In less than 100 days the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been converted from a media and [satellite] telecom watchdog into a bizarre, rights-trampling grievance machine built for one purpose: to coddle and protect the ego of President Trump. Gone is the agency that used to occasionally care about whether broadband maps were accurate or if consumers are being ripped off by sneaky cable industry fees. Gone is the agency that sometimes cared about media consolidation, or had begun taking a closer look at decades of discrimination in next-generation broadband deployment.
In its place is an FCC custom-built to harass companies and organizations that fail to support Trumpism, usually via a rotating crop of publicity-seeking pseudo-investigations that often have a fleeting relationship to factual reality or the law. Media and telecom policy experts have been taken aback by the quick transformation under Chairman Brendan Carr, who they say has abused agency authority and the law to harass journalists, cajole insufficiently deferential media companies, and bully telecom giants into taking an obedient knee to the administration.
Editor's Note: Amazon was criticized by the Trump administration this week for considering the display of US tariff costs alongside the prices of its products on Amazon.com. Amazon reportedly reversed course, as the FCC holds key regulatory control over the company's fledgling Kuiper satellite system. (4/28)
Spire Clears Debt with Sale of Maritime Business to Kpler (Source: Space Daily)
Spire Global has finalized the sale of its maritime business to Kpler. The transaction, valued at roughly $233.5 million before standard adjustments, also includes an additional $7.5 million agreement for post-closing services to be delivered over the next twelve months. Proceeds from the sale were primarily used to fully eliminate Spire's outstanding debt, strengthening the company's financial position. The remainder of the funds are slated to support targeted investments in Spire's near-term expansion initiatives. (4/28)
NASA Tests Hybrid Rocket Motor to Improve Safe Lunar Landings (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's Artemis program will rely on human landing systems developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin to ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the Moon's surface, paving the way for future crewed missions to Mars. During these critical landings and takeoffs, rocket plumes will disrupt the lunar surface, affecting the fragile regolith layer by creating craters and ejecting debris at high speeds.
To better predict these effects, a team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, has fired a 14-inch hybrid rocket motor more than 30 times. Developed by Utah State University using 3D printing technology, the hybrid motor burns a combination of solid fuel and gaseous oxygen, producing a powerful exhaust jet for testing. (4/28)
Lunar Gateway Module Reaches Final Assembly Phase for Artemis Missions (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's Gateway program is advancing steadily as preparations continue for deep space exploration alongside commercial and international collaborators. The HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) primary structure recently arrived at Northrop Grumman's facility in Arizona, transported from Thales Alenia Space in Italy, on April 1. It now will undergo final outfitting and rigorous verification testing.
Designed to support Artemis astronauts, HALO will offer vital living quarters, research facilities, and workspace. The module will feature critical systems for command and control, energy management, power distribution, thermal regulation, and onboard data handling. (4/28)
Latin American Space Roundup (Source: AzureX)
As Latin America steps forward with sovereign launch capabilities, advanced satellite systems, data-driven environmental solutions, and resilient space-based infrastructure, it's clear that the region is no longer on the periphery of the space conversation - it is positioning space as a pillar of its broader economic strategy and becoming a key player. This shift is not only reshaping national priorities it's creating new markets, attracting foreign investment, and redefining the region’s role in global supply chains and geostrategic alliances. Click here. (4/24)
AST SpaceMobile Makes Deal to Curb Its Huge Satellites' Astronomy Interference (Source: PC Magazine)
As it develops satellite-based cellular connectivity, AST SpaceMobile has reached an agreement designed to prevent the company’s massive BlueBird satellites from interfering with astronomy. On Monday, the Texas-based company signed a “coordination agreement” with the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The deal calls for AST to “implement best practices between satellite communications and ground-based optical, infrared, and radio astronomy observations. (4/28)
New Research Suggests Gravity Might Emerge From Quantum Information Theory (Source: Physics World)
A new theoretical framework proposes that gravity may arise from entropy, offering a fresh perspective on the deep connections between geometry, quantum mechanics and statistical physics. This modified version of gravity provides new quantum information theory insights on the well-established link between statistical mechanics and gravity that is rooted in the thermodynamic properties of black holes.
At the heart of Ginestra Bianconi’s theory is the concept of quantum relative entropy (QRE). This is a fundamental concept of information theory, and it quantifies the difference in information encoded in two quantum states. More specifically, QRE is a measure of how much information of one quantum state is carried by another quantum state.
Bianconi’s idea is that the metrics associated with spacetime are quantum operators that encode the quantum state of its geometry. Building on this geometrical insight, she proposes that the action for gravity is the QRE between two different metrics: one defined by the geometry of spacetime and another by the matter fields present within it. (4/28)
Musk Allies Made FAA Staff Sign NDAs to Keep New Project Secret (Source: Rolling Stone)
Elon Musk’s DOGE has been spearheading a multi-million dollar communications project at the FAA and employees roped into it have been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, sources with knowledge of the situation say. The situation fits into some broader patterns: Musk and DOGE have expressed significant influence over what happens at the FAA, which regulates Musk’s space company SpaceX. At the same time, Musk has offered SpaceX’s services to the agency, providing thousands of terminals from its satellite internet business, Starlink.
Two months ago, the Washington Post reported that Starlink was jockeying to replace Verizon on a $2.4 billion contract with the FAA to upgrade its systems for managing America’s airspace. Rolling Stone reported last month that FAA officials had recently ordered staffers to find tens of millions of dollars for a Starlink deal. A watchdog group, the Campaign Legal Center, last month requested that the Department of Transportation’s inspector general investigate whether Starlink’s business transactions with the FAA violate conflict of interest rules, given Musk’s role with the administration.
“He cannot legally participate in contracts or similar matters that affect his financial interests in Starlink or SpaceX. To the extent Musk is directing subordinates or working on [a] project himself, any attempt by him to get government business for his companies raises serious ethics concerns.” Starlink has denied wanting to replace Verizon on the $2.4 billion contract. But recently, DOGE staffers who now work at the FAA have been directing FAA funds to a new initiative called “Project Lift,” and employees involved have been made to sign NDAs to keep the details under wraps. "The billion-dollar question is: Who is getting the funding to consolidate these programs, why the secrecy, and why is DOGE all over it?” sources say. (4/25)
Dark Eagle Hypersonic Missile Will Have Land and Sea Variants (Source: DoD)
The "Dark Eagle" missile launched last week at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport could soon be fielded by the Army and Navy to provide a hypersonic strike capability. The U.S. Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office and the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs partnered to rapidly field land and sea variants of a hypersonic weapon system that will meet critical joint warfighting needs. The use of a common hypersonic missile and joint test opportunities allow the services to pursue a more aggressive timeline for delivery and to realize cost savings. (4/25)
Space Force Plans Cloud-Ready Upgrade for Nuclear System (Source: Datacenter Dynamics)
The US Space Force is undertaking a significant nuclear tracking upgrade with a review and update to more than 3 million lines of legacy code. The aim is to modernize the system to be compatible with cloud environments, enhancing scalability and reliability. (4/26)
Astronomers Say There's an Increased Possibility of Life on This Distant Planet (Source: CNET)
Astronomers are nearing a statistically significant finding that could confirm the potential signs of life detected on the distant exoplanet K2-18b are no accident. The team of astronomers, led by the University of Cambridge, used data from the James Webb Space Telescope (which has only been in use since the end of 2021) to detect chemical traces of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), which they say can only be produced by life such as phytoplankton in the sea.
According to the university, "the results are the strongest evidence yet that life may exist on a planet outside our solar system." The findings point to the possibility of an ocean on this planet's surface, which scientists have been hoping to discover for years. In the abstract for the paper, the team says, "The possibility of hycean worlds, with planet-wide oceans and H2-rich atmospheres, significantly expands and accelerates the search for habitable environments elsewhere." (4/26)
Golden Dome Would Get $25 Billion in Defense Bill (Source: Space News)
The Golden Dome missile defense program would receive $25 billion as part of a defense bill. The funding is part of $150 billion in additional defense spending for fiscal year 2025 that the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have proposed adding to a budget reconciliation bill. The $25 billion earmarked for Golden Dome includes about $15 billion for satellites, sensors, launch infrastructure and interceptors. Democrats oppose the plan, citing the legislative strategy and potential impacts on social programs. (4/28)
How the Satellite Revolution Impacting Telecom Operators in Africa (Source: CTO)
In January 2025, the African Development Bank (AfDB) granted a $160 million loan to AXIAN Telecom to expand digital access across nine African countries through 4G and 5G technologies. A strategic step toward closing the digital divide on the continent. At the same time, another player is rapidly making its mark from space: Starlink. With the ambition to cover nearly 40 African countries by the end of 2025, the U.S.-based satellite provider offers high-speed, low-latency connectivity in even the most remote areas — like Chad, where only 12% of the population was connected in 2022.
However, this rapid expansion—carried out without local infrastructure or African partnerships—has sparked growing concern among national telecom operators. In response to regulatory gaps and fears over digital sovereignty, countries like Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa have already intervened by blocking or seizing unauthorized Starlink equipment, citing national security risks. In this context, an alternative is emerging: a competitive space-based connectivity solution shared between African telecom operators, which they can operate independently — just as they currently do with terrestrial networks. (4/28)
China Launches Data Relay Satellite (Source: Space News)
China launched a data relay satellite Sunday. A Long March 3B lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, placing into geostationary transfer orbit the Tianlian-2 (05) data tracking and relay communications satellite. The satellite will provide data relay and telemetry, tracking and command services for crewed spacecraft and the Tiangong space station as well as other spacecraft in low and medium Earth orbits. (4/28)
SpaceX Launches 250th Starlink Mission, From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: UPI)
SpaceX launched a set of Starlink satellites Sunday night. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 10:09 p.m. Eastern and placed 23 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was the 250th by SpaceX dedicated to deployment of Starlink satellites. Editor's Note: Starlink commercial launches now dominate the manifests at both Florida and California spaceports, meaning the Space Force's launch infrastructure is increasingly dedicated to supporting a commercial enterprise. Is SpaceX paying a sufficient share of the cost for the maintenance of our nation's range capability? (4/28)
American Universities Get Access to China's Lunar Rocks (Source: Space News)
Two American universities are among those receiving lunar samples from China's Chang'e-5 mission. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced last week that seven universities in six countries would receive samples returned by Chang'e-5, China's first lunar sample return mission, in 2020. The recipients include Brown University and Stony Brook University in the United States. NASA allowed American universities to apply for the samples despite limitations on bilateral cooperation with China through the Wolf Amendment. (4/28)
Universe's Largest Structure Could Be 50% Bigger Than Previously Thought (Source: NDTV)
The contender for the largest known structure in the universe, the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall (or Great Wall, for short), might be even larger than scientists had previously thought. As per a new study, the Great Wall, which is located 10 billion light-years from Earth, could be as large as 15 billion light-years in size, up from the previous estimate of 10 billion light-years long. Using a recently developed methodology, scientists re-examined the Great Wall, which was first discovered, more than a decade ago. (4/27)
World Military Spending Hits $2.7 Trillion in Record 2024 Surge (Source: Reuters)
World military expenditure reached $2.72 trillion in 2024, an increase of 9.4% from 2023 and the steepest year-on-year rise since at least the end of the Cold War, according to a report released by a leading conflict think tank on Monday. Heightened geopolitical tension saw increased military spending in all world regions, with particularly rapid growth in both Europe and the Middle East, data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed. (4/27)
Gravity-Defying Breakthrough: Floating Sensor Unmasks Dark Energy’s Secrets (Source: SciTech Daily)
A research team from China achieved a major breakthrough in dark energy detection. The team developed a magnetically levitated precision force measurement system, enabling high-precision experimental tests of the symmetron dark energy theory. Their new system pushed the boundaries of experimental precision, improving the international state-of-the-art by six orders of magnitude. This advance allowed the researchers to explore a wide range of parameters that had been inaccessible to previous experimental setups. (4/27)
Orion Comes Alive: NASA Capsule Throws Off Its Cover in Major Test (Source: Daily Galaxy)
Engineers successfully conducted a forward bay cover jettison test at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, demonstrating that the spacecraft can endure the intense conditions it might face during a launch abort scenario. The Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA) was subjected to launch abort-level acoustics inside the Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility, the world’s most powerful spacecraft acoustic chamber.
The test aimed to confirm the proper ejection of Orion’s forward bay cover, the final protective component that must detach before parachutes deploy for a safe landing. (4/26)
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