May 15, 2025

Sidus Space Posts Quarterly Loss (Source: Sidus Space)
Space Coast-based Sidus Space reported quarterly financial results this week, including revenue of $238,000 (compared to $1.05 million in Q1 2024). Spending topped $1.9 million, up 93% from Q1 2024. This represented a loss of $1.6 million for the quarter, with $11.7 million cash on-hand as of March 31. (5/15)

Colorado Emerges as Major Space Industry Hub (Source: Clearance Jobs)
The American “space industry” has long been dominated by four states, including Texas, Florida, California, and Virginia. Yet, the industry has continued to evolve, and Colorado is increasingly becoming a space-based state, as it is a hub for companies including Sierra Nevada Corporation and Special Aerospace, while it is also the current home to the U.S. Space Command, as well as three out of the six United States Space Force bases, and the Space Force Operations Command.

According to a recent Colorado Office of Economic Development report, the Centennial State is now home to more than 500 space-related companies, including nine of the country’s major space contractors. Last year, Colorado saw $22.8 billion in federal aerospace funding to companies headquartered in the state, while $12.3 billion in funding was provided to five of the state’s military bases, with $3.4 billion awarded to its federal research labs. (5/14)

FAA Expands Hazard Area *Internationally* for Next Starship Flight (Source: FAA)
The FAA issued a May 15 statement regarding its approval for up to 25 launches/landings per year of SpaceX's Starship/Super-Heavy rocket. Because a mishap investigation from the previous flight is still unresolved (SpaceX submitted its report to the FAA for review/approval on May 14), the company cannot launch until a return-to-flight determination is issued.

Also, the FAA has expanded the size of its aircraft and maritime hazard area, "both in the U.S. and other countries" because of downrange debris issues encountered when the previous Starship exploded during its ascent to orbit. Editor's Note: UK territories in the Caribbean have asked for additional safety measures. Have Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico? A big chunk of the launch site's blast danger area lies within Mexico. (5/15)

After Two SpaceX Explosions, U.K. Officials Ask FAA to Change Starship Flight Plans (Source: ProPublica)
British officials told the U.S. they are concerned about the safety of SpaceX’s plans to fly its next Starship rocket over British territories in the Caribbean, where debris fell earlier this year after two of the company’s rockets exploded. The worries from the U.K. government, detailed in a letter to a top American diplomat on Wednesday, follow the FAA’s decision last week to grant SpaceX’s request for a fivefold increase in the number of Starship launches allowed this year, from five to 25.

Of particular concern to British officials is the public’s safety in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos Islands — all of which could fall under Starship 9’s flight path. After the explosion in January, residents of the Turks and Caicos reported finding pieces of the rocket on beaches and roads. A car was also damaged in the Starship 7 accident. Seven weeks later, Starship 8 also exploded after liftoff. Air traffic in the region was diverted, and burning streaks from the falling rocket were visible in the sky from the Bahamas and Florida’s coast.

The letter also requests that the U.S. government provide the United Kingdom more information on increased safety measures that will be put in place before Starship 9 launches, and that British territories be given enough warning to communicate with the public about those measures. Last year, the FAA proposed $633,000 in fines against SpaceX for violations related to two previous launches. Musk, in turn, accused the FAA of engaging in “lawfare” and threatened to sue it for “regulatory overreach.” The administrative case remains open. (5/15)

Crony Capitalist - Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries to Get Business for Musk (Source: ProPublica)
The State Department conducted a monthslong campaign toward small African country of Gambia to help Musk’s satellite internet company, records and interviews show. Working closely with executives at Starlink, the U.S. government has made a global push to help expand Musk’s business empire in the developing world.

Diplomats said the events were an alarming departure from standard practice — because of both the tactics used and the person who would benefit most from them. Executives at Starlink have seized the moment to expand. An April State Department cable quoted a Starlink employee describing the company’s approach to securing a license in Djibouti, a key U.S. ally in Africa that hosts an American military base: “We’re pushing from the top and the bottom to ram this through.”

“I honestly didn’t think we were capable of doing this,” one official told ProPublica. “That is bad on every level.” Kenneth Fairfax, a retired career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan, said the global push for Musk “could lead to the impression that the U.S. is engaging in a form of crony capitalism.” (5/15)

Shaking Up Satcom: The Time is Now for Radical Innovation in Satellite Communications (Source: Space News)
Disruption from new technologies and business models can’t be stopped. Traditional businesses that hear and heed its warning bells, however, have an opportunity to pivot. Instead of getting hit by the oncoming train, they can get out of its way—and perhaps even climb aboard.

That lesson looms especially large right now for the satellite communications industry, according to Cynthia Harty, senior vice president of corporate development at satellite communications company ST Engineering iDirect. In 2018, she watched intently as Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched two prototypes for its planned constellation of internet-providing satellites, Starlink. The phantom sound of sirens was unmistakable. And with more than 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit to date, its chime today is only growing louder and more urgent.

“Starlink fundamentally changed the user experience for consumers of satellite internet, and it has caused everyone else in the market to reevaluate what they’re doing and how they’re operating,” explained Harty, who said Amazon’s Project Kuiper—whose goal is increasing global broadband access through a constellation of more than 3,000 satellites—will only disrupt the satcom sector even further. (5/13)

Big Ideas Need Big Rockets (Source: Space News)
A new generation of space companies is thinking bigger. From kilometers-wide orbital data centers to solar power stations requiring even larger structures in space, some of the most ambitious space businesses depend on building at a scale that’s never been attempted in orbit. Modularity can help, and many massive systems in the works are designed to be assembled in orbit from smaller components launched in batches.

But when dealing with colossal structures, the fewer launches it takes to get a system in orbit, the more viable a business model becomes. Many of these big-dreaming ventures are unsurprisingly rooting for SpaceX’s Starship, the largest rocket under development with a payload capacity of at least 100 metric tons to LEO. Starship and other large rockets in the works will widen the kinds of businesses that make financial sense in orbit. Click here. (5/14) https://spacenews.com/space-based-solar-power-startups-are-banking-on-starships-success/

Indian Armed Forces Used Domestic Space Assets, Foreign Commercial Satellites for Operation Sindoor (Source: Economic Times)
During Operation Sindoor, Indian defence forces strategically utilized a combination of domestic and international space assets, including ISRO's Cartosat and RISAT series, alongside commercial data from Maxar. ISRO facilitated repeatable data access, enhancing surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Upcoming launches, like the EOS-09 or Risat-1B with advanced radar technology, will further bolster India's all-weather surveillance, reinforcing support for the armed forces.

“All of our strategic assets were put to use in different ways by our armed forces for Operation Sindoor. Our teams have been working round the clock and we are proud that ISRO could help our forces in missions important for the country,” a senior official from ISRO said. (5/13)

NASA's New Underwater Map Reveals Nearly 100,000 Hidden Mountains Beneath the Ocean (Source: Earth.com)
Scientists have come up with a new high-resolution map of the ocean floor. The newly released findings show nearly 100,000 underwater mountains that were previously unknown. David Sandwell from Scripps Institution of Oceanography contributed to this research and credits advanced satellite observations for the detailed results. (5/7)

A Relative of DNA Can Handle the Venus High Atmosphere (Source: Universe Today)
Could some type of life find refuge in Venus' clouds? The detection of phosphine and potentially ammonia in the planet's atmosphere is posing that question. If life could survive there, would it be like Earth life? Or would it have a different molecular basis?

The surface of Venus is one of the most hostile and unforgiving places in the Solar System. The intense heat and atmospheric pressure mean no organism could survive there. Scientists have wondered if life could survive in its upper atmosphere, where conditions are temperate and more forgiving. New research shows that a molecule similar to DNA could survive there. (5/12)

After the Arecibo Collapse in 2020, a Lone NASA Radar Dish in the Mojave Desert Stepped Up as a Leading Asteroid Hunter (Source: Space.com)
Rising out of the remote Mojave Desert, NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar is a solitary satellite dish that communicates with spacecraft. In its downtime, the facility's antennas can track objects in space as they pass by Earth, improving measurements of their orbits that help scientists calculate if a particular target has a chance of colliding with our planet. By the end of 2024, Goldstone had detected 55 Near-Earth Asteroids, setting a new annual record for the facility. (5/14)

Sensors Designed to Detect Nuclear Detonations Can Help Track Space Debris Falling to Earth (Source: Space.com)
Scientists are studying how sensors designed to detect nuclear tests could help track space junk and meteorites crashing down in the world's most remote regions. Across the world, dozens of supersensitive detectors have been installed since the beginning of the Cold War era to detect infrasound waves created by nuclear tests thousands of miles away.

Infrasound refers to sound waves far below the range of human hearing, similar to how the infrared range of light is far below the threshold of human eyesight. These detectors, part of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) detection network, also pick up the rumble of a thunder or the ultrasonic booms generated by large pieces of space rocks or space debris disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere. (5/12)

Strongest Solar Flare of 2025 Erupts From Sun, Sparking Radio Blackouts Across Europe, Asia and the Middle East (Source: Space.com)
The sun roared to life early Tuesday (May 14), unleashing a powerful X-class solar flare from a newly emerging sunspot region AR4087. The eruption peaked at 4:25 a.m. EDT, triggering strong R3-level radio blackouts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East — the sunlit side of Earth at the time — as sunspot region 2087 crackles with activity. (5/14)

Mercury - Closer Than We Think (Source: Farmingdale Observer)
Mercury, often overlooked in discussions about our cosmic neighborhood, has emerged as Earth’s closest planetary companion according to revolutionary calculations. Contrary to popular belief, neither Venus nor Mars holds this distinction. This revelation challenges decades of conventional astronomical wisdom and offers fascinating implications for future space exploration.

Scientists from NASA and the U.S. Army‘s Engineering Research and Development Center have upended traditional understanding of planetary proximities. Using the innovative “point-circle method,” researchers have calculated average distances between planets over time rather than simply measuring closest approach points. Their findings revealed something unexpected: Mercury is, on average, closer to Earth than either Venus or Mars. (5/15)

Nova Watch Concept for Mars Exploration Remains Grounded Before NASA Approval (Source: Yanko Design)
To be tagged as a space watch, a timepiece must remain accurate even without gravity. It should be dependable, with a movement that remains unaffected by the lack of normal gravitational forces. Despite the challenge, several watches have earned the honor of traveling to space with NASA’s approval. Another contender aiming for that recognition is the new Nova watch, which isn’t waiting for NASA’s affirmation; instead, it is branding itself as connected to the national space agency.

Nova, a watch concept for Mars exploration, draws its inspiration from the structural precision and intricate texture of rocket engines and substantiates its stature for recognition. It celebrates the success of NASA’s Mars 2020 mission and aims to understand the potential of a watch in the worlds beyond our planet. Editor's Note: I guessed they'd found a way to keep time on Mars with its rotation approximately 40 minutes slower than Earth's. Nope, they did not. (5/7)

I’m an Exoplanet Scientist. Here’s What We Lose if We Don’t Launch Roman (Source: Space News)
Among the proposed cuts to NASA: the elimination of funding for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Set to launch in just two years, Roman is poised to transform our understanding of exoplanets and the structure of the universe. Like JWST, it can detect both visible and infrared light — wavelengths longer than what our eyes can see. But Roman is fundamentally different in one key way: its much larger field of view. It can observe enormous swaths of the sky at once using its wide field instrument.

One of Roman’s primary missions is a microlensing survey that will detect about 2,500 exoplanets, ranging from rocky worlds like Earth to massive gas giants like Jupiter. These planets will orbit much farther from their host stars — at distances similar to those between Earth and the Sun, or even Saturn and the Sun — regions that have remained largely out of reach for current detection methods.

This is a critical blind spot: almost all known exoplanets have been found using the transit or radial velocity methods, which are most sensitive to planets that orbit close to their stars. Roman will give us, for the first time, a full picture of the architecture of planetary systems, especially in their outer reaches. (5/13)

China is Sharing Priceless Moon Samples with International Partners, but NASA Can't be a Part of It (Source: Space.com)
Precious moon samples brought back to Earth by China's Chang'e 5 mission in 2020 have finally been shared with international researchers — but the law has made it difficult for U.S.-based scientists to receive any of the material. Earlier in May, British planetary scientist Mahesh Anand of the Open University in Milton Keynes travelled to China to "borrow" 60 milligrams (0.002 ounces) of the 1,731-gram (3.8 pounds) Chang'e 5 sample. Scientists from elsewhere in Europe, as well as Ethiopia, Russia and the United States, are also receiving samples.

In the other countries, government funding bodies are paying for the analysis of these loaned samples, but NASA is prevented from funding U.S.-based researchers to do the same. Instead, Timothy Glotch, the lone American planetary scientist who has received a sample of the Chang'e 5 material, had to be funded privately by his own institution, Stony Brook University in New York. (5/14)

China Signs Deal with Russia to Build a Power Plant on the Moon — Potentially Leaving the US in the Dust (Source: Live Science)
Russia has signed a deal with China to build a nuclear power plant on the moon. The Russian reactor will be used to power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), jointly led by China and Russia, and should be completed by 2036, according to a memorandum of cooperation signed by the two nations. The announcement comes just after NASA revealed a 2026 budget proposal that would axe the agency's plans for an orbital lunar base. (5/13)

SpaceX Supervisors ‘Tracked and Monitored’ Bathroom Breaks of Employee with Crohn’s Disease (Source: Law and Crime)
A former SpaceX employee with Crohn’s disease has accused Elon Musk’s aerospace company of discrimination and harassment for allegedly keeping a strict tab on his bathroom breaks using an “electronic timekeeping system” and other methods before eventually firing him for “deficient performance.”

Douglas Altshuler, 58, filed a discrimination lawsuit last week in Washington state, claiming his SpaceX higher-ups “tracked and monitored” his restroom habits before he was axed from the company in January. The surveillance allegedly included “listening to his calls throughout the day” and tracking his work tickets, according to Altshuler’s complaint, which was included in a May 5 notice of removal to federal jurisdiction filed by the SpaceX legal team. (5/12)

Concerns About Cuts to NRO (Source: Space News)
Members of a House committee said they are concerned about proposed cuts to a National Reconnaissance Office commercial imagery program. During a hearing Wednesday of the House Armed Services Committee's Strategic Forces subcommittee, ranking member Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) called out what he described as "rumors" that the NRO, under direction from the Office of Management and Budget, had been ordered to scale back funding for commercial imagery in its fiscal year 2026 budget request.

Others on the committee also said they were worried that the budget would cut the program despite the high demand for such imagery. NRO Director Chris Scolese did not directly confirm or deny the budget reductions but emphasized the critical role of commercial data in supporting defense and intelligence missions. The chairman of the committee, Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), said the hearing would be the final appearance by Scolese before the committee, although the NRO did not confirm that Scolese was planning to step down. (5/15)

ESA Chief Calls for More European Space Spending (Source: Space News)
The head of the European Space Agency said European governments need to spend more on space. Testifying before a European Parliament committee this week, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher noted that Europe accounts for only 10% of government spending worldwide on space, compared to 15% by China and 60% by the United States.

He argued it was a "miracle" that Europe achieved leadership positions in areas such as Earth observation and navigation given that level of spending and that Europe should spend more on space to meet the need for greater autonomy and independence. He said he will seek "beyond 20 billion euros" ($22 billion) for ESA in the next three years at a ministerial conference later this year, a significant increase over the last three-year budget. (5/15)

China Launches 12 Satellites for ADA Space Computing Constellation (Source: Space News)
A Chinese launch Wednesday marked the start of the deployment of a 2,800-satellite constellation. The Long March 2D launch placed 12 satellites into orbit for ADA Space, which said the satellites comprise a "Three-Body Computing Constellation" for space-based computing applications. The constellation is part of a wider "Star-Compute Program," a collaboration between ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab, which aims to build a huge on-orbit network of 2,800 satellites. (5/15)

Zeno Power Raises $50 Million for Nuclear Space Systems (Source: Space News)
Zeno Power, a startup developing nuclear power systems for space and other uses, has raised $50 million. The company said Wednesday it closed a Series B round led by Hanaco Ventures and joined by several other space and defense-focused investors. The funds will support expansion of its workforce and manufacturing footprint as it aims to deliver its first commercial nuclear battery by 2027. The company is developing a radioisotope power system fueled by strontium-90 for use in space as well as places on Earth, like the deep oceans, where solar power is not an option. (5/15)

Telesat to Provide Lightspeed Constellation Capacity to Arabsat (Source: Space News)
Telesat won a deal to provide capacity on its Lightspeed constellation to Arabsat. Telesat said Wednesday it has negotiated a term sheet with Arabsat for multiple gigabits per second of capacity, but terms of the deal were not disclosed. The announcement came as Saudi regulators granted approval to SpaceX to provide Starlink services to maritime and aviation customers in the country. (5/15)

SpaceX Launches Wednesday Starlink Mission From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Another day, another Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:38 p.m. Eastern, placing 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. This was the fifth Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites within five days. (5/15)

Axiom Ax-4 Private Astronaut Mission to ISS Slips to June (Source: NASA)
The launch of a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station has slipped slightly. NASA said it revised the schedule of upcoming flights to the ISS, with Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission moving from May 29 to no earlier than June 9. The agency said the delay gives "more time to finalize mission plans, spacecraft readiness, and logistics." Ax-4 will be followed by the next crew rotation mission, Crew-11, scheduled for late July, with a cargo Dragon mission to follow in late August. (5/15)

NASA Picks Rocket Lab to Launch Astrophysics Smallsat (Source: Space News)
NASA selected Rocket Lab to launch an astrophysics smallsat mission. NASA said Wednesday it awarded a task order to Rocket Lab to launch the Aspera mission on an Electron no sooner than the first quarter of 2026. Aspera is a 60-kilogram satellite that will observe hot gases in the vicinity of galaxies to better understand star formation. It is part of NASA's Astrophysics Pioneer program of low-cost astrophysics missions using smallsats and balloons. (5/15)

Kepler Demos Optical Links From Space to Ground (Source: Space News)
Kepler Communications has demonstrated optical links between a satellite and the ground. The company said it demonstrated a link between a prototype satellite in low Earth orbit and an optical ground station operated by French technology firm Cailabs. The system used standards set by the Space Development Agency for intersatellite links. The demonstration marks another milestone in Kepler's plans to build a high-capacity relay network, following tests last year that moved terabytes of data across two LEO pathfinders using optical intersatellite links. (5/15)

Australian-Made Rocket Set for Historic Space Launch (Source: Space Daily)
An Australian company says it aims to make the first orbital test launch of a locally-developed rocket on Thursday, carrying a jar of Vegemite as its payload. The three-stage Eris rocket is set to fly from a spaceport near Bowen on the east coast, said its developer, Gilmour Space Technologies. If successful, it would be the first Australian-made rocket to make an orbital launch from Australian soil. After securing approval from the Australian Space Agency, takeoff is expected within a multi-day window starting on Thursday, weather permitting, said chief executive Adam Gilmour. (5/14)

3D Printing Technologies Pave the Way for Moon and Mars Construction (Source: Space Daily)
NASA is pushing the boundaries of construction technology to support long-term human exploration of the Moon and Mars. By focusing on in-situ resource utilization, the agency aims to reduce the need for costly Earth-based supplies. The Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project, funded by NASA's Game Changing Development program and managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is leading this charge. It explores using robotic 3D printing to construct essential infrastructure from locally available materials, potentially reducing the mass and cost of launches. (5/14)

Orbit Fab Strengthens Advisory Board with Space Command Veterans (Source: Space Daily)
Orbit Fab, known as the Gas Stations in Space company, has appointed Major General Jody A. Merritt, USAF, and Major General Roger W. Teague, USAF (Ret.), to its Advisory Board. These seasoned military leaders join Dr. Claire Leon, a former Director of the SSC Space Systems Integration Office, reinforcing Orbit Fab's expertise in space operations and government acquisition. (5/14)

EU Faces Heat Over Millions Paid to Musk Firms (Source: Space Daily)
The EU handed over hundreds of millions of euros to companies belonging to the world's richest man, Elon Musk, a key ally of US President Donald Trump and frequent critic of the bloc. German Green EU lawmaker Daniel Freund sent a letter in March to the European Commission, asking for information about EU funding to Musk-linked businesses.

In a response to Freund, the European Commission said it paid around 159 million euros ($176 million) to automaker Tesla to build charging stations for electric cars in 2023. It also said in 2024, the EU commissioned Musk's SpaceX to launch satellites for the European Galileo satellite system, in a contract worth around $197 million. The commission said it used SpaceX "due to delays in the commissioning of Ariane 6, the standard launch vehicle for Galileo". (5/13)

American Rocketry Challenge Draws Teams From Across US (Source: Fauquier Now)
The American Rocketry Challenge finals will take place at Great Meadow in Virginia, drawing 100 student teams across the US. "By engaging young minds in hands-on, competitive experiences, it fosters a life-long passion for aerospace and engineering, ensuring a bright future for innovation and leadership in the field," said Jessica Pedersen, AIA senior director for American Rocketry Challenge and STEM Engagement at the Aerospace Industry Association. (5/12)

Heavy Investment in Space Force Needed to Counter China (Source: Breaking Defense)
Christopher Stone, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, argues that the Space Force should receive more than 25% of the Defense Department's budget over the next five years to effectively counter threats from China and Russia in space. Stone cites historical precedent from the Cold War, when the Strategic Air Command received significant funding, and emphasizes that space has become the most important domain for national defense. (5/13)

Pentagon Uses AI to Predict Threats, Reduce Latency (Source: Defense One)
Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency says AI is helping anticipate threats by analyzing satellite and other data, as well as by alerting analysts to anomalies, through the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Project Maven. Whitworth says the number of military personnel using Maven has quadrupled in a year. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has reduced latency by 80%, although Whitworth warns that demand could soon exceed computing capacity. (5/13)

Musk Says Jump. FCC Says How High (Source: Via Satellite)
The FCC is questioning EchoStar about the status of its mobile satellite services (MSS) operations in the 2 GHz band after SpaceX accused EchoStar of “barely” using the band. The FCC opened two public notices on EchoStar Monday. One from the Space Bureau focuses on MSS utilization, seeking information on whether EchoStar’s use of the 2 GHz band for MSS is “consistent with the terms of its authorizations and the commission’s rules and policies.”

The other public notice from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau deals with EchoStar’s 5G network buildout. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr sent a letter to EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen on May 9, explaining that Carr directed FCC staff to investigate the company’s compliance with its 5G buildout milestones and an extension the company received in September, and its MSS utilization. (5/13)

$22M Community Center Planned at Texas' New City (Source: My San Antonio)
More big changes are coming to the newest city in the Lone Star State. The newly minted Starbase, Texas will soon have a $22 million community center, according to online records from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The community center is being designed by a Pennsylvania design firm called AE7, and will be located at 41028 Quicksilver Ave. immediately north of a bend in the Rio Grande. It will include a 20,000-square-foot building and pool, with construction aiming to start in June and be completed by June 2026, according to the TDLR records. (5/13)

Saudi Arabia Approves Starlink During Musk Visit with Trump (Source: CNBC)
Elon Musk said Saudi Arabia has approved Starlink for aviation and maritime use in the region, speaking at an investment forum during a White House-led trip to the kingdom on Tuesday. Starlink is the satellite internet service owned and operated by Musk's aerospace and defense contractor, SpaceX. SpaceX recently began offering its Starlink hardware for free outside the U.S. in a bid to win new subscribers.

Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding Company and the private office of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal own a stake in Elon Musk's newest major venture, xAI, which he recently merged with X, formerly Twitter. In 2022, when Musk led a leveraged buyout of the social network now known as X, Senate Democrats had called for investigations into Saudi Arabia's role in that deal, citing national security concerns. (5/13)

Cornyn Introduces Bill to Provide $1B to Upgrade NASA Facilities in Houston (Source: Houston Chronicle)
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduced legislation on Tuesday that would provide $1 billion to upgrade NASA’s human spaceflight facilities in Houston.

The bill, titled the Mission to Modernize Astronautic Resources for Space (MARS) Act, would provide money to the Johnson Space Center through Sep. 30, 2034, for a variety of improvements aimed at getting humans to the moon and Mars. It comes after last year’s report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine highlighted the agency’s aging infrastructure. (5/13)

What Happens After Congress Cancels SLS? (Source: Ars Technica)
The first question is whether these changes proposed by the White House will be accepted by the US Congress. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have backed Orion for two decades, the SLS rocket for 15 years, and the Gateway for 10 years. Will they finally give up programs that have been such a reliable source of good-paying jobs for so long? In general, the answer appears to be yes.

This is a pragmatic time to do it, as canceling the programs after Artemis III saves NASA billions of dollars in upgrading the rocket for a singular purpose: assembling a Lunar Gateway of questionable use. Jared Isaacman will need allies in the White House itself to carry out sweeping space policy changes. To that end, the report in Politico last week—which Ars has confirmed—that there will be a National Space Council established in the coming months is important. Led by Vice President JD Vance, the space council will provide a counterweight to OMB's budget-driven process.

What would come next if the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft are canceled? NASA employees explored the Lunar COTS concept in a research paper a decade ago, finding that "a future (Lunar) COTS program has the great potential ... [for] establishing a thriving cislunar economy which will lead the way to an economical and sustainable approach for future human missions to Mars." Sources indicate NASA would go to industry and seek an "end-to-end" solution for lunar missions. (5/13)

Cornyn’s New Bill Echoes Trump’s Call to ‘Conquer’ Mars with Infrastructure Investment (Source: Washington Examiner)
A new bill is seeking to improve infrastructure that would support space missions to bring humans to Mars, a top focus of President Donald Trump‘s senior adviser, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Tuesday introduced the Mission to Modernize Astronautic Resources for Space Act, which would improve and modernize the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center’s infrastructure.

The bill seeks to make a laundry list of updates to the Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, such as preparing the Neutral Buoyancy Lab for commercial space training and making repairs on the Astromaterials Curation and Research facility to collect and study samples from the moon and Mars. (5/13)

Former Cornwall Councillor No Longer Employed in Controversial Spaceport Role (Source: Cornwall Live)
Following weeks of controversy and concern, Cornwall Council-owned company Corserv has confirmed that the council's former Cabinet member for the economy is "no longer employed" as the head of future air and space at Spaceport Cornwall. Questions were raised by politicians of all stripes when it was announced in March that Conservative councillor Louis Gardner had got the £70,000-a-year role.

A spokesperson for the company told us: "We can confirm Louis Gardner is no longer employed in the position of head of future air and space." They went on to clarify that he is no longer employed in any role by Corserv or Cornwall Airport Newquay, which oversees the Spaceport. (5/13)

One Half of the Moon is Hotter Than the Other (Source: New Scientist)
Earth’s gravitational pull on the moon has revealed that our satellite’s interior is warmer on its near side, the one facing our planet, suggesting its insides are uneven.

We have known that the moon’s near side looks different from its far side since we first began observing it. But we haven’t been sure whether that difference reflects something quite literally deeper – something under the moon’s surface, says Ryan Park at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. He and his colleagues have now used data from NASA’s GRAIL spacecraft to prove it does. (5/14)

Neutron to be Test Launched for Air Force Research Lab (Source: Dayton Daily News)
The contract will have the Neutron launcher perform a “survivability experiment” under the AFRL Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) contract solicitation, an effort by DoD to create a rocket-based “point-to-point transportation system to deliver cargo around the world with commercial launch providers,” Rocket Lab said. In the experiment, Neutron will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, demonstrating re-entry capability, Rocket Lab said.

AFRL has explored the possibilities of reusable rockets for about four years, said Dan Brown, principal aerospace engineer and rocket cargo program manager for AFRL. The lab envisions launching from traditional launch sites, such as California or Florida, to other locations on Earth, Brown said in an interview. (5/14)