December 3, 2025

Forbes Space Wants to Bring Ad Revenue to Space (Source: Payload)
Not all the money made in space is made in space. As the commercial space sector grows and crosses milestones once reserved for national agencies—landing on the Moon, building space stations, etc.—space companies have become an increasingly attractive partner to consumer brands trying to get their name out. These partnerships can spark new revenue streams for space companies, and a London-based startup is fanning the flames.

This week, Forbes Space opened a new office in Turin—Italy’s aerospace and defense hub—to help the Italian space sector foster partnerships with non-space companies. Meet Forbes: Forbes Space, which also has offices in London and Toulouse, is a consultancy that thrives on connecting the space and non-space worlds.

While Forbes offers a wide range of advisory services, such as surfacing investment opportunities and helping space companies expand their reach into new markets, one of its primary goals is to educate non-space executives on how to leverage the space industry. (12/3)

Planned Satellite Constellations May Swamp Future Orbiting Telescopes (Source: Ars Technica)
Three NASA astronomers released an analysis showing that several planned orbital telescopes would see their images criss-crossed by planned satellite constellations, such as a fully expanded Starlink and its competitors. While the impact of these constellations on ground-based has been widely considered, orbital hardware was thought to be relatively immune from their interference.

But the planned expansion of constellations, coupled with some of the features of upcoming missions, will mean that at least one proposed observatory will see an average of nearly 100 satellite tracks in every exposure. Making matters worse, some of the planned measures meant to minimize the impact on ground-based telescopes will make things worse for those in orbit. (12/3)

CNES Found Liable for Destroying Protected Habitat Kourou Spaceport (Source: European Spaceflight)
The French Space Agency, CNES, has been found liable for destroying protected habitats on the grounds of the former Diamant launch facility, which is now being redeveloped to support a new commercial launch site and the testing of reusable demonstrators. The agency has been ordered to repair the damage within three years or face a fine of €50,000. It will also be required to finance ecological compensation actions elsewhere on the grounds of the Guiana Space Center. The conclusion of the lawsuit will allow the agency to fully resume construction at the site, which it had been ordered to stop in late 2022.

The case has been extensively covered by the local outlet France-Guyane, which reported on Monday that the nearly four-year legal process resulted in a judgment allowing the agency to avoid fines that could have totaled up to €750,000. In its own investigation, European Spaceflight has reviewed the documents referenced by France-Guyane and obtained additional information from the ecological expert appointed by the prosecutor in the case to assess the damage caused by CNES. (12/3)

AT&T Doubles Down on EchoStar Spectrum Plan as T-Mobile Objects (Source: Light Reading)
AT&T maintains that its $23 billion deal to acquire spectrum licenses from EchoStar will increase competition and benefit consumers, as T-Mobile urges the Federal Communications Commission to block it or impose tougher coverage conditions. In a recent filing, T-Mobile has petitioned the FCC to "condition or deny" the assignment of EchoStar's 3.45GHz and 600MHz licenses to AT&T, with objections focused on the lowband spectrum.

It argues that the proposed deal would "not serve the public interest" because AT&T could avoid rolling out 600MHz to rural areas while EchoStar would "reap unjust profit from hoarding spectrum." (12/1)

Scientists Spot Hidden Water Ice on Mars: A Game-Changer for Human Missions (Source: SciTech Daily)
Scientists have identified signs of shallow water ice in a mid-latitude region of Mars, marking a potential resource hub for future explorers. The site may not only support human survival but also help reveal whether the planet was ever habitable. (12/2)

Could Future Astronauts Build Houses on Mars with Bacteria? (Source: Space.com)
The research proposes that biomineralization, a process that allows living organisms to produce minerals, could be used to create building materials once people get to Mars. The two bacteriums that the paper singles out are Sporosarcina pasteurii and Chroococcidiopsis. By pairing these bacteriums together to create a "co-culture," the researchers think it may be possible to create a type of binding element that could be mixed in with regolith (rocks and dust) on the surface Mars. (12/2)

Colorado Springs City Council Formally Opposes the State’s Lawsuit Challenging Space Command Relocation (Source: CPR)
A resolution opposing a state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to move Space Command from Colorado Springs passed city council recently on a 9-2 vote. Those in favor of the resolution said the city and state should be working together with the federal government instead of suing. (12/2)

US-UK Team to Build Mach-3 hybrid-Electric Engine (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A UK company specializing in electric powertrains has recently teamed up with a supersonic aerospace startup from the US to make a new hybrid-electric engine designed to enable affordable, long-range supersonic flight. Helix partnered with Astro Mechanica, based in California. The combined-cycle propulsion system is designed to enable efficient Mach-3, long-range supersonic flight at commercially viable costs. (12/1)

Northrop Grumman and IHI Aerospace Collaborate to Advance Global Propulsion Technology (Source: Satellite Evolution)
Northrop Grumman and IHI Aerospace signed an agreement to explore potential collaborative opportunities in propulsion technology for space and national security applications. The companies will focus on exploring innovative propulsion solutions to meet the evolving needs of customers in the US, Japan under the strong alliance between both countries. They intend to leverage their expertise in propulsion system development and advanced manufacturing capabilities for future collaborative efforts. (12/3)

A Dying Satellite Could Use its Final Moments to Photograph the Infamous Asteroid Apophis in 2029 (Source: Space.com)
An Australian company wants to join efforts to study a rare space event, conducting its own flyby of the asteroid Apophis when it makes its close approach to Earth in 2029. Sydney-based HEO Robotics, a provider of commercial satellite-to-satellite imagery, wants to add to the international missions already planning to get up close to the 1,115-foot-wide (340 meters) asteroid Apophis as it zooms by Earth in April 2029 by buying a satellite near the end of its life up in geostationary orbit and use its remaining fuel. (12/2)

Europe Passes Record-Breaking Space Budget While NASA Hit with Deep Cuts (Source: Space.com)
The European Space Agency member states have approved a record-breaking budget for the agency's next three-year period, including an increase in funding for science exploration and dual-use technologies for security and defense. Meanwhile, The squabble over NASA's 2026 budget is leaving several joint science and exploration projects in uncertainty as the vision for the American space agency put forward by President Trump cuts funding for multiple international collaborations. (12/2)

Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard’s 37th Mission (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin announced the six people flying on its NS-37 mission. The crew includes Michaela (Michi) Benthaus, Joey Hyde, Hans Koenigsmann, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, and Jason Stansell. To date, Blue Origin has flown 86 people (80 individuals) above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. The flight date will be announced soon. The live webcast on launch day will start 40 minutes before liftoff. (12/3)

China Launches Reusable Falcon-9 Class Rocket But Misses Landing (Source: Space News)
China’s Zhuque-3 rocket achieved orbit in its first launch late Tuesday but the booster failed to make a landing. The first Zhuque-3 lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Falcon 9-class rocket, developed by Landspace, achieved orbit, although the company did not disclose what payload, if any, was on board.

The company attempted a landing of the first stage on a pad 390 kilometers downrange from the launch site, but the booster appeared to malfunction when starting its landing burn and instead crashed near the pad. The mission is a milestone for Chinese spaceflight, marking the country’s first attempt at recovery of a stage from an orbital launch, a key capability needed for more frequent and less expensive launches. Another Chinese rocket with a reusable first stage, the Long March 12A, could attempt its first launch and landing attempt later this month. (12/3)

Antares Raises $96 Million for Microreactors (Source: Space News)
Nuclear power startup Antares raised $96 million to develop “microreactors” for use on Earth and in space. The company announced Tuesday a Series B round of debt and equity that it says will support work on a small reactor design that it plans to start next year. Antares sees potential demand for its reactors from the military and NASA, the latter for the agency’s Fission Surface Power program to develop a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor for use on the moon by the end of the decade. NASA issued a draft solicitation for the program in late August and plans to release an updated draft at the end of this week. (12/3)

Shield AI Enters Space Arena (Source: Space News)
Shield AI, a defense technology firm known for autonomous aircraft software, is venturing into the space sector. The company said Wednesday it will work with Sedaro, a startup whose cloud-based simulation tools are used by the U.S. Space Force and major defense contractors, to adapt Shield AI’s Hivemind Pilot system for satellite operations. The companies hope to show how their software can allow spacecraft to manage more tasks without relying on ground controllers. The deal aligns with increased interest in AI technologies to give satellites more freedom to maneuver and respond to threats. (12/3)

Eutelsat Shares Tumble After SoftBank Sells (Source: CNBC)
Shares in Eutelsat tumbled after one of its major shareholders decided to sell part of its stake in the company. Eutelsat shares were down more than 7% in midday trading in Europe Wednesday after SoftBank moved to sell about half its stake in the satellite operator. SoftBank had owned about 10% of Eutelsat before a capital raise this summer that saw the French government move to double its stake in the company to nearly 30%. SoftBank did not comment on why it was selling the shares. (12/3)

Independent Observer Detects Starlink Signals Near 2010 MHz Ahead Of Formal FCC Authorization (Source: Mach 33)
On December 2, independent satellite observer Scott Tilley reported detecting continuous emissions at approximately 2010.5 MHz that he attributes to Starlink, not Starshield, based on Doppler signatures and orbital geometry. Tilley notes that the frequency sits inside the AWS-4 / 2000–2020 MHz band historically designated for uplink, and states he has not identified an FCC authorization covering emissions in this specific sub-band or geography. (12/3)

SLI Bets on Satellite Leasing with $200 Million Commitment to AscendArc (Source: Space News)
Asset-financing specialist SLI plans to buy two small geostationary satellites from two-year-old U.S. startup AscendArc in a deal valued at more than $200 million, betting that operators will increasingly choose to lease spacecraft rather than buy them outright. (12/3)

Sugars, ‘Gum,’ Stardust Found in NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Samples (Source: NASA)
As part of the ongoing study of pristine samples delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft, three new papers present remarkable discoveries: sugars essential for biology, a gum-like substance not seen before in astromaterials, and an unexpectedly high abundance of dust produced by supernova explosions. (12/2)

Cosmonaut Removed From SpaceX's Crew 12 Mission for Violating ITAR National Security Rules (Source: Space.com)
A Russian spaceflyer was pulled from SpaceX's next astronaut mission for violating U.S. national security regulations, according to a media report. Oleg Artemyev, of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, had been manifested on SpaceX's Crew 12, a four-person mission scheduled to launch to the ISS as early as February. Fellow cosmonaut Andrei Fedyayev recently took his place, a "decision made in connection with Oleg Artemyev’s transfer to another job," Roscosmos officials said.

This morning, The Insider reported that Artemyev, 54, was apparently removed from Crew 12 for violations of ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), a U.S. law that seeks to safeguard national security by restricting the dissemination of sensitive information and technology. "The cosmonaut allegedly photographed SpaceX documentation and then 'used his phone' to export classified information," The Insider wrote, citing the work of launch analyst Gregory Trishkin. (12/2)

SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From Florida (Source: Space.com)
Twenty-nine newly-launched Starlink satellites are now in low Earth orbit. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the internet broadband relay units lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday. (12/2)

America Foolishly Waving Goodbye to Thousands of Chinese Experts (Source: Economist)
Chinese-born brainiacs have long been at the forefront of innovation in America. Yang Chen-Ning, a Nobel-prizewinning physicist who died in October, was one such. But a mixture of pushes (such as a current hostility to all sorts of newcomers) and pulls (including China’s lavish support for science and tech) mean many are now following the path Yang took later in life: he returned to China in his 80s to teach at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Today, a host of Chinese youngsters are also choosing not to go to America to study at all. (12/2)

Brevard to Ask State for Hearing on Blue Origin’s Lagoon Discharge Request (Source: CFPublic)
Brevard County will ask the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for a public hearing on the commercial space company Blue Origin’s request to keep sending nearly half a million gallons of wastewater daily into the Indian River Lagoon. The company seeks to extend its existing permit to discharge that wastewater. County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to take the only action they could by asking FDEP to hold a hearing. (12/2)

Brevard County Residents Speak Against Blue Origin Wastewater Dump Permit (Source: Fox 35)
Several Brevard County residents were fired up Tuesday night as they spoke against a Blue Origin permit that would allow the rocket company to dump wastewater into the Indian River. In the draft proposal sent to the state, Blue Origin is asking for a permit to: "discharge 0.467 MGD of process wastewater and discharge 0.015 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of non-process wastewater to a large onsite stormwater pond (402,981 square feet surface area) then to the Indian River."

A consent order the state's DEP claims Blue Origin failed to collect samples required by the permit – failing to follow the facility's best management practices in conducting monthly facility inspections. The state's letter said Blue Origin addressed the violations, but would be fined anyway – a total of $5,450. Blue Origin said this current permit ask is to renew an already existing permit. In fact, Blue Origin has been dumping processed and non-processed waste water into the Indian River for nearly half a decade so far. (12/2)

Space Force Weighs Range Upgrades to Support Reusable Rockets (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is planning improvements at its launch ranges to better accommodate the logistics and infrastructure demands that come with the launch industry’s shift toward reusable rockets, according to the commanders of the service’s two launch deltas. In addition to SpaceX and Blue Origin, ULA has a plan to eventually recover the engine of its Vulcan rocket through a system called Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology, which it expects to start flight testing next year. 

In Florida, the road used to move recovered boosters is the single line of transportation on and off the range, Chatman said. That wasn’t an issue 10 years ago and at a range that’s already running out of room due to surging demand, it’s on the verge of presenting a significant challenge. At Vandenberg, SLD 30 is planning a “massive” overhaul of its wharf, which all launch providers must use to transport their rockets to the range.

In recent years, lawmakers have approved policy changes that make it easier for the Space Force to share utilities and other costs with commercial providers. Congress has also approved $1.3 billion in funding through 2028 for the service’s “Spaceport of the Future” modernization effort. Editor's Note: There is a conceptual plan for a major additional cut near the Navy' submarine basin at Port Canaveral and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, allowing a long row of recovery and support vessels to dock within the Space Force installation. (12/2)

Spaceflight-Tested Menstrual Cup Offers Choice on Long Missions (Source: Cornell.edu)
Eating from pouches, sleeping in a bag tied to the wall, using a vacuum-powered toilet: Basic processes of human life require scientifically tested solutions in space. It’s the same for menstruation, a process female astronauts must plan for before flying to space, especially for longer missions in the future.

To equip astronauts with health choices for future missions, Ligia Coelho is leading research with AstroCup, a group that recently tested two menstrual cups in spaceflight as payload on an uncrewed rocket flight. Their container, designed by aerospace engineers on the team, measured temperature, acceleration and humidity. The menstrual cups performed well, said Coelho, who uses her expertise in biology toward understanding life processes related to space. (12/2)

KASA Secures 1.12 Trillion Won Budget to Boost Korea Space and Aviation Capabilities (Source: Chosun)
The Korea AeroSpace Administration finalized next year’s budget at 1.1201 trillion won. This is an increase of 155.2 billion won (16.1%) from this year’s 964.9 billion won, and it was finally confirmed on Dec. 2 after passage by a National Assembly plenary session. With this allocation, the Korea AeroSpace Administration has opened the era of a 1 trillion won budget for the first time since its establishment. (12/3)

Setbacks Faced by ISRO Space Missions in 2025 (Source: WION)
Indian space missions tasted success in the year 2025. There was the launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR Earth observation satellite in July, the PSLV-C61/EOS-09 satellite in May and the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 strategic communications satellite launch in November. However, there were also a few hiccups ISRO faced this year. Click here. (12/3)

Before Trips to Mars, We Need Better Protection From Cosmic Rays (Source: The Conversation)
Cosmic rays – consisting of protons, helium nuclei, heavy ions and electrons – stream in from exploding stars (galactic cosmic rays) and our very own sun (solar particle events). They don’t discriminate. These particles carry so much energy and move so fast that they can knock electrons off atoms and disrupt molecular structures of any material. That way, they can damage everything in their path, machines and humans alike.

The Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere shield us from most of this danger. But outside Earth’s protection, space travelers will be routinely exposed. In deep space, cosmic rays can break DNA strands, disrupt proteins and damage other cellular components, increasing the risk of serious diseases such as cancer.

The research challenge is straightforward: measure how cosmic rays affect living organisms, then design strategies to reduce their damage. Ideally, scientists would study these effects by sending tissues, organoids (artificially made organ-like structures) or lab animals (such as mice) directly into space. That does happen, but it’s expensive and difficult. A more practical approach is to simulate cosmic radiation on Earth using particle accelerators. (12/2)

The Bacteria That Won’t Wake Up: NASA Discovers New Bacteria “Paying Dead” (Source: University of Florida)
New research conducted on a NASA-discovered bacterium shows the microbe is capable of entering an extreme dormant state, essentially “playing dead” to survive in some of the cleanest environments on Earth. The finding could potentially reshape how scientists think about microbial survival on spacecraft and the challenges of preventing contamination during missions to space. Preventing contamination matters because it helps keep space missions safe, while ensuring that any signs of life spotted elsewhere in the Solar System can be trusted. (12/2)

NASA Seeks a “Warm Backup” Option as Key Decision on Lunar Rover Nears (Source: Ars Technica)
By the time the second group of NASA astronauts reach the Moon later this decade, the space agency would like to have a lunar rover waiting for them. But as the space agency nears a key selection, some government officials are seeking an insurance policy of sorts to increase the program’s chance of success. At issue is the agency’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) contract. In April 2024, the space agency awarded a few tens of millions of dollars to three companies—Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Astrolab—to complete preliminary design work on vehicle concepts.

NASA plans to down-select to one company to construct one or more rovers, land on the Moon, and provide rover services for a decade beginning in 2029. Over the lifetime of the fixed-price services contract, there was a combined maximum potential value of $4.6 billion. The problem is that NASA can only afford to fund one company’s proposal, leaving two other rovers on the cutting room floor. This is bad for competition, and it leaves NASA vulnerable.

A warm backup would not only preserve flexibility in the LTV program but could also prevent one or more of the companies from going out of business. The agency is concerned about losing the investments and innovations that two of the newest LTV companies, Lunar Outpost and Astrolab, have made in the lunar economy. Although leaders of both companies have said they will press on with lunar rover development if they don’t win the large services contract, NASA officials aren’t sure that will be possible. (12/2)

MDA Picks over 1,000 Initial Winners for Golden Dome Contracting Vehicle (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Missile Defense Agency today announced it has tapped hundreds of companies to supply tech for the Golden Dome initiative, though only those who receive orders later will get a piece of a prize pool worth up to $151 billion. “This contract encompasses a broad range of work areas that allows for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter with increased speed and agility." (12/2)

A Big Win for European Space (Source: Space Review)
The member states of the European Space Agency met in Germany last week to decide on agency funding levels for the next three years. Jeff Foust reports on the outcome, including a shift for ESA into more defense-oriented programs. Click here. (12/2)
 
Burning Falcon: the Death of a Russian Laser ASAT Plane (Source: Space Review)
Last week, Ukrainian drones and missiles struck a Russian air base. Among the planes destroyed there, Dwayne Day discusses, is one that was developed for an antisatellite weapons program. Click here. (12/2)
 
Mapping the Dark Side of the World: Replacing ARGON, the SAMOS E-4, and Mapping the Moon (Source: Space Review)
In the conclusion of his examination of satellite mapping programs in the early Cold War, Dwayne Day examines revised camera designs, including one used by NASA for mapping the Moon. Click here. (12/2)
 
Our Best Energy and Efforts (Source: Space Review)
Delays in the development of SpaceX’s Starship have promoted calls for potential changes in NASA’s Artemis lunar landing plans. Robert Oler discusses the need to organize “the best of our energies and skills,” as JFK put it, to ensure NASA returns to the Moon before a Chinese crewed landing. Click here. (12/2)
 
Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Undertakes Lunar Flybys (Source: Space Review)
Two years after carrying out its prime mission of delivering a lander to the Moon, part of India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is back in the news after making two flybys of the Moon. Ajey Lele describes the significance of those flybys for India’s space exploration plans. Click here. (12/2)

Space Station First: All Docking Ports Fully Occupied, 8 Spacecraft on Orbit (Source: NASA)
For the first time in International Space Station history, all eight docking ports aboard the orbital outpost are occupied following the reinstallation of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module. The eight spacecraft attached to the complex are: two SpaceX Dragons, Cygnus XL, JAXA’s HTV-X1, two Roscosmos Soyuz crew spacecraft, and two Progress cargo ships. (12/1)

X-MAT Introduces X-FOAM: A Ceramic Foam for Extreme Environments (Source: Space Daily)
X-MAT has announced the release of X-FOAM, a 1,300°C ceramic foam engineered for use in harsh environments demanding high thermal insulation and structural performance. This machinable ceramic foam has a thermal conductivity of only 0.034 W/m·K, on par with some aerogel products; but is stiff and hard, with a compressive strength in the hundreds to thousands of PSI. It is also very light, with a density of only 0.15g/cc, seven times less dense than water.

X-FOAM, produced in the United States, is based on X-MAT's silicon oxycarbide polymer-derived ceramic resin. The manufacturing process yields a foam structure that is both lightweight and strong, offering high insulation from cryogenic to re-entry temperatures in air. The material can be machined in its final form with hand tools, bench tools, or CNC machines, and holds a sharp edge. (12/1)

Second CHAPEA Crew Begins Extended Mars Habitat Mission at NASA Johnson (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's second CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) mission is underway with four volunteers - Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer - beginning a 378-day simulated Mars stay inside a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission started October 19, 2025, and will conclude on October 31, 2026.

The crew will remain inside the CHAPEA facility, exiting only for Marswalk simulations, which occur within a Mars-like environment directly outside the habitat. These simulated activities involve wearing spacesuits and operating within a red sand landscape, while remaining isolated from the outside world. (11/26)

Senate Panel Looks to Fast-Track NASA Nominee (Source: Reuters)
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee said on Monday it plans to hold a December 8 vote on President Donald Trump's nomination of Jared Isaacman, the private astronaut and ally of billionaire SpaceX founder Elon Musk, for the post of NASA administrator. Isaacman's nomination was withdrawn in June but Trump last month renominated him. Isaacman, an e-commerce mogul who flew to orbit twice on all-private astronaut missions as a customer and collaborator with SpaceX, faces a second confirmation hearing before the committee on Wednesday. (12/2)

BAE Systems, GlobalFoundries Team Up to Modernize Chipmaking for Space (Source: Space News)
BAE Systems is partnering with GlobalFoundries to bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing techniques to space-grade electronics — a move aimed at closing the performance gap between modern commercial processors and the older, radiation-hardened electronics that power many satellites. (12/2)

Moonshot Space Raises $12M for Electromagnetic Launch (Source: Payload)
An Israeli startup has emerged from stealth with plans to build a new kind of launch system­. Moonshot Space announced yesterday that it has secured $12M in funding to continue the development of a launch system—powered not by chemical propulsion, but electromagnetism. Moonshot plans to sell the tech as a hypersonic test platform, while at the same time building to eventually offer orbital launch services for companies looking to resupply raw materials to orbit. The launch system uses a series of electromagnetic coils to power a hardened capsule to hypersonic velocities. (12/2)

Congress Must Act to Prevent Gap in Microgravity Research (Source: Payload)
Microgravity research produces transformative discoveries that are changing our world, and enabling a new scientific and industrial revolution. However, with the International Space Station—one of the most frequently used platforms for microgravity research—nearing retirement, it’s time for Congress to ensure industry can maintain access to microgravity for life-changing research—and to ensure the US can maintain its leadership in an area where China is hot on its heels. (12/2)

Isaacman Pledges to Move Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston, Lawmaker Says (Source: Space.com)
The controversial plan to move the space shuttle Discovery to Houston reportedly has a powerful new backer. Jared Isaacman, President Donald Trump's pick to lead NASA, has pledged his support for Discovery's relocation, according to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). Cornyn, who spearheaded the Discovery plan along with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), made the announcement in an emailed statement on Monday afternoon. (12/2)

Isar Aerospace to Launch ESA’s ‘ΣYNDEO-3’ Mission under the EU’s IOD/IOV Program (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Isar Aerospace has signed a contract with ESA to launch the ΣYNDEO-3 mission under the EU's In-Orbit Demonstration and In-Orbit Validation Program (IOD/IOV). The launch will happen from Isar Aerospace’s dedicated launch complex at Andøya Space in Norway from Q4 2026. Redwire is the prime contractor for the ΣYNDEO-3 mission and will be delivering its Hammerhead spacecraft for a launch onboard Isar Aerospace’s launch vehicle Spectrum to a low Earth orbit (LEO). (12/2)

Proteus Space Launches First AI Designed Spacecraft, Sets Multiple Records (Source: Space News)
Proteus Space announced the successful launch and first contact of MERCURY ONE, its inaugural four-payload ESPA class spacecraft. MERCURY ONE marks the fastest timeline from a blank sheet design to a launch-qualified ESPA satellite, completed in only 9 months. (12/2)

Deloitte Selects Spire to Deliver Advanced Satellite On-Orbit Cyber and Data Capabilities (Source: Business Wire)
Spire Global announced that Deloitte has contracted with them to design, build and operate eight satellites. These satellites will support Deloitte’s on-orbit cyber payloads, as well as its space data capabilities for commercial and government clients. The mission consists of eight satellites with advanced radio frequency and geolocation payloads, as well as serving as a platform for advancing Deloitte’s Silent Shield mission to further innovate in satellite vehicle defense and resilience. (12/1)

Space Force Plans Surveillance Sats to Complement RG-XX Reconnaissance Fleet (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The Space Force’s strategy to replace its fleet of neighborhood watch satellites in geosynchronous orbit includes plans to field multiple satellite constellations, one focused on reconnaissance and one focused on surveillance that will autonomously track objects in GEO, the service said in a Nov. 26 notice. Officials had previously described plans for the reconnaissance fleet, dubbed RG-XX, with spacecraft that will be able to refuel and maneuver to get a better look at particular objects or threats in GEO. (12/1)

Vega C Launches South Korean Satellite From Kourou Spaceport (Source: Space News)
A Vega C launched a South Korean satellite on Monday. The Vega C lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, and deployed KOMPSAT-7 into low Earth orbit 44 minutes later. The spacecraft will be used to provide high-resolution imagery for the South Korean government. The launch is one of the last before responsibility for Vega launches shifts from Arianespace to Avio, the prime contractor for the rocket. (12/2)

SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
Another day means another Starlink launch. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Tuesday, placing 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch took place less than 24 hours after another Falcon 9 launched from Florida, putting 29 Starlink satellites into orbit. (12/2)

US/India NISAR Mission Starts Science Operations (Source: The Hindu)
A joint U.S.-Indian Earth science mission has started science operations. The Indian space agency ISRO announced last week that the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) spacecraft had completed commissioning and started regular science operations. NISAR launched in July and shortly thereafter successfully deployed a 12-meter radar antenna. NISAR’s prime science mission, observing the Earth using L- and S-band radars, is scheduled to last five years. (12/2)