June 12, 2025

Voyager Raises $383 Million From Upsized IPO (Source: Space News)
Voyager Technologies debuted on the New York Stock Exchange June 11, raising nearly $383 million in an upsized IPO that investors hope will spur more space-focused companies to go public. The six-year-old provider of mission-critical space and defense technology solutions sold 12.35 million shares at $31 each, pricing above the $26–$29 range it marketed last week. The Denver-based company had initially planned to offer 11 million shares. (6/11)

Reaction Dynamics Prepares for Takeoff (Source: Space News)
With funding from the Quebec government and private investment, Canadian launch startup Reaction Dynamics is completing development and preparing to qualify its RE-202 hybrid rocket engine. The money gets us “to the point where we can fly,” Bachar Elzein, Reaction Dynamics CEO and chief technology officer said. (6/11)

Sierra Space Doubles Down on Defense (Source: Space News)
Sierra Space, the aerospace firm best known for its spaceplane designed for NASA cargo missions, is going all in on defense. The Colorado-based company on June 11 announced the formal launch of Sierra Space Defense, a division focused on national security programs. The business unit will be led by Erik Daehler, a former Lockheed Martin executive who has been building the defense portfolio behind the scenes. (6/11)

Amid U.S. Science Funding Cuts, Europe Seeks Top American Talent (Source: Sky & Telescope)
European nations and universities have pledged more than $850 million for international scientists. "The investment in fundamental, free, and open research is questioned,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. There, she announced €500 million for international researchers. “Europe will always choose science,” she stated. “And Europe will always make the case for the world's scientists to choose Europe.” (6/11)

5 Things in Trump’s Budget That Won’t Make NASA Great Again (Source: Ars Technica)
If signed into law as written, the White House's proposal to slash nearly 25 percent from NASA's budget would have some dire consequences. It would cut the agency's budget from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. Adjusted for inflation, this would be the smallest NASA budget since 1961, when the first American launched into space. Ars has compiled a list of five cuts or cancellations in the White House's budget request that could do the most damage to NASA's long-term mission. Here they are, in no particular order:

Zeroing out nuclear propulsion: the DRACO prototype mission was a partnership between NASA and DoD, an enabler for more efficient transportation of heavy cargo and crews to Mars and other deep space destinations. Terminating operating missions: the budget request would cancel at least 19 NASA science missions that are currently operating in space. Sticking it to the Europeans, again: this budget proposal would end US contributions to support Europe's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, an agreement that the two space agencies completed just last year.

Scaling back ISS operations: this will likely result in a smaller crew on the ISS and a reduced research portfolio. Cuts to human research: many questions about how the human body will withstand long trips to the Moon and Mars remain unanswered. (6/11)

Utah State University Developing 3D-Printed Thruster (Source: FOX 12 Salt Lake)
The future of mankind in space can fit in the palm of your hand. It's a 3D-printed rocket motor that was test-fired Wednesday inside a chamber at Utah State University. Utah State is developing the new technology, and the cool thing is that the rocket tested in the chamber costs just $25 to make. It's actually made out of 3D-printed plastics, and the material is very similar to a Lego set. A similar-sized normal rocket motor would cost around $30,000 to fire. (6/11)

Integrate Wins $25M Space Force Contract (Source: Geekwire)
Integrate has been awarded a $25 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to support the deployment of its multiplayer project management software for government teams — and for the commercial space contractors they’re working with. (6/11)

Alpha Impulsion Tests Autophage Engine Prototype for Grenat Rocket (Source: European Spaceflight)
French startup Alpha Impulsion has completed a short test firing of an autophage rocket engine. The company plans to use the novel propulsion system to power its 25-meter Grenat rocket. The Alpha Impulsion autophage engine features a solid fuel tube with a liquid oxidizer sealed in its core. Two pistons push the tube into the combustion chamber where a catalyst converts the oxidizer into hot gas. This gas then reacts with the solid fuel, generating thrust. Put simply, the engine consumes its own structure as it burns. (6/11)

House Appropriators Call for New Space Force Acquisition Pilot (Source: Breaking Defense)
In their just-passed version of the fiscal 2026 defense budget, House appropriators instruct Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to create a Space Force pilot project that would organize acquisition programs and personnel by “mission areas.”

The call is the result of House Appropriations Committee (HAC) concern “that the Department of Defense continues to struggle with delivering critical capabilities on-time and on-budget,” according to the bill report language released on Tuesday. Schedule delays and cost overruns have been the bane of DoD space acquisition for decades. (6/11)

Rice Students Develop Adaptive Exercise Harness for Astronauts to Use in Space (Source: Rice University)
A team of Rice University students has designed an innovative space exercise harness that is comfortable, responsive and adaptable to new exercise modalities. It provides "pneumatic padding that offers a customized fit, distributes pressure over a large surface area to reduce discomfort or injuries and also seamlessly adapts to load shifts — all of which together improved astronauts’ performance.” (6/11)

How Scientists Fixed Orbit Errors in China’s Beidou Satellites (Source: CAS)
Two BeiDou-3 satellites, once plagued by puzzling orbit errors, are now operating with newfound precision thanks to a breakthrough modeling strategy. Researchers discovered that standard models underestimated how solar radiation pressure (SRP) interacted with the satellites’ structure—especially those equipped with special rescue payloads. By integrating a physically informed Adjustable Box-Wing (ABW) model with the widely used extended Empirical CODE Orbit Model (ECOM2) method, they slashed laser ranging residual errors by over 60%. (6/11)

NASA Begins Push to Slash Workforce With More Staff Buyouts, Early Retirements as Budget Cuts Loom (Source: Space.com)
NASA put out a new call urging its workforce to leave the agency this week with a new offer for employment buyouts as the U.S. space program faces huge budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration. The efforts — which include a deferred resignation program, voluntary early retirement authority and voluntary separation incentive program — come on the heels of large proposed budget cuts for NASA in 2026 by the Trump administration. NASA employees have until July 25 to decide if they'll stay or go. (6/11)

'Impossible' Particle that Hit Earth may Have Been Dark Matter (Source: New Scientist)
An extremely high-energy particle that was spotted tearing through Earth has left scientists flummoxed ever since it was discovered. While many researchers believe the particle was an unusual neutrino, some are now suggesting it may be something even wilder: a particle of dark matter travelling across the cosmos. The KM3NeT detector, off the coast of Italy, spotted this “impossible” neutrino in 2023 while it was still under construction. The particle in question was of immense proportions, 35 times more energetic than any seen before. (6/11)

Luxembourg Needs a Space Law and Policy Institute (Source: Lux Times)
Luxembourg has carved out a unique place in the global space sector. With an innovative government-backed vision, the country has nurtured a thriving space ecosystem, powered by progressive policies and infrastructure. It has set international benchmarks, not least by adopting the world’s second (after the US), and Europe’s first, space resources law in 2017.

Yet, as Luxembourg solidifies its role and influence in outer space activities, one critical component remains conspicuously absent: a dedicated space law and policy institute, producing state of the art interdisciplinary research with real-life impact. (6/11)

Florida Delegation Again Asks to Move NASA HQ to KSC (Source: NASA Watch)
Here's a copy of the latest written request for President Trump to move NASA headquarters to Florida. Click here. (6/12) https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7338758400874274816?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAC-1owBj8lv9rLoFpq3P38VtDyuPRxk-KU

OneWeb / Airbus Facility at Cape Canaveral Spaceport to Support Military Constellation (Source: SDA)
In 2024, Airbus US Space & Defense, Inc. expanded their Florida satellite plant and added Northop Grumman production. The recently renamed Airbus U.S. Space & Defense satellite factory is retooling production to help build a new military constellation of optically interconnected satellites in low-Earth orbit in support of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. (6/10)

NASA KSC Workforce Transformation (Layoff) Update (Source: NASA Watch)
I understand that times of change are unsettling, and many of you have questions about how the Agency’s transformation will impact you, our Center, programs, and workforce. Agency and Center leaders have been meeting with supervisors regularly, so please utilize them and your extended management team as a resource for up-to date information. Additionally, we will soon be hosting a Center-wide employee information session, which will focuus on workforce restructuring. Click here. (6/11) https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-ksc-workforce-transformation-layoff-update/

LEAP Plans "High-Cadence" Missions From Spaceport America (Source: LEAP)
LEAP has signed a planning agreement with Spaceport America, to support a series of responsive suborbital missions. The agreement sets the stage for LEAP to begin coordination with the FAA and the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), through Spaceport America, to support a wide range of suborbital missions. (6/3)

Vaya Space Announces $4 Million Partnership with Velo3D to Advance Additive Manufacturing for Space Propulsion (Source: Vaya Space)
Vaya Space, a space and defense company developing breakthrough hybrid rocket systems on Florida’s Space Coast, today announced a strategic partnership with Velo3D, Inc. (OTCQX: VLDX), a leader in additive manufacturing (AM) technology known for transforming aerospace and defense supply chains through world-class metal AM. The two companies have signed a $4 million, two-year Master Services Agreement (MSA) to collaborate on high-performance additive manufacturing R&D and production. (6/11)

Starlink Doubled Its Speed In 2 Years. It Still Doesn’t Meet the FCC’s Minimum (Source: CNET)
Starlink is nearly twice as fast as it was two years ago, according to a new report from the speed test site Ookla. Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 million mark globally.

Recent changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program could funnel as much as $20 billion in government subsidies to Starlink for providing internet in rural areas. But many industry experts are skeptical that Starlink can add millions of new customers without sacrificing speed. (6/10)

“The World’s Largest Airplane” Launches “the World’s Fastest Airplane” (Source: Farmindale Observer)
The aerospace industry witnessed a remarkable breakthrough as Stratolaunch successfully launched its hypersonic Talon-A2 aircraft, pushing boundaries with speeds exceeding 6,000 km/h. This achievement marks a significant milestone in American aviation, combining the world’s largest aircraft with cutting-edge hypersonic technology. (6/10)

Rocket Lab Launches Japanese Earth-Observing Radar Satellite to Orbit (Source: Space.com)
Rocket Lab launched an Earth-observing radar satellite to orbit for the Japanese company iQPS on Wednesday morning (June 11). An Electron rocket topped with the QPS-SAR-11 spacecraft lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on Wednesday. (6/11)

Embracing The Challenge Of Outreach At NASA. Or Not. (Source: NASA Watch)
NASA is consolidating social media accounts (yes this was needed). The FY 2026 NASA Budget Request from the White House eliminates STEM funding, removes all public affairs staff at the field centers, cuts NASA HQ PAO staff, and reduces the overall communications and outreach budgets. And of course diversity, equity, and inclusion is now a forbidden concept. So where is the plan that NASA is following in order to do all of this? Is there a plan for this at NASA? Or does NASA just have a concept of a plan? One would assume that all of these dramatic changes to the public face of NASA are being done according to some overall guidance – yes? (6/10)