October 22, 2025

China Expands Space Capabilities with New Lunar and Deep Space Milestones (Source: Space Daily)
China has recorded a series of landmark achievements in its ongoing quest for space exploration, spanning its crewed space station program, lunar far-side sample return, and interplanetary missions. These milestones underscore the nation's growing capabilities in orbital operations, scientific research, and deep space engineering during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

The Shenzhou XX crew has now been aboard China's space station for more than five months, performing space science experiments, in-orbit maintenance, and emergency drills. Their work marks another chapter in the rapid evolution of China's human spaceflight program, which completed the construction of the Tiangong space station in record time. Click here. (10/21)

China Commissions World's First Mid-Infrared Solar Magnetic-Field Telescope (Source: Space Daily)
The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) has announced that the world's first telescope dedicated to measuring solar magnetic fields in the mid-infrared band has passed its final acceptance review and is now fully operational. Known as the Accurate Infrared Magnetic Field Measurements of the Sun (AIMS), the telescope marks a breakthrough in global solar observation by closing the long-standing gap in mid-infrared magnetic-field measurements. It also provides a new benchmark for future large-scale astronomical facilities at high-altitude observatories. (10/21)

Most Massive Stars in the Early Universe Were Likely Born as Binaries (Source: Space Daily)
A new study from Tel Aviv University's School of Physics and Astronomy suggests that most massive stars formed in the early universe were born in pairs, echoing patterns seen among massive stars in our own Milky Way. The finding provides the first strong evidence that binary star formation was common in the early cosmos-an insight that reshapes understanding of how black holes, supernovae, and heavy elements evolved over cosmic history. (10/21)

China's Satellite Network Group Advances Beidou-Internet Integration (Source: Space Daily)
China Satellite Network Group is accelerating the integration of satellite internet with the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, emphasizing the dual role of the company as both an innovator and a national infrastructure leader. In May, the company achieved a world first by completing a broadband video call through a 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) standard using a new technology test satellite, validating an integrated space-terrestrial network. (10/21)

Iridium and T-Mobile Expand PNT Deployment Under U.S. DOT Resilience Program (Source: Space Daily)
Iridium Communications has been awarded a new contract by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) under its Complementary Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (CPNT) Action Plan Rapid Phase Award II. The agreement supports a large-scale rollout of Iridium's PNT technology to enhance the resilience of critical U.S. infrastructure, particularly 5G wireless networks. Working in partnership with T-Mobile, Iridium will activate PNT services across a series of live network sites throughout the United States. (10/22)

China Charts New Path for Integrated Space and Terrestrial Connectivity (Source: Space Daily)
China is accelerating its push to establish a globally competitive satellite communication network, with new national guidelines outlining a roadmap for large-scale deployment and integration with next-generation terrestrial systems. The initiative aims to position satellite communications as a key pillar of China's digital transformation and future 6G infrastructure. The document sets out 19 measures across six focus areas, targeting more than 10 million satellite communication users and widespread smartphone-to-satellite connectivity by 2030. (10/21)

Rocket Lab Sets November Launch for Next iQPS Earth-Imaging Satellite (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab has confirmed the launch window for its next Electron mission, marking the sixth flight for its long-standing customer, the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS) of Japan. The dedicated mission, titled "The Nation God Navigates," is set to lift off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a window opening on November 5, 2025 UTC.

The launch will deploy the QPS-SAR-14 satellite, nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I after the Japanese god of nation-building, into a 575-kilometer circular orbit. Once operational, the satellite will enhance the iQPS constellation's global capability to deliver high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery for real-time Earth monitoring. (10/22)

ESA-Backed Project Paves Way for Next-Generation In-Flight Connectivity (Source: Space Daily)
A new antenna system supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) could soon make high-speed streaming and real-time video calls available to airline passengers worldwide. Following the success of an ESA-backed test campaign, global satellite communications leader Viasat plans to commercialize its new in-flight connectivity solution, Viasat Amara.

The Amara system features a dual-beam phased array antenna capable of linking with both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites. This hybrid capability allows it to optimize connections based on user demand - using LEO satellites for latency-sensitive applications such as video calls, and GEO satellites for bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming. (10/22)

GMV Technology Links Global Habitats in Record-Breaking Space Analog Mission (Source: Space Daily)
The World's Biggest Analog Mission (WBA) - the most extensive Moon and Mars simulation campaign ever conducted - has officially launched. Coordinated by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), the project unites 17 institutions across five continents to replicate the daily life and research operations of future off-Earth settlements. Central to this planetary-scale experiment is GMV's advanced Operations Support Tools (OST) system, which enables seamless communication, coordination, and planning between analog habitats worldwide.

Installed at OeWF's Mission Coordination Center in Vienna, the OST platform serves as the mission's operational hub, connecting analog astronauts stationed in 16 habitats throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. It manages time zone synchronization, handles simulated communication delays, and oversees the execution of complex daily schedules - a critical capability for maintaining cohesion across a globally distributed mission. (10/22)

Globalstar Announces Commercial Rollout of RM200M Two-Way Satellite IoT Module (Source: Globalstar)
Globalstar announced the commercial availability of its RM200M two-way satellite IoT module, a breakthrough solution that enables affordable, resilient connectivity for critical assets everywhere – now globally certified. The RM200M delivers reliable, two-way connectivity and is future-proofed to support cellular connectivity from the same module – enabling robust communications for critical IoT applications ranging from logistics and transportation to energy, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. (10/21)

Space Forge Successfully Deploys Origami-Based ‘Pridwen’ Heat Shield in Zero Gravity (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Space Forge has successfully trialed the deployment of its novel origami-based heat shield, Pridwen, on a zero gravity flight. ZeroG facilitated the flight with members of the Space Forge team entering microgravity to test the heat shield’s deployment capabilities. Pridwen will ensure safe atmospheric re-entry and satellite recovery. Its high temperature material combats heat flux through radiation, rather than the ablation technique of standard heat shields. Furthermore, its shuttlecock-style shield serves as a parachute to enable a safe landing for descending satellites. (10/22)

Maxime Verrière Appointed Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer of Arianespace (Source: Satellite Evolution)
Arianespace has appointed Maxime Verrière as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. He also joins the company's Executive Committee. Maxime will be responsible for structuring Arianespace's strategy and overseeing its implementation. He will lead key transformation projects for the company, particularly in the area of innovation. (10/21)

Global Space Tech Venture Investments Bounce Back in September (Source: Spacewatch Global)
September saw a bounce back for the global space tech VC industry, with over $1.5b invested in 39 deals. China’s dominance in the leaderboard returned this month with three of the top four investments being megarounds for Chinese startups: Beijing Galaxy Power Aerospace Technology ($337m Series D), Geespace ($281m Series C), and Beijing Interstallar Glory Space Technology ($98m Series D+) led the way, joined by the USA’s Apex ($200m Series D) to round out the top 4. Click here. (10/22)

Hidden In The Sun's Glare, This Asteroid Is Uncomfortably Close To Earth (Source: Universe Today)
Unfortunately for life on Earth, some of the most difficult asteroids to spot ones are close to us. They're hidden in the Sun's glare and are uncomfortably close to our Earthly home. A scientist at the Carnegie Institute for Science has discovered a new asteroid in our neighborhood. It's name is 2025 SC79. 2025 SC79 is about 700 meters (2,300 ft) in diameter. While small compared to the Chicxulub impactor that ended the dinosaurs, that size asteroid would still create a catastrophic impact on a continental scale. Depending on where it landed, it could kill billions of people and animals. (10/21)

Bridenstine on DoD’s Cislunar Goals, CLPS, and Returning to the Moon (Source: Payload)
“There is a great misalignment between what politicians are saying, and what contractors are delivering on,” Bridenstine said. If the name of the game is speed, the government should be pursuing a simple, streamlined mission with as much commercial off-the-shelf tech as possible, he said. However, the current architecture to return to the Moon includes many, many moving pieces—including a rocket-turned-human landing system, multiple launches, and in-space refueling.

Much of this tech is proving out what Bridenstine called “transformational capabilities” for the first time. “That whole architecture is nuts. It does not make sense. If you’re trying to beat China to the Moon, this is not how you do it,” he said.

Bridenstine said he heard that some officials within DoD believe that the Pentagon can’t take on lunar surface operations under the Outer Space Treaty, which expressly prohibits using “national appropriation by claim of sovereignty” in outer space and on the Moon. “That is a wrong interpretation of the Outer Space Treaty. And if somebody is interpreting that way, they need to be corrected,” he said. “We’re not claiming the Moon. We’re just knowing what’s happening in space, and I think that’s perfectly legit. Other countries are going to do it, so we should too.” (10/21)

Lockheed To Test Golden Dome Space-Based Missile Interceptor In Orbit By 2028 (Source: TWZ)
Lockheed Martin is aiming to conduct an on-orbit demonstration of at least one space-based anti-missile interceptor design no later than 2028. Interceptors deployed in space have been billed as a key element of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, but present considerable technical hurdles. (10/21)

Satellite Operators Will Soon Join Airlines in Using Starlink In-Flight Wi-Fi (Source: Ars Technica)
Most satellites only have sporadic connectivity with their operators back on Earth. As satellites zip around the planet, they periodically pass over ground stations designed to receive data and transmit commands back up to the spacecraft. One exception is the International Space Station, which enjoys near-continuous communications through a fleet of NASA data relay satellites.

But those satellites are expensive. They exist only to serve government missions, like the ISS and the Hubble Space Telescope. The Starlink network, by contrast, connects with millions of users, whether they’re at home, on the road, at sea, or in the air. Muon Space is partnering with SpaceX to bring Starlink connectivity to low-Earth orbit. One of Muon’s first customers is FireSat, a program managed by a Google-backed nonprofit called Earth Fire Alliance to detect and track wildfires.

Putting a single Starlink mini-laser terminal on a satellite would keep the spacecraft connected 70 to 80 percent of the time, according to Greg Smirin, Muon’s president. There would still be some downtime as the laser reconnects to different Starlink satellites, but Smirin said a pair of laser terminals would allow a satellite to reach 100 percent coverage. (10/21)

Lynk and Omnispace to Merge (Source: Space News)
Lynk Global and Omnispace announced Wednesday their intent to merge to better compete in the direct-to-device (D2D) market. The merged entity would combine Omnispace’s 60 megahertz of S-band spectrum with Lynk’s D2D platform, which is currently providing intermittent messaging and alert services in a handful of island nations with five small satellites in low Earth orbit. SES, which has invested in both companies, will become a major strategic shareholder in the combined entity. Omnispace had planned its own 600-satellite constellation, but those efforts stalled amid its claims of interference from SpaceX’s D2D service. (10/22)

Apex to Demo Space-Based Interceptors (Source: Space News)
Satellite manufacturing startup Apex will spend its own money to demonstrate space-based interceptors for the Golden Dome missile defense system. The company said Wednesday it will launch a demonstration mission in June 2026 to prove it can design and operate the kind of orbital weapons needed for Golden Dome. The company plans to invest $15 million in the demonstration of space-based interceptors, called Project Shadow. For the demonstration, the company will use its Nova satellite bus as a host platform that will deploy two interceptors in space, each equipped with a high-thrust solid rocket motor. The demonstration, the company added, will not physically intercept any space objects or create debris. (10/22)

Germany Wants Jammer/Inspector Satellites (Source: Space News)
Germany is looking to purchase satellites capable of jamming other spacecraft and inspecting objects in space despite skepticism from some analysts. The German Aerospace Center, or DLR, issued in August two requests for information for the procurements of satellites, one for a satellite with active defense capabilities and another for an inspector satellite. DLR is seeking to have the satellites delivered within 11 months of contract signing and launched on a German rocket. Analysts said the move underscores Germany’s growing understanding of the need to bolster its space defense capabilities given threats from China and Russia, but they questioned the ability of the German space industry to carry out the plan given limited capabilities, particularly in launch. (10/22)

Samara Aerospace to Test New Attitude Control Tech (Source: Space News)
Startup Samara Aerospace will test its attitude control technology on an upcoming mission. The company said it will fly its Cicada payload on an Mira orbital transfer vehicle built by Impulse Space on an upcoming SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission. The company said it has shown in the lab that its Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC) technology can successfully operate in the space environment, offering improved pointing control over alternative systems. The company is also working on Hummingbird, a satellite bus that incorporates MSAC technology. (10/22)

Eutelsat Misses Revenue Target (Source: Reuters)
Eutelsat missed its revenue target in its latest quarterly earnings. The company reported 283 million euros ($330 million) in the quarter ending in September, less than analyst predictions of 295 million euros. Revenue from video services was lower than expected, offsetting strong demand from government customers. Video revenue fell by 10.5% from the same quarter a year ago, which Eutelsat blamed on long-term decline in demand as well as sanctions that prevent it from broadcasting Russian channels. (10/22)

India's Vasant Chtnis Passes at 100 (Source: Free Press Journal)
A scientist who helped establish India’s space program has died. Eknath Vasant Chitnis died Wednesday at the age of 100. Chitnis, a space scientist, worked with Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space program, in the 1960s, serving as director of the Space Application Center. He played a major role in the development of the Insat, or Indian National Satellite, program to provide communications and other services in the country. (10/22)

T-Minus Engineering Pushes Suborbital Launch from Spaceport Nova Scotia to November (Source: SpaceQ)
A suborbital launch from Spaceport Nova Scotia by Dutch company T-Minus Engineering has been pushed into November as a result of a port strike in Europe which delayed shipping. Maritime Launch Services (MLS), who own and manage Spaceport Nova Scotia, would not confirm when in November the launch would be, saying it was pending confirmation of a launch window by Transport Canada and arrival of the suborbital vehicle. (10/20)

Large Chunk of Suspected Space Debris Found in Australian Desert (Source: NBC)
A large chunk of suspected space debris has been found in a remote part of the Australian desert, the country’s space agency confirmed Monday. The charred and smoldering object was found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, according to the Australian Space Agency. It’s not yet clear what the object is or where it came from, but officials said it’s probably a spent rocket part. (10/20)

Engineers Developing New Protective Coating for Spacecraft (Source: UT Dallas)
University of Texas at Dallas researchers are developing a material to protect spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) from harsh environments that can damage vehicles in space, such as satellites, shortening their lifespans. The research project is supported by a two-year, $1 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The research is part of DARPA’s Materials Investigation for Novel Operations in Space (MINOS) program, which supports the development of material systems with low-drag characteristics and significantly greater resistance to erosion and corrosion for use in LEO, which extends up to about 1,200 miles above Earth. The new materials are designed to protect satellites and other spacecraft components from two main threats: atmospheric drag and erosion. (10/17)

The World Needs More Spaceports. Oman Wants to Help (Source: Rest Of World)
Oman’s dream for a spaceport sits in a swath of desert overlooking the Arabian Sea. If all goes according to plan, three separate complexes here will launch everything from small suborbital rockets for scientific experiments to superheavy behemoths into space, bringing payloads of satellites to the stars. There will be a large mission-control building, warehouses for rocket assembly and testing, and a business park. If the spaceport succeeds, by 2027 Oman will join the small number of countries — just a dozen to date — that possess the facilities to launch objects into space. (10/21)

Space Exploration in the Backyard, on a Budget – How NASA Simulates Conditions in Space Without Blasting Off (Source: The Conversation)
Analog missions are designed to simulate the crew’s experience in a given mission plan. In some cases, they simulate surface operations on the Moon or Mars for up to a year. Others might replicate the experience of being in transit to Mars for a period of time, followed by the crew “landing” and exploring the surface.

NASA uses several analog mission facilities spread across the world. For example, the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah is located in an environment chosen to imitate conditions on Mars, while analog missions at Aquarius, an undersea research station off the coast of Florida, help scientists learn about crew behavior and psychology in a confined habitat located in a hostile environment.

Some natural environments are commonly used for analog operations, such as volcanic terrains in the western U.S., human-made craters in Nevada, the natural meteor crater in Arizona and research stations in Antarctica. These locations mirror the geologic settings the crews are likely to encounter on future missions, and so training in these locations helps them execute the actual missions. (10/20)

America Needs a ‘Plan B’ to Reach the Moon First (Source: Space News)
China is on track to land its first crew on the lunar surface by 2030 and establish a base at the resource-rich south pole — a site that offers continuous sunlight, access to water ice and control of the most valuable real estate beyond Earth. Beijing’s record of steady, disciplined progress in space suggests they will meet that goal. (10/20)