March 7, 2025

India Developing Comprehensive Space Policy (Source: Indian Express)
The state government will prepare a comprehensive space policy within three months, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. The space technology has become an inevitable aspect of public life. It has given boost to industrial units and also holds important role in good governance, he said. (3/6)

Japan to Retry Lunar Landing in June, South Korea Also Targeting Lunar Exploration (Source: Chosun)
The private sector's lunar exploration is not entirely successful. Israel's SpaceIL developed the lunar lander 'Beresheet,' which attempted a lunar landing in 2019 but crashed and exploded on the lunar surface. Failures also occurred last year, with Japan's space company iSpace attempting a landing in April 2024 but failing, and in January 2024, the American space company Astrobotics' lunar lander also failed to land.

Japan's iSpace will make another attempt at a lunar landing this year. The lunar lander 'Resilience,' developed by iSpace, was launched towards the moon aboard SpaceX's rocket on January 15. This rocket also carried Blue Ghost, which had previously successfully landed on the moon. This is the first instance of two lunar landers being carried by a single rocket. NASA even designated it the 'Double Moon Mission.'

South Korea, under the leadership of the Korea National Aerospace Administration (KARI), is preparing for lunar exploration, aiming for 2032. However, there are also corporations preparing to enter the lunar exploration market even ahead of that. Intergravity Technologies, founded by former Korea Aerospace Research Institute employees, is a prime example. (3/7)

New UK-Made Space System to Help Protect Military Satellites (Source: Gov.UK)
The Borealis command, control and data processing system will help the UK military the UK Space Agency to better monitor and protect satellites, through new software which compiles and processes data from multiple sources, more quickly, to monitor space. The £65 million deal with CGI UK, an IT systems integration specialist, will support around 100 skilled jobs in Leatherhead (3/7)

FAA Grounds Traffic at Four Florida Airports After SpaceX Craft Breaks Apart (Source: Politico)
The FAA temporarily halted air traffic at four Florida airports on Wednesday after a SpaceX craft broke apart after launch, raising concerns about falling debris. The agency briefly halted flights into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando for possible space launch debris in the area, the agency said in an alert. (3/7)

Orbex Vows to Return to Sutherland Spaceport (Source: Forres Gazette)
The prospect of satellite launches from the mothballed north Sutherland spaceport has been rekindled. Rocket firm Orbex abandoned the partially-built site late last year to focus on development of its Prime spacecraft, which it now plans to launch from Shetland. Far north community and development bodies were stunned at the start of December when the Forres-based firm announced it was to “pause” its construction work at A’ Mhoine, near Tongue.

It was to instead launch its first wave of small commercial satellites from the rival site at SaxaVord in Shetland. There were then calls for Orbex to repay the millions of pounds in public money invested in the Sutherland venture, with many fearing it would turn into a white elephant. But the company on Thursday clarified that it now foresees both sites being deployed, with mobilisation work at the Sutherland site set to resume from 2027. (3/7)

Saab Explores Using ICEYE SAR Data for Command and Control Systems (Source: European Spaceflight)
Swedish defense giant Saab has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICEYE to enhance its command and control systems using data from the company’s synthetic aperture radar satellites. Founded in 2014, ICEYE owns and operates the world’s largest constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. With around 40 satellites in orbit, the company provides near real-time insights, day or night, and in a variety of weather conditions. (3/6)

NASA, Boom Capture Image of Jet Breaking Sound Barrier (Source: Quartz)
NASA and Boom Supersonic have captured a remarkable image of the XB-1 demonstrator breaking the sound barrier using Schlieren photography. The photo was taken during a February flight and highlights Boom's potential to revolutionize air travel by cutting coast-to-coast US travel times by 50% without creating an audible boom. (3/4)

Global Space and Defense Leaders to Gather in UK Next Week (Source: Space-Comm)
Space-Comm Expo confirmed plans for the largest ever gathering of international space agencies, ambassadors and defense leaders in the UK to support diplomatic efforts for the peaceful, secure and sustainable use of space. The global space diplomacy initiative will take place against a backdrop of increased geopolitical tensions with the future of space dependent on governance and unprecedented levels of international collaboration. (3/6)

Europe's New Ariane 6 Rocket Successfully Puts French Spy Satellite Into Orbit (Source: France 24)
Europe's new heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 carried out its first commercial mission on Thursday, launching without a hitch and deploying a French military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. The success of the mission means that Europe can now put large satellites into orbit on its own, as Russia pulled its Soyuz rockets after invading Ukraine in 2022. (3/6)

Invigorating the American Space Sector Requires Working With NASA, Not Against It (Source: Tech Policy)
The United States is witnessing the dissolution of multiple government science, health, and technology agencies in real time. At the top scientific and technological centers in the world, employees are being fired or furloughed, long-standing programs are being canned, or are teetering on the brink of collapse. The new administration promises that such cuts will restore American "greatness" and secure both savings and efficiencies. But as the history of the space program teaches us, when programs are cut to the bone, America loses much more than it gains. Click here. (3/4)

DoD Relies on Commercial Sector for Hypersonics Tech (Source: Space News)
The U.S. military is turning to commercial space companies to help with hypersonics. Launch companies are using systems originally developed for satellite launches to also launch hypersonic technology development missions for the military, tapping into a market estimated to be worth $6-7 billion annually even as it becomes more difficult for companies to compete for space launch. Some companies, like Stratolaunch, pivoted completely from space launch to hypersonics, while Rocket Lab has adapted its Electron rocket for suborbital launches of hypersonic missions. Other companies are offering reentry capsules for hypersonics research as well. (3/7)

Danti Offers AI-Supported Satellite Imagery Analysis (Source: Space News)
AI technology startup Danti is expanding its Earth data search engine to a wider government audience. The company developed a product to search satellite imagery and other geospatial data using natural language queries, working initially with the U.S. Space Force and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. The search engine incorporates satellite imagery licensed to the government through various contracts, fusing this visual data with information from diverse sources including drone footage, news reports, social media, shipping records and global event data. It is now collaborating with FEMA, NOAA and other agencies on the technology. (3/7)

Space Force Monitors China's Space Monitors (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force revealed it has been tracking how Chinese sensors monitor American satellites. Payloads on the LDPE-3A spacecraft, built by Northrop Grumman for the Space Force and launched in 2023, have been able to monitor China's Space Observation Surveillance and Identification System network, the Chinese equivalent of the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. The payloads were developed by the Space Rapid Capabilities Office and collected "all kinds of very interesting data" on the Chinese tracking network, officials said at a briefing during the AFA Warfare Symposium. (3/7)

Second Starship Breaks Up, Closing Florida Airspace as Debris Rains on Caribbean (Source: Space News)
SpaceX suffered a second consecutive loss of its Starship vehicle on a test flight Thursday. The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on the eighth suborbital test flight. The initial phases of flight went as planned, including the return of the Super Heavy booster to the launch site for a catch by the launch tower. However, several engines on the Starship upper stage failed about eight minutes after liftoff, causing the vehicle to tumble.

Contact with the spacecraft was soon lost and Starship broke apart, reentering over the Caribbean. That reentry caused airspace closures, including ground stops for several Florida airports. SpaceX said that "an energetic event" in the aft section of the vehicle caused the loss of the Raptor engines. Starship was lost on its previous test flight in January when a fire broke out in that same section of the vehicle, causing engines to shut down. (3/7)

IM-2 Lander Tips on Lunar Surface (Source: Space News)
Intuitive Machines said its IM-2 lander is on the moon but "somewhat on its side" after a landing Thursday. The lander, known as Athena, was scheduled to touch down at about 12:32 p.m. Eastern, and its descent to the moon appeared to follow plans until the final few minutes. The company says the lander did safely make it to the surface and is generating power and communicating, but data suggests it may be on its side for reasons not yet clear.

The lander's laser altimeter was generating "noisy" data that may have contributed to the flawed landing. Engineers are working to gather data, including images, to determine its orientation, after which they will see which payloads can still operate. Shares of Intuitive Machines closed down 20% Thursday, and fell another 30% in after-hours trading. (3/7)

York to Launch Five Missions in 2025 (Source: Space News)
York Space Systems plans to launch five missions in 2025 for commercial customers conducting classified experiments for the U.S. military. The satellite manufacturer said Thursday it has completed pre-launch testing for its first mission of the year, Tyndal, an experimental national security project scheduled for April launch.

Under these commercial contracts, York is integrating customer-provided payloads, securing launch services, and handling mission operations from its Denver facility. York is emphasizing how its commercial platforms can serve sensitive national security needs, positioning itself as a bridge between commercial space capabilities and national security requirements. (3/7)

ULA Anticipates Meeting Ambitious Vulcan Launch Targets (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance still expects to meet ambitious launch targets for its new Vulcan Centaur vehicle despite the rocket still awaiting final certification from the U.S. Space Force. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said the company has six Vulcan rockets currently in production while awaiting the Space Force’s decision to clear the vehicle for national security space missions.

The delay in certification stems from an anomaly on Vulcan's second launch when a solid rocket booster lost its nozzle in flight. The U.S. Space Force said it expects Vulcan to launch 11 national security missions this year, but Bruno noted such missions are frequently delayed because of issues with the spacecraft. (3/7)

NOAA Re-Hires Dismissed Space Traffic Coordinator (Source: Space News)
The program manager for the Commerce Department's space traffic coordination system is back on the job. The manager for the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), Dmitry Poisik, was among the NOAA employees laid off last week as part of firings of probationary civil servants. However, Poisik was rehired earlier this week, a move that came after some industry groups warned of adverse effects to the commercial space industry caused by the layoffs at the Office of Space Commerce. At a conference this week, industry officials said that while they were glad that Poisik was back, they remained worried about the Commerce Department's commitment to TraCSS, currently in beta testing. (3/7)

DoD, Space Force Lack Details on Hybrid Satcom Development, says GAO (Source: Janes)
The US Department of Defense (DoD) and the US Space Force (USSF) must provide a more comprehensive accounting of their efforts to develop military and commercial satellite communications (satcom) architectures to ensure the initiative will meet combat requirements for US armed forces, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a recent report. (3/6)