto whose policies are increasingly being adopted by the Trump Administration, includes a section on page 674 of the 900-plus page document headed “Break Up NOAA.” On the next page the agency is described as “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry.”

But NOAA and others are right to be alarmed. Recent months have seen climate-linked wildfires in Los Angeles and elsewhere; an increase in so-called atmospheric rivers—long, narrow bands of airborne water vapor that lead to local flooding and are growing worse in a warming world; and, in other spots in the U.S. and elsewhere, increasing droughts. Last year was also the first in which the world crossed the threshold of 1.5°C of warming over pre-industrial levels that the Paris Climate Accord declared a benchmark to be avoided. (3/13)

The True Cost of Trump’s Cuts to NASA (Source: Time)
When it comes to weather and climate, it’s not just NOAA that’s been slashed; NASA is bleeding too. In a March 10 email to reporters, the space agency announced that in response to federal instructions to reduce its workforce, it was shuttering the office of technology, policy, and strategy, and the office of the chief scientist—a move that affects climate studies.

“NASA does cutting edge research and science,” says Hill. “It observes sea level rise from space. It's got the best global surface temperature analysis. All of that contributes to our understanding of how climate change is unfolding, and with that understanding, decision-makers can make choices that leave people safer.”

Some of the NASA cuts could also hit American corporations in the pocketbook. According to Hill, studies show that 74% of Fortune 100 companies “routinely use NASA Earth Science data to support business operations, logistics, and risk management.” Some of those decisions involve grounding airplanes and bringing cargo vessels into safe harbor well ahead of dangerous storms. (3/13)

What Happens When DEI Becomes DOA in the Aerospace Industry? (Source: Ars Technica)
Last month a nonprofit that recognizes exceptional undergraduate women and gender minorities with space and aviation internships, the Brooke Owens Fellowship, announced its latest class of "Brookies." This ninth class of 45 students was selected from more than 400 applications, and they will fan out to aerospace companies across the country, from large firms such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to smaller startups like Vast and Stoke. There they will be paired with executive-level mentors who will help launch their careers.

However there was a cloud hanging over this latest group of exceptional students: They may be the last class of Brookies to receive aerospace internships. "Ten years ago this was embraced by everyone, and seen as a win-win for all," said Lori Garver, a former deputy administrator of NASA and co-founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship. "But we're not sure we can continue under the new administration."

Under Trump, US companies with federal contracts and grants must certify that they no longer have any DEI hiring practices. Preferentially hiring some interns from a pool that includes women or minorities is such a practice. Effectively, then, any private aerospace company that receives federal funding, or intends to one day, would likely be barred under the executive order from engaging with these kinds of fellowships in the future. (3/13)

Inaugural Isar Aerospace Spectrum Launch Set for Late March (Source: European Spaceflight)
The inaugural flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket is scheduled to take place between 20 and 30 March 2025 from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. On 12 March, Andøya Space, the mostly government-owned commercial entity that operates Andøya Spaceport, published a launch period notice covering 20 to 30 March. (3/14)

Meet Kellie Gerardi, the Florida Mom Who Travels to Space (Source: Palm Beach Post)
Kellie Gerardi, a self-described science geek and resident of Jupiter, Florida, achieved her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut. Gerardi made history as the 90th woman in space and the first industry-sponsored researcher to fly on a commercial spacecraft. Gerardi is a vocal advocate for women in STEM and uses her platform to inspire young girls, including her daughter, to pursue their dreams.

Gerardi is preparing for her second space flight in 2026 — this time, with an all-female crew set to blast off from New Mexico. Gerardi is excited about the potential for the commercial spaceflight industry, which could open space to creatives and scientists alike. “Science and sparkle and space and sisterhood are all compatible themes,” said Gerardi in a bright blue cardigan dotted with stars — one of her many space-themed pieces. “They’re not mutually exclusive.” (3/13)

Calls Swell For The U.S. To Invest In Space Superiority (Source: Aviation Week)
The U.S. Space Force is ready to invest in the offensive capabilities needed to maintain its edge in a vast and contested environment—if Congress loosens its purse strings. Military officials had long hesitated to make any reference to a potential war in space—or the offensive capabilities required to wage one. That is changing. The Space Force must think of space “as a warfighting domain rather than just a collection of support activities,” Gen. Chance Saltzman said.

Although the service is still responsible for designing satellites that can conduct lengthy on-orbit operations in harsh environments, “it’s not enough,” he said. Space control is now Saltzman’s No. 1 priority, encapsulating all mission areas that allow the military to counter adversary capabilities “by disruption and degradation—even destruction, if necessary,” he said. Orbital warfare, electromagnetic warfare and counterspace operations must be harnessed for both offensive and defensive purposes, Saltzman said in a keynote speech, adding that the service plans to share new doctrine and guidance on space control soon. (3/14)

China's iSpace Raises Millions for Reusable Rocket Development (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch startup iSpace has raised tens of millions of dollars to support work on reusable rockets. The company said this week it raised several hundred million yuan in a Series D round led by a provincial industrial investment fund. The funds will be mainly used for the research and development of the Hyperbola-3 methane-liquid oxygen rocket, as well as work on engine testing and production. The company said it has three Hyperbola-3 rockets in various stages of production. It is targeting a first orbital launch with an attempted "sea recovery" of the first stage in December. If successful, it aims to conduct a reuse test flight in June 2026. (3/14)

European Satellite Manufactures Seek Closer Cooperation (Source: Space News)
European satellite manufacturers said they need to cooperate to better compete against SpaceX. Benoit Deper, founder and CEO of Aerospacelab, called for companies like his to "break some barriers" and collaborate, including forming joint ventures. Speaking on a Satellite 2025 panel this week, he said European satellite manufacturers like his must learn the lessons from the launch industry as it struggled to compete with SpaceX and its vertical integration. Thales Alenia Space CEO Hervé Derrey also recommended moving beyond classic "vendor-supplier-customer relationships" in the satellite market as his company talks with Airbus and Leonardo about a potential satellite joint venture. (3/14)

L3Harris Plans AI Integration for Golden Dome System (Source: Space News)
L3Harris is looking to artificial intelligence to help it contribute to the proposed Golden Dome missile-defense system. L3Harris, which has secured over $2 billion in missile-tracking satellite contracts from the Space Force's Space Development Agency and the Missile Defense Agency, intends to incorporate AI and machine learning technologies developed through partnerships with Palantir Technologies and Shield AI into the program's framework. The company believes that Golden Dome, which likely will have a major space component, needs a "collaborative autonomous network" capable of processing data from hundreds of sensors about incoming threats and sharing that information with interceptor weapons at unprecedented levels of accuracy. (3/14)

Blue Ghost Lander Success is Proof of NASA's Approach to Commercial Collaboration (Source: Space News)
The success of the Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander is 'proof positive' for a NASA program supporting commercial landers like it. At a NASA town hall meeting earlier this week, the agency said that six of 10 payloads on the lander had completed their mission success criteria, with the rest expected to do so by the time the lander mission ends this weekend at lunar sunset.

That was evidence, NASA officials said, that the Commercial Lunar Payload Services model works even though Blue Ghost 1 is the only fully successful landing to date in four attempts. Officials also said at the town hall that they are continuing to work to restore contact with the Lunar Trailblazer orbiter launched last month. However, in an update Wednesday, NASA said that the prime science mission of the orbiter, intended to map water ice on the moon, is no longer possible. (3/14)

FCC Space Chief Focuses on Expanding Space Spectrum Use (Source: Space News)
The new head of the FCC's Space Bureau said his near-term priorities are licensing reform and 'intensive' use of space spectrum. Jay Schwartz, named as chief of the bureau early last month, said one effort will focus on streamlining the licensing process so that space companies don't need to undertake a "multi-year odyssey" to get a license. Another will be to both look for new spectrum for space applications as well as ensure existing bands are used "as intensively as possible." (3/14)

ESA's HydRON o Demo Multi-Orbit Optical Relays (Source: Space News)
ESA is backing a demonstration of multi-orbit optical data relay technologies. The HydRON program aims to transform satellite connectivity, bridging the gap between LEO, GEO and terrestrial networks with laser links transmitting data at up to 100 gigabits per second. ESA has awarded contracts to Kepler Communications and Thales Alenia Space for initial space-based elements of HydRON, and plans to later select several other companies to test the interoperability of their space, ground and airborne terminals with the orbital infrastructure. (3/14)

Italy's Argotec Plans Florida Satellite Bus Production (Source: Space News)
Argotec has rolled out a new modular satellite platform. The Hawk Plus satellite bus features modular, plug-and-play elements that can be swapped out as needed for various applications. That approach also decouples the bus from the payload, allowing for later installation of the payload by the customer. Argotec plans to build Hawk Plus buses at its headquarters in Italy as well as a new factory it is developing in Florida. (3/14)

Italy's Leonardo to Deploy Dual-Use Multi-Sensor Constellation (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Leonardo plans to deploy a constellation of nearly 40 satellites for civilian and military applications. Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said at a press conference this week that the company would launch 18 military and 20 civilian "multi-sensor" satellites by 2028. The system is projected to cost 900 million euros ($975 million), with more than half of the funding coming from the Italian military. Leonardo expects to fund the remainder of the system itself. (3/14)

ESA's Hera Performs Mars Flyby en Route to Asteroids (Source: New Scientist)
An ESA asteroid mission captured images of Mars and one of its moons during a flyby. ESA released images Thursday from the Hera spacecraft during its gravity-assist flyby of Mars a day earlier. The spacecraft passed 5,000 kilometers from Mars and just 1,000 kilometers from Deimos, one of the planet's two small moons. The flyby puts Hera on course to arrive at the asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos, the target of NASA's earlier DART mission, in October 2026. (3/14)

Musk's X Offers Mars Ride to Winner of March Madness Bracket (Source: Awful Announcing)
March Madness, meet Mars Madness. The social media network X, owned by Elon Musk, says anyone who has a perfect bracket in its March Madness competition will get a trip to Mars on SpaceX's Starship. The competition, notably, does not state when such a flight would take place, or even if it is one-way or round-trip. The winner can also take an alternative set of prizes that include $250,000, a year of Starlink service and a chance to "train like an astronaut" for a day. (3/14)

Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law (Source: War on the Rocks)
As competing satellite operators increasingly rely on automated collision avoidance software to manage their growing constellations, a recent near-miss highlights a crucial gap in international outer space law: Legal frameworks never contemplated a future where automated systems, sometimes guided by AI, would make critical decisions in outer space that could constitute “harmful interference” under existing international law — that is, when a country’s space operations intrude on the activities of other countries operating in space. (3/14)

Axiom Space, Ghana Sign Agreement to Expand Space Collaboration (Source: Axiom)
Axiom Space and the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance Ghana's space ecosystem and promote global access to space. This strategic partnership is set to strengthen Ghana's position in the global space industry and aligns with the country's recently adopted national space policy.

The MoU focuses on key areas such as innovation, workforce development, and the advancement of space science and technology. Through this collaboration, GSSTI will leverage Axiom Space’s extensive expertise in human spaceflight and cutting-edge technologies to support its initiatives and long-term vision. (3/13)

Trump Targets University Diversity Programs with Federal Investigations (Source: HuffPost)
More than 50 universities are being investigated for alleged racial discrimination as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs that his officials say exclude white and Asian American students. The Education Department announced the new investigations Friday, one month after issuing a memo warning America’s schools and colleges that they could lose federal money over “race-based preferences” in admissions, scholarships or any aspect of student life. (3/14)

How Rocket Lab Is Powering a Stratospheric Rise In The Space Race (Source: Maxim)
The race to populate the heavens with orbital satellites is reaching epic proportions. While a fairly young private industry—SpaceX only successfully launched its reusable medium-lift Falcon 9 rocket for the first time in 2010—it’s also burning with more thrust than a first-stage booster. Consider that Morgan Stanley predicts the space industry to eclipse $1 trillion by 2040 and you begin to recognize why so many parties are throwing their business models into the ring. Click here. (3/12)

SpaceX Gets State Funding to Build $280 Million Semiconductor Facility Expansion in Texas (Source: Houston Chronicle)
SpaceX is making a sizeable investment in its operations near the Texas capital, according to a Wednesday release from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott announced the state will be chipping in with a $17.3-million grant to supplement an expansion of the American space technology company's semiconductor research and development and advanced packaging facility in Bastrop, Texas.

The grant comes courtesy of the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, a funding stream created by the governor's 2023 Texas CHIPS Act, which incentivizes the development of semiconductor manufacturing in the state through public grants. (3/12)

Chinese Commercial Spaceport Deploys Innovative Water Deluge System (Source: CGTN)
A commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province successfully deployed an innovative "high-pressure water spray system" for cooling and noise reduction during the latest launch of 18 low Earth orbit satellites atop a Long March-8 Y6 carrier rocket. he advanced cooling system, used for the first time at the site's No. 1 launch pad, marks a step forward in enhancing the launch efficiency and equipment protection of this commercial launch site. (3/13)

UK Councilor Stepping Down to Take Spaceport Role (Source: BBC)
A Cornwall councilor is stepping down after being appointed head of future air and space at Cornwall Airport Newquay. Cornwall Council said Louis Gardner had spent three years as portfolio holder for the economy but would step down on Friday. Gardner said he was "eager to contribute to the growth of this exciting industry", adding it was a "thrilling" time for Cornwall. (3/13)

Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Fund Non-Federal Spaceports (Source: MSN)
New legislation introduced Wednesday hopes to make it easier for the United States to expand into the next frontier: space travel. The legislation entitled 'Alleviating Spaceport Traffic by Rewarding Operators,' or the ASTRO Act, supports "spaceports" across the nation and hopes to invest more into what officials called the next frontier while addressing space travel bottleneck concerns preventing more frequent launches.

Introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), the ASTRO Act would award funding to spaceports with a history of successful launches. Lawmakers behind the bill say it will help promote America's strategic, military, and commercial interests in space exploration while supporting local economies surrounding spaceports. The bill would give non-federal spaceports resources need to build infrastructure quickly. The spaceports would receive $250,000 for each licensed launch and $100,000 for each permitted launch up to $2.5 million annually. (3/12)

Awaiting Space Force Certification, ULA Says Future Missions Could Aim to Baffle Chinese Watcher Sats (Source: Breaking Defense)
United Launch Alliance (ULA) CEO Tory Bruno is positioning the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle for future national security missions, including sneaking satellites past Chinese watching eyes, even as the company continues to wait for a Space Force decision on whether the rocket can be certified to carry today’s payloads. Bruno told reporters today that Vulcan already is optimized for “exotic orbits for the government” and could provide services like “directly injecting [a spacecraft] into geosynchronous orbit.” (3/12)