March 18, 2025

Psionic Achieves Milestone in In-Flight Testing of Space Navigation Doppler Lidar System (Source: Space News)
Psionic, a leader in advanced navigation and sensing technologies, is proud to announce the successful in-flight testing of its groundbreaking Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system aboard a NASA F-18 fighter jet. This achievement represents a significant step forward in high-precision navigation, with space, aviation, defense, and commercial applications. (3/18)

Proteus Advances New Satellite Bus Design, Signs First Customer (Source: Space News)
Proteus has secured its first commercial payload customer for the MERCURY ONE flight, with a launch window opening in October 2025. The customer, a leading multi-billion dollar prime contractor in the Defense & Aerospace sector, will leverage the MERCURY ONE custom satellite to test and evaluate their payload, marking a significant step forward in commercializing Proteus’ automated custom satellite bus design solutions. (3/18)

SES to Shrink Board (Source: Space News)
SES is shrinking its board of directors in an effort to appease an activist shareholder. The company said Monday it will reduce its board from 11 to 9 members while proposing to add to the board Ellen Lord, former undersecretary of defense for acquisition, and retired Space Force general John Shaw. Appaloosa, a hedge fund which owns 7% of SES, had called for an overhaul of SES's share capital and board structure.

Appaloosa said it welcomed the changes but called on SES to make additional steps, such as returning cash to shareholders. Appaloosa also sought to reduce the control the government of Luxembourg has on SES, but the company said the government's special Class B shares cannot be taken away by a vote of other shareholders. (3/18)

CR Sets $141B R&D Spend for Pentagon (Source: DefenseScoop)
President Donald Trump has signed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, allocating $141 billion for Pentagon research, development and testing, $2 billion less than requested and $7 billion less than the 2024 budget cycle. (3/17)

China's Galactic Energy Launches Eight Satellites (Source: Space News)
Chinese commercial launch company Galactic Energy successfully sent eight satellites into orbit early Monday. The company's Ceres-1 rocket lifted off at 4:07 a.m. Eastern from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, placing its payloads into sun-synchronous orbits. The payloads consisted of six Yunyao-1 (55-60) satellites, each equipped with GNSS occultation payloads to collect weather data, along with the AIRSAT (Zhongke) 06 and 07 satellites, equipped with multispectral imager payloads. Galactic Energy has launched 18 of the solid-fuel Ceres-1 rockets, all but one of which have been successful. (3/18)

Rocket Lab Completes Kinéis Constellation with New Zealand Launch (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab completed the deployment of a constellation for French company Kinéis with a launch Monday night. An Electron rocket lifted off from the company's New Zealand launch site at 9:31 p.m. Eastern, deploying five satellites into sun-synchronous orbits a little more than an hour later. The launch was the fifth and final mission under a 2021 contract between Rocket Lab and Kinéis to deploy a constellation of 25 satellites for Internet-of-Things and Automatic Identification System tracking. Kinéis says the full constellation will enter commercial service in June. The launch was the second in a little more than three days for Rocket Lab. (3/18)

Commerce Department Official Warns of Musk Access to Broadband Grant Funds (Source: Politico)
A Commerce Department official responsible for rural broadband projects is leaving the agency and warning that SpaceX's Starlink system may benefit. Evan Feinman stepped down as director of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program at the department and said he was concerned Elon Musk would use the $42.5 billion program to award contracts to Starlink. BEAD was designed to provide grants for rural broadband projects, with an emphasis on fiber, but the program was criticized for a slow rollout. The Commerce Department is expected to shift to a "technology neutral" approach to BEAD projects that could include satellite broadband. (3/18)

In Gift to Musk (and Cyber Enemies), Starlink Now Brings Broadband to White House (Sources: Heise, Space News)
SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet is now available directly through the infrastructure of the White House and other US government buildings. A cybersecurity expert warns this can be an additional point of attack against the US. Furthermore, Starlink is actually advertised as a technology to provide fast internet access to hard-to-reach areas – US government buildings are not among them. Musk reportedly is providing the service as a gift, but that has raised ethical as well as cybersecurity questions.

It is “super rare” to use Starlink or other network technology to replace existing infrastructure that has been tested and secured, the US newspaper quotes cybersecurity expert Jake Williams: “I can't remember ever hearing of anything like this. ... “why risk it?” (3/18)

India Plans Another Lunar Mission (Source: PTI)
India's space agency ISRO has won approval for another lunar mission. The Chandrayaan-5 mission, a joint effort with Japan once known as LUPEX, will deliver a 250-kilogram rover to the moon. ISRO did not announce a launch date for Chandrayaan-5. The agency is already working on Chandrayaan-4, a lunar sample return mission slated to launch in 2027. (3/18)

ULA CEO Confirms Company's Launch Capacity (Source: Florida Today)
United Launch Alliance has a stockpile of rockets ready for missions, says CEO Tory Bruno. The company is preparing for the next launch of its new Vulcan rocket as it finalizes certification for national security missions with the US Space Force. (3/17)

The New Wave of Asteroid Mining Ventures (Source: Space Review)
Years after the demise of an initial group of asteroid mining startups like Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources, new startups are pursuing plans to mine asteroids for metals and water. Jeff Foust reports those companies still face many of the same challenges, from technology to policy. Click here. (3/18)
 
Is the Moon in America’s Future? Unpacking the Strategic Debate (Source: Space Review)
Some want the US to abandon a human return to the Moon and focus its resources on missions to Mars. Bhavya Lal argues that lunar exploration can accelerate, not delay, Mars settlement. Click here. (3/18)
 
ATLAC and the Early Emergence of Lunar Governance (Source: Space Review)
A United Nations committee has started work to examine coordination of lunar activities. Dennis O’Brien discusses how it is a step toward an international lunar governance model. Click here. (3/18)

ispace and Kurita Water Industries Sign Agreement to Transport Water Purification Demonstration System to the Moon (Source: ispace)
ispace and Kurita Water Industries, Ltd., a Japanese water treatment facility and chemical manufacturer, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding for payload transportation services aimed at demonstrating a future lunar water processing test device on the lunar surface. (3/10)

Private Moon Lander Falls Silent After Two-Week Lunar Mission (Source: NBC News)
It’s lights out for the first private lunar lander to pull off a fully successful moon mission. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander fell silent over the weekend, wrapping up two weeks of science experiments for NASA. The end came as the sun set at the moon, no longer providing energy for the lander’s solar panels. The lander operated five hours into the lunar night as planned before it died Sunday evening.

A Japanese company’s lunar lander shared the SpaceX rocket ride, but took an even longer route to get to the moon. That lander from ispace is targeting an early June touchdown. Another Texas company, Intuitive Machines, ended up sideways in a crater near the moon’s south pole earlier this month, dooming the mission. It was the second incomplete mission for Intuitive Machines. (3/17)

Los Alamos Develops Speedometer for Satellites (Source: The Register)
Scientists at America's Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico say they have developed a Spacecraft Speedometer that satellites can use in orbit to ideally avoid orbital collisions. Working with the US Air Force Academy, the LANL boffins say they have come up with a novel device capable of determining the velocity of a satellite while it is looping Earth and potentially other planets.

The Spacecraft Speedometer, we're told, makes use of twin laminated plasma spectrometers, with one facing forward along the space vehicle's trajectory and another identical unit facing in the opposite direction. This design is based on the theory that more charged particles will impact the spectrometer that is facing forward than the rear-facing unit, allowing the velocity to be calculated. (3/17)

Alphabet's Potential Starlink Rival Becomes Its Own Company (Source: PC Magazine)
Project Taara, a potential Starlink rival, is spinning off from Google’s parent Alphabet to become its own company. On Monday, Taara officially graduated from Alphabet's “Moonshot factory” after operating as a research project for at least five years. The new company is recruiting partners such as internet service providers to deploy its technology, which promises to deliver high-speed internet to rural and remote areas.

Instead of using orbiting satellites, Taara plans on harnessing ground-based light beam beams that can deliver gigabit internet speeds. The company’s device, dubbed the Taara Lightbridge, can transmit the internet data across a distance of 20 kilometers in range. Importantly, the system promises to be easy to deploy since the equipment can be placed on existing cell towers. (3/17)

Star Wars: Alarm at Space Agency’s 130 Meetings with MoD (Source: The Ferret)
Senior officials from the UK Space Agency held over 130 meetings with the Ministry of Defense in 2024, prompting renewed concerns about the “weaponization” of space. The meetings discussed the spaceport being built at SaxaVord on Shetland, using nuclear reactors in space and collaboration with the US, NATO and arms companies. Two members of the agency’s advisory board also work for the Ministry of Defense (MoD). (3/16)

South Korea Creates Mars Task Force (Source: Chosun)
South Korea is adapting to the changes in U.S. space policy. John Lee, the head of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, noted in an interview with ChosunBiz on the 13th at the agency's headquarters in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, "We created a task force (TF) for Mars exploration within the agency, and as interest in Mars exploration grows in the United States, we must start preparing from now." (3/17)

India’s Space Startups Tap ISRO Veterans to Reach Next Level (Source: Economic Times)
India’s space tech startups are no longer just recruiting fresh graduates straight out of college, they are now also bringing in experienced professionals who can take them to the next level. From former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientists to business development and finance experts, startups are assembling top talent to navigate commercialization, crack complex regulations and expand globally. (3/17)

Axiom Space Selects Siemens’ Software to Enable Next-Gen Space Innovation (Source: AXiom)
Axiom Space has selected software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio to enhance the development processes for building era-defining space infrastructure. Siemens’ software will help Axiom Space to optimize the critical work on its next-generation commercial space station and spacesuit programs. This software solution makes it possible for Axiom Space to create digital threads and digital twins in a single platform. (3/9)

Draper Awards ispace an Additional $7.7 Million as Part of the NASA CLPS CP-12 Task Order (Source: ispace)
Today, ispace technologies U.S. (ispace-U.S.) announced that approximately $7.7 million in additional funding was released from Draper for the existing CP-12 contract as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. ispace Mission 3 is an ispace-U.S. commercial mission which will provide lunar lander transportation services to Draper as part of the CP-12 task order. (3/10)

Space Norway Secures Intelsat as Anchor Broadcasting Customer on its New THOR 8 Satellite (Source: Space Norway)
Space Norway, a premium provider of broadcasting services across the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), announces that Intelsat is an anchor customer for Space Norway on its THOR 8 satellite at 1⁰ West by taking lifetime ownership to a broadcasting payload tailored to CEE. (3/10)

Unseenlabs Expands Global Presence With New Office in Singapore (Source: Unseenlabs)
Unseenlabs announces the opening of its new commercial office in Singapore in February 2025. This milestone marks a strategic step in Unseenlabs’ international expansion, positioning the company closer to the dynamic Asia-Pacific market to meet growing demand for maritime surveillance and RF intelligence. (2/26)

SES and Lynk Global Announce Strategic Partnership for Direct-to-Device (D2D) Services (Source: SES)
SES and Lynk Global have announced a strategic partnership to address the high-growth direct-to-device (D2D) segment. As part of the agreement, SES will provide Series B funding for Lynk Global’s D2D constellation and provide a suite of integrated services that will enhance Lynk Global’s capabilities. (3/16)

Florida Space Grant Consortium Invites Applications for Research and Fellowships (Source: FSGC)
The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC) has released 2025-2026 Research and Fellowship programs. For most of the programs, proposals have to be submitted from a faculty in a FSGC affiliated college or university. The majority of the programs are competitive (fellowship and research programs, scholarships, and internships at NASA centers or industry). Click here. (3/17)

ISRO Advances Space Tech with SPADEX Undocking and Cryogenic Engine Milestone (Source: Space Daily)
India's space program marked a significant stride forward in March 2025 with a trio of successful operations that underscore the growing sophistication and efficiency of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). From a milestone in-orbit maneuver involving its SPADEX satellite duo to innovations in cryogenic engine testing, ISRO's achievements reflect a focused drive to advance indigenous capabilities in space technology. (3/17)

Varda Launches Third Space Capsule to Advance Hypersonic Navigation Tech (Source: Space Daily)
Varda Space Industries has successfully deployed its third orbital capsule, W-3, marking its second mission of the year. This achievement follows closely on the heels of its W-2 mission, which safely touched down in Australia on February 27, 2025. The W-3 spacecraft, mounted on a Rocket Lab Pioneer satellite platform as with previous missions, was launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-13 rideshare from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (3/17)

Hong Kong Spearheads Lunar Robotics Initiative for National Space Program (Source: Space Daily)
China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has taken a pivotal step in contributing to national space ambitions with the launch of the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center. This newly established facility is set to play a significant role in China's upcoming Chang'e-8 lunar mission.

The center, operating under the InnoHK Research Clusters and led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), is focusing on the creation of an advanced lunar robot. This robot, part of a wider international collaboration, is being engineered to perform multiple tasks on the Moon's surface. (3/17)

Ursa Major to Provide Advanced Chemical Propulsion for Tactical Satellite Bus Systems (Source: Space Daily)
Ursa Major has secured a multi-year contract valued between $10 million and $15 million to deliver fully integrated geostationary orbit (GEO) propulsion systems for a customer engaged in critical space operations. This agreement encompasses the design, manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing of a propulsion system engineered for six-degree-of-freedom maneuverability, enhancing operational flexibility in orbit. (3/14)