March 4, 2025

Future of Building and Launching Starship in Florida (Source: SpaceX)
In addition to continued infrastructure development at Starbase, Texas, where SpaceX is headquartered, SpaceX is expanding its Starship operations in Florida, bringing Starship production and launch capabilities to the Space Coast. As flight testing and development of Starship continues at Starbase in Texas, SpaceX is building a new integration facility, called Gigabay, next to its HangarX location at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Additionally, SpaceX plans to complete the Starship launch pad at Launch Complex 39A this year while the Environmental Impact Statements continue for potential Starship flight operations from both LC-39A and Launch Complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Expansion of Starship production and launch operations in Florida will enable SpaceX to significantly increase the build and flight rates for Starship, which will be the first rapidly and fully reusable launch vehicle in history. Access to space is a critical and growing need for U.S. national security, leadership in science, the country’s exploration goals, and for the growth of the economy. Starship will ultimately be responsible for sending millions of tons of payload to Mars – building a self-sustaining city to make humanity multiplanetary. 

The Gigabay in Florida will stand 380 feet tall and provide approximately 46.5 million cubic feet of interior processing space with 815,000 square feet of workspace, including ground level, elevated platform work areas, and a work and meeting space on the top floor. Gigabay will be able to support Starship and Super Heavy vehicles up to 266 feet tall and will provide 24 work cells for integration and refurbishment work, along with cranes capable of lifting up to 400 tons. Compared to the Megabay facilities in Starbase, currently SpaceX’s largest stacking and integration buildings, Gigabay provides more than 11 times the square-footage for workspace, 19 additional work cells, and more than twice the crane lifting capacity. (3/3)

Space Force Association Appoints Dr. Manjit Pope as President of SFA International and Chief Strategy Officer (Source: SFA)
The Space Force Association (SFA) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Manjit Pope as the President of SFA International and Chief Strategy Officer. A globally recognized leader in aerospace, technology, and international governance, Dr. Pope brings a wealth of expertise to her new role, reinforcing SFA’s commitment to advancing space capabilities and fostering global collaboration. (3/4)

Space: A Beacon of Peace in an Uncertain World (Source: ISU)
As the world faces increasing geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and environmental crises, the need for global cooperation has never been more critical. From ongoing conflicts and economic disruptions to the growing threats of climate change and resource scarcity, humanity is navigating an era of profound challenges. Traditional diplomatic channels often struggle to bridge divides, yet space remains an area where nations continue to find common ground.

The ISS serves as a prime example—despite political tensions, astronauts from different nations live and work together in orbit, proving that cooperation is not only possible but essential. At the International Space University (ISU), we believe that space is not just about technology and exploration; it is about fostering a shared vision for a better world. Our alumni, faculty, and partners come from all corners of the globe, united by the belief that space is a frontier that belongs to all of humanity. We see firsthand how space education, innovation, and diplomacy can build bridges where terrestrial politics often fail.

This is why we must ensure that space remains a force for peace, collaboration, and sustainable development—a domain where the pursuit of knowledge transcends earthly disputes. As leaders, educators, and innovators, we must ensure that space remains a domain of peaceful cooperation. This means strengthening policies that prevent weaponization, expanding global access to space opportunities, and using space-based technologies to address humanity’s most pressing challenges. (3/3)

Firefly Lands on the Moon (Source: Space Daily)
In the early morning hours Sunday, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 spacecraft successfully landed on the Moon. Jeff Foust reports on a milestone for both the company and NASA’s efforts to support commercial lunar landers. Click here. (3/4)
 
Mystery Solved! The CALSAT Satellite (Source: Space Daily)
For decades, a satellite was on display at an Air Force museum with no details about its mission or even its name. Dwayne Day describes how newly declassified documents have finally identified that satellite. Click here. (3/4)
 
US Space Resources Law Needs Clarification by Congress (Source: Space Daily)
Legislation passed nearly a decade ago was intended to ensure that US companies would own any asteroid resources they obtained. However, Camisha Simmons explains why issues with that law create uncertainty for those ventures that requires Congress to step in. Click here. (3/4)
 
Evolving Intelligent Life Took Billions of Years, But it May Not Have Been as Unlikely as Many Scientists Predicted (Source: Space Daily)
Some scientists have argued that the evolution of intelligent life on Earth required many “hard steps” that make it unlikely for it to have evolved elsewhere. Three researchers discuss how those hard steps might not be so hard after all. Click here. (3/4)

Maxar Wins GEO Satellite Contract From Unidentified Customer (Source: Space News)
Maxar announced a contract Monday for a commercial GEO satellite from an unidentified customer. Maxar said the satellite will be based on its 1300 series platform, the largest in the manufacturer's product line with a mass of up to 6,800 kilograms. It is the first order for a Maxar commercial GEO satellite in nearly two years, and one of just a handful of such satellites ordered in the last decade without disclosing the customer. Manufacturers used to vie for 15-20 large GEO orders annually, but only six for commercial communications were placed in 2024, the lowest number in two decades. (3/4)

Saltzman: We Are Warfighters (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's top general is calling on members of the service to see themselves as warfighters. Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, insisted that guardians, as Space Force personnel are known, must view themselves as warfighters on par with their counterparts in other military branches. Saltzman's remarks come in the wake of a recent report that called into question the Space Force's "warfighting ethos," suggesting the service has prioritized defensive satellite protection over developing offensive capabilities needed to deter adversaries. "Space control is how the Space Force achieves space superiority," Saltzman said, announcing that the service will soon publish new doctrine and guidance on space control. (3/4)

BAE Wins $151 Million for FORGE (Source: Space News)
BAE Systems won a $151 million contract to develop a next-generation ground system for U.S. Space Force missile-warning satellites. BAE Systems will lead the second phase of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) command and control (C2) ground system program, known as FORGE C2. That program aims to modernize the ground infrastructure that controls and tracks spacecraft from the military's constellation of missile-warning satellites in both geostationary and polar orbits. The contract award follows a competition that began in November 2023, when the Space Systems Command awarded $9.7 million contracts to four companies to develop FORGE C2 designs. (3/4)

Albedo Wins Air Force Contract for VLEO Imagery (Source: Space News)
Earth-observation startup Albedo won a U.S. Air Force Strategic Funding Increase contract. The award, worth up to $12 million, supports Albedo's efforts to send satellites into very low Earth orbit to gather visible and thermal imagery. Albedo's first satellite, the phone-booth sized Clarity-1, is scheduled to launch within days on the SpaceX Transporter-13 rideshare. Clarity-1 is designed to collect 10-centimeter visible imagery and thermal infrared imagery with a resolution of two meters per pixel. (3/4)

Voyager Seeks Partners for Golden Dome Work (Source: Space News)
Voyager Technologies is looking for partnership opportunities to win work on the Golden Dome missile-defense system. The company, previously known as Voyager Space, is emphasizing work in national security and one executive says there should be ways for Voyager to work on ground systems, space sensors, and interceptor missile components. A takeaway by Voyager from recent discussions on Golden Dome is that the Department of Defense intends to break from its traditional procurement approach and will seek to leverage a broader supplier base. (3/4)

SpaceX Scrubs Eighth Starship Launch Attempt for Multiple Problems (Source: Space News)
SpaceX scrubbed a Starship launch attempt Monday evening because of technical issues. The countdown halted at T-40 seconds ahead of the 6:45 p.m. Eastern launch, going into a hold initially to address an issue with the Super Heavy booster. SpaceX suggested that problem was corrected but there were other issues with the Starship upper stage, and the company ran out of time to fix them, calling off the launch. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said later there were "too many question marks about this flight" and that the company would try again in a day or two. As of early Tuesday, SpaceX had not announced a new launch date for the suborbital test flight. (3/4)

Arianespace Scrubs Ariane 6 Launch Attempt for Ground System Problem (Source: Arianespace)
Arianespace scrubbed an Ariane 6 launch attempt Monday. The company said problems with "ground means" that interface with the rocket prompted the scrub, announced less than an hour before the scheduled 11:24 a.m. Eastern launch from French Guiana. Arianespace did not announce a new launch date. The launch, just the second for the Ariane 6, is carrying a French reconnaissance satellite. (3/4)

More Lunar Landings Coming Soon (Source: Intuitive Machines, ispace)
Intuitive Machines and ispace announced landing dates for their lunar landers Monday. Intuitive Machines said its IM-2 lander, which entered lunar orbit early Monday, will attempt a landing in the south polar regions of the moon on Thursday at 12:27 p.m. Eastern. Separately, Japanese company ispace said its Resilience lander, launched on the same Falcon 9 as Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost 1, will touch down on the moon June 5 at 3:24 p.m. Eastern. Resilience is on a low-energy trajectory to minimize fuel use, flying by the moon last month before returning to enter lunar orbit in early May. (3/4)

Spire Demonstrates Laser Links Between Cubesats (Source: Space News)
Spire announced it demonstrated laser intersatellite links between two cubesats. The 6U cubesats, equipped with an optical communications payload about the size of a tissue box, transmitted data as far as 5,000 kilometers. The optical intersatellite links were demonstrated by cubesats launched in 2023. Spire plans to launch three additional Lemur cubesats with the links this year, two on the upcoming Transporter-13 rideshare launch. (3/4)

Lesson Learned: Europa Clipper Radiation Issue (Source: Space News)
The saga of Europa Clipper's electronics provides lessons for future missions. The spacecraft launched on time in October but only after electronics components known as MOSFETs were found to fail at lower levels of radiation than originally claimed by their producer. That prompted work by a JPL "tiger team" to analyze the MOSFETs on Europa Clipper, concluding that the components did not need to be replaced, which would have delayed the launch, instead taking measures to speed up the annealing process to repair any radiation damage encountered while orbiting Jupiter. Engineers involved in the effort said it showed the need to perform testing of components and not solely rely on any mil-spec rating those components have. (3/4)