September 16, 2025

Can NASA Fill Their Expertise Gap With Interns? (Source: NASA Watch)
NASA has pushed a huge portion of its science and engineering workforce out the door. Now NASA Johnson Center director Vanessa Wyche wants to hire people as interns (students). Internships are great – but they usually embody a chance to eventually land a permanent job at NASA. Given all the firings, that is not likely. But if you look at the work descriptions it sounds like the things that departed employees used to do albeit more cheaply.

According to one commenter: "NASA had Pathways interns performing mission critical work on numerous programs and elected to terminate them over the last six months. In many cases these interns had performed 3 or 4 intern sessions at NASA and turned down numerous better-paying opportunities assuming they’d be hired like 99% of Pathways in the past. Instead we screwed them over, screwed our projects out of cheap already-trained labor, and now have the gall to advertise for more." (9/14)

Federal Hiring Freeze Ends Next Month (Source: FNN)
There is less than one month to go until the end of President Donald Trump's government-wide hiring freeze. By the time the freeze lifts on Oct. 15, as currently planned, many agencies will have been largely blocked from recruiting for nine months. Agencies have faced stagnating staffing numbers for virtually the entire year. And even once the hiring freeze lifts, the White House still plans to limit agencies to one new hire for every four federal employees who leave the civil service. (9/16)

Viasat and Space42 to Pool Satellite Spectrum for Direct-to-Device Services (Source: Space News)
Viasat and Space42 will launch a joint venture, Equatys, to pool their Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum, creating a combined block of over 100 MHz for Direct-to-Device (D2D) services with a commercial rollout targeted in three years. This venture aims to be the industry's first "space tower company," utilizing shared infrastructure to lower costs and improve spectrum utilization for global 5G-ready connectivity. (9/16)

SpaceX Planning First Tests of New Direct-to-Device Spectrum Next Year (Source: Space News)
SpaceX expects to begin testing direct-to-device services using newly acquired spectrum from EchoStar as soon as the end of next year. SpaceX said the new spectrum will enable upgraded satellites with "more than 100 times" the capacity of first-generation Starlink direct-to-cell satellites. This represents a major step forward for SpaceX's direct-to-cell technology, which has already been in beta testing with partners like T-Mobile earlier in 2025. (9/16)

Space Applications Supports ESA Astronaut Training at EAC (Source: Space Applications)
For almost two decades, Space Applications Services has been a key contributor to the design, development, and delivery of the ESA Basic Astronaut Training program at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. Following the successful completion of 12 months training for ESA’s new astronaut class in 2024, we are proud to announce that on 2 September 2025 began the second phase of the ESA Astronaut Reserve Corps training. This marks another important milestone in our ongoing partnership with ESA and our commitment to advancing human spaceflight. (9/16)

I’m a Former Astronaut: NASA Workers are Afraid, and Safety is At Risk (Source: Space Review)
Policy changes, including voluntary departures and fears of layoffs, have reshaped NASA’s workforce and culture. Former astronaut Garrett Reisman warns that it could also jeopardize safety at NASA. Click here. (9/16)
 
Gemini’s Wing and a Prayer: Parachutes, Paragliders, and More Crashes in the Desert (Source: Space Review)
As Gemini approached its first flight, NASA continued to study how to incorporate a deployable wing for its landing. Dwayne Day discusses that meant more crashes of test vehicles. Click here. (9/16)
 
The Greatest Story on Planet Mars: the Sequel (Source: Space Review)
Nearly 30 years before last week’s NASA Mars announcement, the agency also held a briefing about the discovery of evidence of past Martian life. Dwayne Day recalls who that news had already leaked out through both conventional and unconventional channels. Click here. (9/16)

Finding Organics on Mars Means Absolutely Nothing for Life (Source: Big Think)
In common parlance, “organic” is synonymous with life: implying creation through biological processes. But in science, an “organic” molecule is just a carbon atom bonded to almost any other atom. “Organic molecules” include methane, cyanide, benzene, and alcohols. 256 unique organic compounds have been found in interstellar dust clouds. Denser, solid bodies, like asteroids, contain highly complex organics. (9/15)

New Space Junk Removal Idea: Using Ion Engine Exhaust to Knock Debris Out of the Sky (Source: Space.com)
Over 14,000 pieces of junk are clogging up low Earth orbit, but this number could be reduced by a new invention that involves a satellite using the plasma exhaust of its ion engine to knock dangerous chunks of space junk into the atmosphere where they can burn up safely. This non-contact method would gradually but firmly push against a piece of space debris, slowing the debris down until it falls out of orbit and into the atmosphere. (9/16)

US Satellite Spies on Chinese Space Station and More. China Spies Back (Source: SCMP)
In a notable display of reconnaissance capabilities, a Chinese satellite has observed an American satellite that was itself monitoring China’s space station and high-value satellite, a move analysts described as a strategic tit-for-tat in an increasingly contested space domain. China’s Jilin-1 satellite constellation, operated by Chang Guang Satellite Technology, seized a favorable orbital window on Sep. 8 to capture four images of the WorldView Legion satellite from distances ranging between 40 and 50km.

The incident follows a social media post by US commercial remote sensing company Maxar Intelligence in early July, featuring images of China’s Shijian-26 satellite taken by its own high-resolution WorldView Legion satellite on June 3. Those photographs, captured from distances of 29km and 74km with resolutions of 1.9cm and 4.9cm respectively, revealed the satellite’s structure in sharp detail. (9/16)

Bluefors to Source Helium-3 from the Moon with Interlune to Power Next Phase of Quantum Industry Growth (Source: Bluefors)
Bluefors has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with space resource company Interlune. Interlune’s first-of-its-kind helium-3 harvesting missions to the Moon will help supply one of the most critical elements for powering our cooling systems. This collaboration marks a transformative moment for the quantum industry—uniting advanced cryogenics with lunar harvesting innovation to accelerate quantum computing and contribute to building a secure and resilient industrial supply chain for the future.

Bluefors has agreed to purchase up to ten thousand liters of helium-3 annually, for delivery from 2028 to 2037. Unlike Earth, which is protected by its magnetic field, the Moon contains large quantities of helium-3 deposited by the solar wind—a fact first revealed through samples returned by NASA’s Apollo missions. (9/16)

SpaceX Built a ISS Docking Prototype From Bike Parts (Source: Washington Post)
The prototype was so rudimentary it looked like it had been built by a hobbyist in a garage with spare parts — because it essentially had been. In 2013, SpaceX engineers developed a prototype docking system for the Dragon spacecraft using mountain bike shocks and parts from an industrial supplier. This simplified mechanical design, known as the "McDocker," was quickly approved by Elon Musk and exemplified SpaceX's culture of rapid reinvention compared to more complex, outsourced designs. (9/15)

NASA’s GUARDIAN Tsunami Detection Tech Catches Wave in Real Time (Source: NASA)
A massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami off Russia in late July tested an experimental detection system that had deployed a critical component just the day before. A recent tsunami triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula sent pressure waves to the upper layer of the atmosphere, NASA scientists have reported. While the tsunami did not wreak widespread damage, it was an early test for a detection system being developed at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

Called GUARDIAN (GNSS Upper Atmospheric Real-time Disaster Information and Alert Network), the experimental technology “functioned to its full extent,” said Camille Martire, one of its developers at JPL. The system flagged distortions in the atmosphere and issued notifications to subscribed subject matter experts in as little as 20 minutes after the quake. (9/12)

Satlink Joins Rivada to Deliver Secure Satellite Connectivity for Defense and Enterprise (Source: Space Daily)
Satlink, a Madrid-based provider of satellite telecommunications, has formed a partnership with Rivada Space Networks to deliver advanced connectivity solutions designed for Spain's defense and enterprise sectors. Rivada has already secured more than $17 billion in global business commitments for its planned low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation. (9/11)

ICEYE Unveils ISR Cell to Deliver Space Intelligence at Tactical Scale (Source: Space Daily)
ICEYE introduces the ISR Cell, a containerized system that gives defense organizations direct, on-site access to tactical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) from space in near-real-time. The new unit is designed to accelerate decision-making in high-risk environments by shifting satellite intelligence from centralized hubs directly to the tactical edge. By combining tasking, downlink, AI-enabled analysis, and secure dissemination, the system eliminates the delays that typically limit ISR to higher-level commands. It is deployable as a resilient backup when fixed ground segments are disrupted. (9/11)

NASA Responds To Claims That Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Is An Advanced Alien Spacecraft (Source: IFL Science)
While there is plenty of online interest in Loeb's claims, there is little in the way of scientific interest. This is because, while it is certainly an interesting object, the more we look at it on approach, the more it looks like a comet. “It looks like a comet. It does comet things. It very, very strongly resembles, in just about every way, the comets that we know,” Tom Statler, NASA’s lead scientist for Solar System small bodies, said to The Guardian about such claims.

“It has some interesting properties that are a little bit different from our solar system comets, but it behaves like a comet. And so the evidence is overwhelmingly pointing to this object being a natural body. It’s a comet.” (9/15)

How SpaceX Acquired Its Starbase Land (Source: Space News)
SpaceX relied on careful planning, and subterfuge, to acquire the land for Starbase. The company was initially skeptical that it could develop a launch site adjacent to Boca Chica Beach on the Gulf coast of Texas, given limited infrastructure and conditions there. When the company decided to proceed, it studied county property rolls, cold-calling owners to offer to buy their property. They did not disclose they were working for SpaceX, using shell companies with names like Dogleg Park LLC and The Flats at Mars Crossing to buy the land. Local residents later found out SpaceX was behind the property purchases. To conceal the people behind the purchases, one SpaceX official showed up to a county property auction in disguise. (9/16)

China Launches Demo Comsat on Long March 2C (Source: Xinhua)
China launched a communications demonstration satellite Monday night. A Long March 2C lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9:06 p.m. Eastern and put the unnamed satellite into low Earth orbit. Chinese media described the satellite as one that will test satellite internet technologies. (9/16)

Isar's Spectrum Rocket Failure Blamed on Attitude Control System (Source: Space News)
The first launch of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket failed because the vehicle could not maintain attitude control. The rocket launched from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport in late March, but malfunctioned and fell to Earth seconds later. Company executives said an investigation concluded the rocket’s attitude control system wasn’t properly programmed to handle certain modes of the rocket right after liftoff, causing the vehicle to lose control and go outside its safety corridor. That triggered its flight termination system. The rocket also had a valve in a vent that was left open, allowing cryogenic vapors to escape, which would have caused problems if the flight continued. Isar said it is working to prepare for the second Spectrum launch, likely late this year or early next year. (9/16)

Defense Spending and Direct-to-Device Are Driving Space Growth (Source: Space News)
Expanding defense budgets and the direct-to-device race are driving growth in the global space economy. At its World Space Business Week conference Monday, Novaspace said it expects the 2024 space economy, which it values at $596 billion, to grow to $944 billion in 2033. Satellite services are responsible for much of that growth. Demand for sovereign space capabilities continues to broaden, the company says, and direct-to-device services could gain more than 300 million monthly subscribers by 2030. (9/16)

ESA Narrows Launcher Challenge From 12 to 5 Candidates (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency will look to strengthen Europe’s autonomy in launch, security and exploration. Director General Josef Aschbacher said Europe is accelerating the link between space and defense. He also said ESA has narrowed its European launcher challenge from 12 to five candidates, with a goal of ultimately fostering competition between two providers. The full interview is available online.  (9/16)

Spain's GMV to Upgrade and Operate Traffic Coordination Platform (Source: Space News)
The Space Data Association selected Spanish company GMV to upgrade and operate its global space traffic coordination platform. The upgrades will support the Space Safety Portal (SSP), which ingests flight dynamics information from members of the association as well as other public sources to provide conjunction assessment and warning services. The upgrades include more realistic assessments of collision probabilities and working around companies that fail to share maneuver data. The upgrades will allow SSP to better handle increasingly congested orbits and heightened collision risks. (9/16)

EchoStar's Big Pivot (Source: Space News)
EchoStar plans to pursue new opportunities as an “asset-light growth company” after selling key spectrum assets. At a briefing Monday, company executives said they will use the capital from selling spectrum to AT&T and SpaceX to “expand our aperture” but provided few specifics about what markets it might pursue. Executives described the spectrum sale as a “forced pivot” after the FCC opened investigations into its use of S-band satellite spectrum and buildout of 5G terrestrial networks. EchoStar cofounder and chairman Charlie Ergen praised SpaceX, which paid $17 billion in cash and stock for EchoStar’s S-band spectrum, as a company taking the lead in launch and satellite services. (9/16)

Telesat Offers Lightspeed to Bridge Europe's IRIS² Capability (Source: Space News)
Telesat says its Lightspeed constellation could help Europe bridge the gap to its IRIS² constellation. Speaking at World Space Business Week Monday, Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg argued there was an opportunity for the government of Canada to work with Europe on using Lightspeed for secure connectivity while IRIS² is in development. Telesat has yet to launch any Lightspeed satellites but expects to start providing services in 2027, at least three years before IRIS². The offer comes as traditional satellite operators like Telesat pivot from video to broadband services given the pressures on the companies caused by declining video revenues. (9/16)

Launch Cadence Ramp-Up... Next Year (Source: Space News)
Launch providers have reiterated plans to sharply increase launch rates despite falling short of earlier projections. Officials from several providers said they expect to ramp up launch rates of new vehicles in the next year, although in many cases they are falling short of launch goals they set at last year’s conference. Blue Origin vowed to be “launching multiple times per month” next year with its New Glenn rocket, which has only flown once.  Arianespace has also cut back slightly its launch projections, with the company now planning four Ariane 6 launches this year versus the five it stated it would conduct as recently as June. (9/16)

Swissto12 Completes Review of GEO Direct-to-Device Satellite (Source: Space News)
Swissto12, a manufacturer of small GEO satellites, has completed a key review for its first direct-to-device spacecraft. The company announced a contract in March to deliver the 1,000-kilogram Neastar-1 satellite for Singapore’s Astrum Mobile, which aims to provide low-bandwidth multimedia and connectivity services across Asia. That satellite has now passed its preliminary design review, Swissto12 announced Monday. The company did not disclose when it expects to complete Neastar-1. It is based on Swissto12’s HummingSat platform, which will fly for the first time in early 2027. (9/16)

York's Production-Capacity Increase Paid Off with SDA Transport Layer Delivery (Source: Space News)
York Space Systems says the delivery of a batch of Space Development Agency (SDA) satellites is the result of years of investment in production capabilities. The 21 satellites, launched last week, are the first plane of the SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer communications constellation. York CEO Dirk Wallinger said the delivery comes after extensive work to scale up satellite production at the company, with two factories now in “rapid production” of satellites for SDA and others. The company can produce a single satellite in weeks, and York hopes to leverage that capability into a role on the Golden Dome missile defense system. (9/16)

Industry Leaders at Summit Urge Zero Tariffs on Aerospace (Source: Leeham News and Analysis)
Aerospace industry leaders at the US Chamber of Commerce's Global Aerospace Summit have called for "zero for zero" trade in the ongoing trade negotiations to eliminate tariffs on aerospace goods. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury highlighted the agreement's role in strengthening US aerospace, while Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO Arjan Meijer criticized tariffs for distorting the market. Rep. Troy Nehls acknowledged the political controversy surrounding tariffs but described them as a bargaining tool to boost domestic investment. Dorothy Reimold of the Aerospace Industries Association drew attention to the importance of aviation manufacturing to the American economy. (9/16)

Boeing Engineering Center in Florida Focuses on Advanced Aerospace (Source: Aerospace Manufacturing and Design)
Boeing has opened a 65,000-square-foot engineering center at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, expected to create 400 jobs and support Boeing Defense, Space and Security Air Dominance programs. "This engineering center will accelerate Boeing's work on critical defense programs and deepen our partnership with Embry‑Riddle, giving us access to an exceptional talent pipeline and enabling collaboration to drive aerospace innovation," says Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Dominance. (9/16)

Industrial Base Key to US Space Leadership (Source: Space News)
Commercial innovation is transforming the US space industry, necessitating urgent integration to maintain national defense and economic competitiveness. Acquisition reform is crucial, with legislation like the SPEED Act and FORGED Act aimed at cutting red tape, writes Casey Anglada DeRaad CEO of NewSpace Nexus. (9/15)