November 16, 2025

China Quickens Launch Pace of Shenzhou-22 Mission: Replacement Vehicle for Space Debris Damaged Spaceship (Source: Leonard David)
Preparations for China’s Shenzhou-22 mission has moved into full swing – an action required to assure that the now-orbiting space station crew can be sustained, and in a safe manner. Zhou Yaqiang, an official with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) explains that the mission for launching the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft “has been initiated, with preparations for all systems in full swing, including testing the spacecraft and rocket components and preparing the cargo,” Zhou said. (11/16)

Cohesion, Charging, And Chaos On The Lunar Surface (Source: Universe Today)
Most people interested in space exploration already know lunar dust is an absolute nightmare to deal with. We’re already reported on numerous potential methods for dealing with it, from 3D printing landing pads so we don’t sand blast everything in a given area when a rocket lands, to using liquid nitrogen to push the dust off of clothing. But the fact remains that, for any long-term presence on the Moon, dealing with the dust that resides there is one of the most critical tasks.

A new paper from Dr. Slava Turyshev of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who is enough of a polymath that our last article about his research was covering a telescope at the solar gravitational lens, updates our understanding of the physical properties of lunar dust, providing more accurate information that engineers can use to design the next round of rovers and infrastructure to support human expansion to our nearest neighbor. Click here. (11/16)

Space Force Releases Vector 2025 (Source: Orbital Today)
The U.S. Space Force released a document on 14th November to guide its Guardians toward reaching the force’s overall objectives. Vector 2025 is the Space Force’s version of an overall strategy document. In the Foreward to the document, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman explains why he chose this unusual form of an umbrella statement.

“As we grow to meet the demands of a rapidly changing domain, it occasionally becomes necessary to take stock of our journey: where we have been, where we are today and where we are going,” Saltzman wrote in the foreword. “So, rather than a plan or a strategy, I felt it was important to provide our Guardians with a ‘vector’ for what I consider to be the most essential elements of our work.” (11/16)

Estonia Will Allocate Funds for the Purchase of Starlink for Ukraine (Source: PRM)
Estonia will provide Ukraine with €3.5 million for the acquisition of Starlink communications systems. The funding will be channeled through the Estonia-Luxembourg IT Coalition, which is developing the digital and technological capabilities of Ukraine’s defense forces. (11/15)

Space Exploration, Trade and Investment on Radar as South Korean President Visits UAE (Source: The National)
President Sheikh Mohamed will hold talks with President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea on Monday as the UAE looks to bolster ties with the east Asian nation. Discussions will cover various issues, with economic ties and regional diplomacy high on the agenda. One field of close cooperation is in the development of high-tech satellites. Etihad-Sat was built through a partnership between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, a satellite manufacturing company that has its headquarters in the city of Daejeon. (11/15)

ISRO to Triple Spacecraft Output, Launch Chandrayaan-4 in 2028 (Source: India Today)
India is gearing up for one of its busiest times with seven more launches planned this financial year, even as India's first human spaceflight remains scheduled for 2027, its chairman V Narayanan said. He said ISRO is preparing for a phase of rapid scaling in science, technology and industry capacity. ISRO is targeting seven more launches before the end of the current financial year, including a commercial communication satellite, and multiple PSLV and GSLV missions. A milestone will be the launch of the first PSLV manufactured entirely by the Indian industry. (11/16)

The Simulated Milky Way: 100 Billion Stars Using 7 Million CPU Cores (Source: Riken)
Researchers have successfully performed the world’s first Milky Way simulation that accurately represents more than 100 billion individual stars over the course of 10 thousand years. This feat was accomplished by combining artificial intelligence (AI) with numerical simulations. Not only does the simulation represent 100 times more individual stars than previous state-of-the-art models, but it was produced more than 100 times faster. (11/16)

DOJ Issued Seizure Warrant to Starlink Over Satellite Internet Systems Used at Scam Compound (Source: WIRED)
As scam compounds in Southeast Asia continue to rake in billions of dollars in stolen funds from victims around the world, United States law enforcement aims to cut scammers off at the source by issuing seizure warrants for Starlink satellite internet terminals that provide cybercriminals with connectivity. Two US warrants and affidavits detail how Starlink devices are allegedly being used by cybercriminals running scam compounds in Myanmar. (11/14)

Glenn Rocket Setting Up Space Force for More Options (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Blue Origin's latest New Glenn milestone moves the company closer to certification for the Space Force’s flagship launch program, and the ability to reuse boosters could position it to compete for a larger share of national security missions in the future. Reusability isn’t a requirement for Space Force missions, but there are cost savings associated with reuse. (11/14)

Kansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Falsely Accusing Astronaut of Hacking Bank Account From Space (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The ex-wife of a NASA astronaut pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge that she lied to federal investigators when she claimed her spouse hacked into her bank account while she was floating 254 miles above the Earth’s surface. Summer Heather Worden, 50, of Kansas, was charged in February 2020 with making materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements to the Federal Trade Commission and the NASA Office of Inspector General. Prosecutors agreed to drop other charges in exchange for the guilty plea. Worden could still be sentenced to up to five years in prison. (11/14)

Emirates to Put Starlink on Aircraft (Source: The Edge)
Emirates is planning to use SpaceX’s Starlink to upgrade the onboard Wi-Fi in its fleet, according to people familiar with the matter, even though the service isn’t currently approved by the government. The Dubai-based airline — the world’s most profitable — has a widebody fleet of about 250 jets and more than 300 on order from Boeing and Airbus. (11/14)

Two Arrangements Mark a New Step for Ariane 6 and Vega-C Exploitation (Source: ESA)
Two Launchers Exploitation Arrangements (LEA) were signed today at the European Space Agency (ESA) Headquarters in Paris, marking an important step in the continued operation of Ariane 6 and Vega-C. The two arrangements – one with Arianespace and ArianeGroup for Ariane 6, and one with Avio for Vega-C – define the roles and responsibilities of each operator and ESA's role in monitoring its implementation. They also establish the framework for cooperation between the parties to ensure Europe’s continued autonomous access to space through the exploitation of ESA-developed launchers from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. (11/14)

Window Cracked by Debris Prompts "Alternative Return" for Chinese Astronauts (Source: Reuters)
The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was left docked at the Tiangong space station after the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) determined a window crack rendered it unfit to fly back to Earth. The original Shenzhou-20 crew (Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie) returned to Earth using the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, establishing an "alternative return procedure." The damaged Shenzhou-20 needs to be either fixed in orbit or deorbited (likely over the Pacific Ocean) to free up a necessary docking port for future missions. (11/14)

Space Weather Events Impact Launches, Orbiting Spacecraft, and Our Future in Space (Source: NSF)
The Sun follows a roughly 11-year activity cycle, alternating between periods of relative calm and intense upheaval. During solar maximum, geomagnetic storms become more frequent and intense. Earth is currently experiencing a decline from a “solar maximum,” which most likely peaked in October 2024. The Sunspot region AR4274, which caused the delay of Blue Origin’s ESCAPADE mission, has become one of the most prolific producers of solar flares in Solar Cycle 25.

Solar weather events come in several flavors, each with distinct characteristics and impacts. Solar flares release electromagnetic energy that can reach Earth in about eight minutes, disrupting radio communications almost immediately. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — massive expulsions of plasma and charged particles from the surface of the Sun — travel more slowly but pack a bigger punch.

For decades, launch weather officers have monitored terrestrial conditions — watching for lightning, tracking wind shear, and measuring cloud thickness ahead of launches. Those concerns have not disappeared. But space weather adds another layer of complexity. During severe solar storms, spacecraft electronics are bombarded by high-energy particles even before reaching orbit. The launch and deployment phase represents peak vulnerability, before protective systems fully activate and before spacecraft can orient their shielded sides toward the radiation source. (11/14)

NASA Denies Congressional Assertion That Goddard is Being Dismantled (Source: NASA Watch)
"Your assertion that Goddard is being shut down or dismantled, however, could not be further from the truth. As you are no doubt aware, NASA has operated under continuing resolutions (CRs) for much of the past two fiscal years. These CRs, combined with rising operations and maintenance costs over a prolonged period have forced NASA to implement efforts to ensure the center’s long-term viability through more efficiently utilizing available space and consolidating or reconstituting facilities. Efforts to reduce operations and maintenance costs started at other Goddard campuses over five years ago, and discussions and specific planning for consolidation efforts at the Greenbelt campus began in June 2023." (11/14)