Europe’s largest satellite constellation has grown even bigger, following the launch of two more Galileo navigation satellites by Soyuz launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 5 December. Galileo satellites 27-28 add to an existing 26-satellite constellation in orbit, providing the world’s most precise satnav positioning to more than 2.3 billion users around the globe. (12/5)
China Outlines Future Plans, Including Finding Earth 2.0 (Source: Universe Today)
The China Global Television Network recently released an interesting video detailing China's future plans for space. Titled "Earth 2.0? China's plan to find new Earth," the video actually details four missions that the China National Space Agency (CNSA) has planned as part of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). These missions cover a broad range of next-generation science objectives that space agencies worldwide want to achieve in the coming decades.
These include a radio astronomy experiment destined for the far side of the Moon, a solar observatory that will investigate space weather, a space telescope that will monitor black holes and neutron stars, and an exoplanet-hunting satellite that will search for Earth-like planets. These missions are all part of China's drive to become a major power in space and establish itself at the forefront of space science, research, and exploration. Here's a rundown on the four missions, what China hopes to accomplish with them, and some potential deploy dates. (12/5)
RFP Imminent For Next Space Force NSSL Phase 3, Lane 1 On-Ramp (Source: Aviation Week)
The U.S. Space Force expects to release a solicitation for the next batch of new launch providers under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program this month, a service official said Dec. 5. The next NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 request for proposals (RFP) is slated to be released in early December. (12/5)
Sorting Out the Seismic Shifts in Space Domain Policy (Source: National Defense)
An area of strategic consistency for U.S. policymakers over the last several years has been the focus on space as an acknowledged domain of warfare. Due to the prevalence of the discussions around policies, authorities, resources and acquisition strategies for national security space requirements, it is important to pause occasionally and reflect on this seismic shift in national policy debates.
In the not-so-distant past, it was unimaginable to contemplate U.S. policymakers explicitly acknowledging the centrality of first-mover advantage in space for either the United States or a strategic competitor if crisis or conflict erupts. Now, the Senate report language for the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act highlights increasing threats in space as other countries continue to develop and deploy advanced capabilities to hold at risk, degrade and destroy U.S. and allied national security space assets. Click here. (12/5)
CU Boulder Lab Wins NASA Lunar Mission Grant (Source: Axios)
Instruments designed at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) will be part of NASA's effort to build the first-ever lunar space station. The news comes as several other NASA projects involving CU Boulder have faced potential federal budget cuts — but this selection keeps Colorado's flagship university firmly in the space race. NASA chose LASP's proposal — the DUst and plaSma environmenT survEyoR (DUSTER) — for its Artemis IV mission and awarded it $24.8 million.
DUSTER includes two instruments: an electrostatic dust analyzer and the RElaxation SOunder and differentiaL VoltagE (RESOLVE) tool, which will measure particles hovering above the Moon's surface to determine what that near-lunar environment is made of. (12/5)
Wales Space Sector Gets Grants (Source: Space Wales)
Space Wales, the trade association for the Space Sector in Wales, announced that six applicants have secured funding from the Wales Space Cluster Catalyst Fund. Snowdonia Aerospace LLP, N10gled Ltd, Excelerate Technology Ltd, Space Forge, University of South Wales and Engineering Education Scheme Wales Limited (EESW) will each receive a share of the £247,000 fund to deliver their proposed projects, covering education, product innovation, and improved connectivity.
The funding which originates from the UK Space Agency, is made available through a partnership between Space Wales, the UK Space Agency and the Welsh Government. It’s being awarded to projects that help deliver on the ambitions outlined in Wales: A Sustainable Space Nation – Wales’ space strategy published in 2022. (11/20)
SpaceX Tells Investors it is Targeting Late 2026 IPO (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has informed investors and representatives of financial institutions that it plans to pursue an initial public offering in the second half of next year. The rocket-maker, founded by Elon Musk, is considering a public listing of the entire company, including Starlink, its internet satellite service, according the report. Musk had said in 2020 that SpaceX planned to list Starlink several years in the future, once its revenue growth became smooth and predictable.
SpaceX's finance chief, Bret Johnsen, told investors about the sale in recent days. The new potential valuation is double the $400 billion value it fetched in a recent secondary share sale. The $800 billion valuation would put SpaceX ahead of ChatGPT-parent OpenAI, which is valued at $500 billion as of October, making it the most valuable privately held company in the world. Separately, Bloomberg News on Friday reported that SpaceX is preparing to sell insider shares that could include a per-share price of around $300, which would value the company at roughly $560 billion. (12/5)
Starlink Set for Windfall Under Trump Broadband Changes (Source: Houston Chronicle)
A change by the Trump administration to the federal government’s $43 billion plan to bring high-speed internet to rural communities across the country stands to deliver a windfall for Texas billionaire Elon Musk. Instead of laying fiber-optic cables that largely serve cities and suburbs, the federal government is turning to lower-cost satellite service provided by companies like Musk's Starlink and Amazon LEO.
Nationwide, Starlink is set to deliver service to more than 470,000 locations through the broadband program — more than any other provider — at a cost of $734 million, according to the non-profit Connected Nation. In Texas, roughly 27% of the more than 240,000 locations set to be connected through the rural broadband program will now be served by satellite networks, according to a revised state plan approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration last month. (12/4)
Pentagon Must Review, Better Define Responsibilities in the Space Domain (Source: Defense Scoop)
An upcoming report from the Mitchell Institute argues that a comprehensive review of space roles and missions would help other organizations across DOD support U.S. Space Command during conflicts. “Charting a Path to Space Superiority: The Cross-Domain Imperative,” recommends a number of actions and reforms the Pentagon should conduct to ensure the department has adequate control over the space domain both in peacetime and during conflict.
A comprehensive assessment of the national security space enterprise has not been conducted since the introduction of the Space Force and Spacecom, according to Jennifer Reeves, senior resident fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute and author of the report. During a Thursday meeting with reporters ahead of the document’s publication, Reeves said that such a review should encompass space missions and responsibilities conducted by all of the military services, combatant commands and intelligence agencies. (12/4)
Commerce Dept. Names Taylor Jordan as Director of Office of Space Commerce (Source: Executive Gov)
The Department of Commerce has appointed Taylor Jordan as director of the office of space commerce. OSC said Tuesday Jordan will remain as assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (12/3)
Senators Rally Behind NASA’s Earth Science Program (Source: Politico)
A bipartisan group of senators urged the White House on Wednesday to preserve NASA’s science portfolio during a hearing to vet the president's pick to lead the space agency. With Isaacman's nomination looking nearly certain, lawmakers turned their attention to NASA's science program and the Trump administration's plans to downsize those efforts. The White House wants to cut NASA’s overall budget by about $6 billion — roughly a quarter of the agency's $25 billion in annual spending. The plan would slash almost in half its roughly $7 billion science budget. (12/4)
NRO Extends Contracts for 4 Providers, Readies New Acquisition Approach (Source: Breaking Defense)
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has extended its contracts for Earth observation data with four firms as the spy satellite agency readies a new commercial acquisition approach that would provide longer-term funding. NRO’s Commercial Systems Program Office] awarded SCE [Strategic Commercial Enhancement] contract extensions to HawkEye 360’s Commercial Radio Frequency Capabilities contract, and 15.5 month extensions to Capella Space, ICEYE US and Umbra for their Commercial Radar Capabilities contracts. (12/4)
Starlink and OneWeb are Redefining Navigation (Source: OSU)
As disruptions to GPS services increase globally, radio signals from LEO satellites could become reliable navigation alternatives, a new study suggests. From transportation and telecommunications to finance and public infrastructure, nearly all sectors depend on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS for critical positioning, navigation and timing information. Yet as these signals are highly susceptible to interference like intentional jamming and spoofing, new technologies are needed to counter this dependence.
Now, by exploiting signals from the Starlink and OneWeb constellations — satellites primarily used to deliver secure internet connectivity — researchers found they could be used to improve ship navigation accuracy in the Arctic, an area where GPS coverage and signals are typically degraded. Results showed that exploiting Starlink and OneWeb LEO signals with height data from a ship sailing off the west coast of Greenland significantly increased navigation accuracy, effectively reducing errors from more than a kilometer (without GPS) to 27 meters. (12/4)
Space Debris Endangers Future Space Missions — But There’s a Way to Clean it Up (Source: Stevens)
Hao Chen’s team proposes creating fees that space operators would have to pay. “We will need some agency to create an incentive for the debris remediators,” says Chen. “The money should come from the people who enjoy all those benefits. Our analysis shows that there is a surplus to be generated from the remediation of orbital debris, and that surplus can be optimally shared by space operators and debris remediators.” Without such a solution, the space debris dangers will only continue growing, generated by the current and future objects left in orbit, Chen notes. (12/4)
ISS Prepares for New Commander, Heads Into Final Five Years of Planned Operations (Source: Spaceflight Now)
After 25 years of continuous human presence, the International Space Station is heading into its final half decade of planned habitation. NASA and its international partners are planning to intentionally deorbit the orbiting laboratory around 2030 or shortly thereafter. SpaceX was contracted valued at up to $843 million to build the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), which will help guide the space station towards a splashdown in an uninhabited portion of the Pacific Ocean. On Sunday, Dec. 7 NASA astronaut Mike Fincke will assume the role of ISS Commander, taking over from Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov. (12/5)
$47 Million in Contracts Awarded for RADARSAT+ Initiative (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced today $47 million in funding towards several contracts for the RADARSAT+ initiative. On October 18, 2023, then industry minister François-Philippe Champagne announced at the SpaceBound conference that Canada was going to invest $1.012 billion in funding over the next 15 years for the RADARSAT+ portfolio. That portfolio would include a replenishment satellite for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) and a fourth-generation satellite system to succeed the RCM. (12/4)
UK’s ESA Funding Cuts Reflect Tightened Priorities Amid Fiscal Uncertainty (Source: European Spaceflight)
During the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ministerial Council meeting in Bremen last week, the United Kingdom pledged €172 million less for the coming three years than it did for the previous three. The reduction in its contributions to ESA came amid large increases from other countries, notably Germany, which increased its commitments by more than €1.5 billion.
In early November, the UK Engagement with Space Committee of the House of Lords published a report called The Space Economy: Act Now or Lose Out. In it, the committee laments that the UK space sector “receives little public attention” despite the country having “important advantages” that need to be built on. It recommends focusing on the development of dual-use space projects with both civil and military applications, and reforming its funding model from a grant-based approach to one that focuses more on government procurement to enable private investment. (12/5)
Congress Warned That NASA’s Current Plan for Artemis “Cannot Work” (Source: Ars Technica)
In recent months, it has begun dawning on US lawmakers that, absent significant intervention, China will land humans on the Moon before the US with the Artemis program. So far, legislators have yet to take meaningful action on this—a $10 billion infusion into NASA’s budget this summer essentially provided zero funding for efforts needed to land humans on the Moon this decade. But now a subcommittee of the House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology has begun reviewing the space agency’s policy, expressing concerns about Chinese competition in civil spaceflight.
During a hearing on Thursday, subcommittee members asked a panel of experts how NASA could maintain its global leadership in space over China in general, and more specifically, how to improve the Artemis Program to reach the Moon more quickly. The most stringent criticism of the Artemis Program was offered by former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin. He has long been a critic of NASA’s approach toward establishing what the space agency views as a “sustainable” path back to the Moon, which relies on reusable lunar landers that are refueled in space.
Griffin reiterated that criticism on Thursday, without naming SpaceX or Blue Origin, and their Starship and Blue Moon Mk 2 landers. “The bottom line is that an architecture which requires a high number of refueling flights in low-Earth orbit, no one really knows how many, uses a technology that has not yet ever been demonstrated in space, is very unlikely to work—unlikely to the point where I will say it cannot work,” Griffin said. (12/4)
JAL and ispace Partner to Develop Future Transportation Systems to the Moon (Source: Aerotime)
Japan’s space ambitions are all set to take a concrete step forward. Lunar exploration company ispace has teamed up with Japan Airlines, JAL Engineering, and JALUX to start building the transportation systems and infrastructure that could one day support long-term operations on the Moon.
The agreement, finalized on November 28, 2025, brings more than a decade of on-and-off collaboration into a formal partnership. It lays the groundwork for the companies to work together more closely as they look toward what JAL calls a “cislunar economy”, which is a developing network of services and technology meant to connect life on Earth with activity on the Moon. (12/5)
Pixxel and UP42 Announce Partnership for Hyperspectral Data (Source: Satellite Evolution)
Pixxel and UP42 have announced a partnership, making data from Pixxel’s Firefly constellation available to UP42’s global customer base. End users of UP42 will be able to order 5-meter resolution hyperspectral imagery from Pixxel’s six-satellite Firefly constellation, covering 135+ spectral bands with a 40 km swath width, an unprecedented capability for commercial use. (12/5)
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