October 18, 2025

China Achieves Numerous Breakthroughs in Space Exploration Quest (Source: Xinhua)
Ranging from the construction of the space station to the first-ever sampling of soil from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission and the exploration of Mars by the Tianwen-1 mission, China has achieved notable breakthroughs in space exploration during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) -- making important contributions to humanity's exploration of space and sci-tech frontiers. Click here. (10/17)

ESA Awards Contract for Reusable Rocket Stage Recovery Vessel (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has awarded a contract for the design of a reusable rocket stage recovery vessel to the Italian aerospace and defense systems company Ingegneria Dei Sistemi (IDS). The project is part of a broader contract awarded to the Italian rocket builder Avio for the development of a reusable rocket upper stage.

In December 2024, the company revealed that it had also been involved in the development of a recovery vessel for a “pathfinder activity” focused on designing a fully reusable rocket capable of delivering up to 60 tonnes to low Earth orbit. (10/16)

Vast Gearing Up to Launch its Haven-1 Private Space Station in 2026 (Source: Space.com)
Vast is moving into the final stages of building its Haven-1 private space station, readying for launch in 2026, in a move that could open up a new era in human spaceflight. In the past couple of weeks, the California-based startup has completed the final weld on the primary structure of Haven-1, followed by painting. Next steps include integrating the flight article's hatch and a domed window as the company moves closer to realizing its vision of a private space station in low Earth orbit (LEO). (10/16)

An Army of Robot Telescopes in Texas Makes the Stars Feel Closer Than Ever (Source: New York Times)
Eleven buildings, nearly identical, look like bland, oversize backyard sheds. Several large R.V.s are parked nearby. Not long ago, cows grazed here. But as the sun sets on a clear day, the buildings groan and creak as the roof of each shed rolls back, like the sliding lid on a wooden box. Revealed within the sheds are hundreds of telescopes, which intermittently twitch and pirouette, a robot army awakening. Their owners are nowhere to be seen.

This is Starfront Observatories. If you want to explore the universe but do not want to go outside, this might be the place for you. In an age of digital cameras and state-of-the-art internet, amateur astronomy can now be a remote-controlled hobby, and a far more sophisticated one. (10/17)

Dry Ice May Burrow Through Mars Lke Sandworms in 'Dune' (Source: Space.com)
Planetary scientists have long puzzled over strange, sinuous trenches etched into desert dunes on the Red Planet. The channels look freshly dug, complete with raised rims and winding paths, yet Mars today is too cold, too dry and too lifeless for running water — or giant worms — to be the cause.

Instead, a new study suggests that the gullies are sculpted by slabs of dry ice that form during the Martian winter. As spring approaches and temperatures warm, the sand heats up and blocks of ice break off, sliding and sublimating their way through the Martian sand. (10/16)

Two Spacecraft To Fly Through Comet 3I/ATLAS's Ion Tail – Will They Be Able To Catch Something? (Source: IFL Science)
The spacecraft in question are NASA’s Europa Clipper, going to the eponymous icy moon of Jupiter, and the European Space Agency’s Hera, which is travelling to the binary asteroid Didymos and Dimorphos, the site of the first-ever planetary defense demonstration when the DART mission purposely hit Dimorphos, shifting its orbit. According to a new paper, both spacecraft will be aligned in such a way that they could be entering the comet’s ion tail in the coming weeks. (10/16)

Space Force Operationally Accepts SciTec's Revolutionary Missile Warning System (Source: SciTec)
The Space Force achieved a key milestone with operational acceptance of the second operational delivery of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) to the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base. This delivery adds and integrates FORGE Mission Data Processing (MDP) with the cyber-secure FORGE Framework to dramatically expand the accuracy, performance, and resiliency of Missile Warning. (10/16)

Japan’s Interstellar Plans To Take A Slice of SpaceX’s Business (Source: Aviation Week)
Amid stables for 1,400 dairy cows, a tanker truck empties its load: a liquid stream of manure that pours out, flows into a trough, then into a pipe that leads to a giant bubbling vat. Eventually, this will become the element that propels hopes and dreams—otherwise known as rocket fuel. Interstellar Technologies has partnered with the industrial gas company Air Water to develop liquid biomethane (LBM) rocket fuel from cow manure.

The process begins at dairy farms in Hokkaido, Japan, where manure is collected from livestock. The manure is put into an anaerobic digester, where microorganisms break down the waste and produce biogas. Air Water transports the biogas to a factory where the methane is separated from other components, cooled, and liquefied to create high-purity biomethane. In 2023, Interstellar Technologies conducted a successful static fire test of a prototype rocket engine using the cow manure-derived LBM. The company plans to use this fuel in its orbital rocket, "Zero," to launch small satellites into space. (10/17)

NASA Leadership Candidates Include Retired Air Force Officer (Source: Bloomberg)
Retired US Air Force Lieutenant General Joseph Guastella is being considered for the top job at NASA, according to people familiar with the discussions, adding to the pool of candidates in contention for the administrator role. Guastella is the former deputy chief of staff for operations at the Air Force and worked on space-related issues during his military career. He’s currently an executive at defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. (10/16)

UK's Open Cosmos to Build Spanish Component of the Atlantic Constellation (Source: European Spaceflight)
UK-headquartered satellite manufacturer Open Cosmos has been selected over Deimos by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) to build the Spanish component of the Atlantic Constellation.

The Constelación Atlántica (Atlantic Constellation) is a joint initiative between Spain and Portugal to build a 16-satellite Earth observation constellation for coastal surveillance, environmental management, and climate monitoring. Each country has committed €40 million to the project. The United Kingdom has also pledged £3 million to support the development of an additional satellite. (10/17)

Don't Give Russia Space (Source: Kyiv Independent)
Dmitry Bakanov of the Russian Space Agency recently announced that over the next five years, Russia will try to create an "analogue of Starlink" by launching 292 new satellites. The dual-use "Rassvet" project aims to expand high-speed broadband internet to 97% of Russian households by 2030. A satellite internet constellation could significantly aid Russia's invasion of Ukraine by providing secure battlefield communications, giving Russian forces greater mobility and improved command and control. (10/16)

October 17, 2025

Viasat Looks Toward Military Satellites (Source: Space News)
Viasat is considering making customized communications satellites for the U.S. military. The company is capitalizing on its commercial satellite portfolio to compete in the U.S. military and international satellite markets. Viasat has designed a dual-band geostationary satellite for the U.S. Space Force’s Protected Tactical Satcom-Global (PTS-G) program, aimed at deploying smaller, jam-resistant satellites built on commercial lines.

Viasat’s proposal centers on a dual-band X/Ka-band small geostationary satellite architecture that draws heavily from the company’s existing commercial technology. Viasat also plans to bid for contracts under a new U.S. Space Force procurement called Maneuverable Geosynchronous Orbit Commercial Satellite-Based Services program intended to tap commercial geostationary small satellites to bolster military communications. (10/17)

Grassroots Efforts Continue to Secure NASA Science Funding (Source: Space News)
Scientists and advocates remain focused on securing funding for NASA science programs. Last week, The Planetary Society organized an event where hundreds of people visited congressional offices seeking to overturn proposed cuts of nearly 50% to NASA science that jeopardized dozens of missions. House and Senate appropriations bills largely reject those cuts, but those bills have yet to pass and are on hold as a government shutdown puts the near-term focus on a continuing resolution to reopen the government.

At another event last week, astronomers said they had some reassurance that the cuts would not take effect as NASA instructed programs to follow spending levels in a House bill, but warned that even if a final appropriations bill fully funds science, they may have to go through the same process next fiscal year. (10/17)

Ariane 6 Kuiper Launch Moved to 2026 (Source: Space News)
The first launch of the more powerful version of the Ariane 6 won’t take place this year. Arianespace said Thursday that the fourth and final launch of the Ariane 6 this year will be of a pair of Galileo satellites using the Ariane 62, with two solid-rocket boosters. That is the same version used on earlier Ariane 6 launches as well as one scheduled for early November. The first Ariane 64 launch, carrying Amazon Project Kuiper satellites, was previously projected to take place this year but will now slip into early 2026. The Ariane 64 is critical to Arianespace’s plans to ramp up its flight rate as Amazon is the biggest commercial customer of the Ariane 6. (10/17)

iRocket Turns Toward Military Missiles (Source: Space News)
Launch startup iRocket says it is turning to missile development to support its plans for a reusable rocket. The company conducted a test last week of the IRX-100, a short-range missile using some of the technologies needed for its proposed Shockwave launcher. The company said IRX-100 could fill a niche for small, low-cost interceptors. The test comes as iRocket works toward a planned merger with BPGC Acquisition Corp., a publicly listed shell company backed by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. (10/17)

Cosmonauts Install Exterior Experiments on ISS (Source: Space.com)
Two cosmonauts conducted a spacewalk outside the International Space Station Thursday. Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky spent a little more than six hours outside the station in a spacewalk that started at 1:10 p.m. Eastern. The two installed a semiconductor materials experiment on the exterior of the Nauka module and jettisoned a camera that had been mounted on the Zvezda module. (10/17)

Orion Capsule Moved to VAB for Artemis 2 Stacking (Source: Spaceflight Now)
The Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 mission has arrived at the Vehicle Assembly Building. The spacecraft was moved from a processing facility where its launch abort system was installed to the VAB overnight, where it will be integrated on top of the Space Launch System rocket. The move took place without publicity amid the ongoing government shutdown. NASA officials said last month they were targeting an Artemis 2 launch as soon as early February. (10/17)

Starshield Satellites Use Uplink Band for Transmitting (Source: NPR)
SpaceX Starshield spacecraft appear to be transmitting data in a band reserved for satellite uplinks. An amateur satellite tracker in Canada accidentally detected the transmissions, in a band from 2025 to 2110 megahertz, that he traced to satellites for Starshield, a military version of Starlink satellites. That band is reserved for uplinks to satellites, and downlinks there run the risk of interfering with commands being sent to other satellites. It is unclear what Starshield satellites are using the band for, other than any transmissions would be at relatively low data rates. (10/17)

ESA to Grow in Spain (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency plans to increase its presence in Spain. ESA announced Thursday it signed a letter of intent with the Spanish space agency AEE to study potential new areas of development at the European Space Astronomy Centre, an ESA facility near Madrid. ESA also signed several contracts with Spanish companies, while AEE signed the ESA-led Zero-Debris Charter. (10/17)

KBR Secures $98.7 Million Space Force Contract to Advance Digital Engineering Ecosystem (Source: KBR)
KBR been awarded a cost-plus-incentive-fee task order by the United States Space Force (USSF), building on the work under the previously awarded Advanced Solutions for Collaborative Engineering and Digital Development (ASCEND2) contract. The Design Implementation for Collaborative Environment (DICE) task order will focus on establishing a state-of-the-art testing and training environment for the USSF in Colorado Springs and will have a ceiling value of $98.7 million over a three-year period of performance. (10/16)

New Blue Origin Facility To Boost Space Force Launch Cadence (Source: Air and Space Forces)
A new Space Force partnership with Blue Origin aims to expand payload processing capacity at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., enabling the base to support as many as 16 more missions per year.  That includes seven to eight national security launches, a spokesperson for Space Systems Command’s Assured Access to Space directorate told Air & Space Forces Magazine Oct. 9. (10/15)

Bad News About Starlink Launch in South Africa (Source: MyBroadband)
South Africa’s communications department aims to finalize an Equity Equivalent Investment Program (EEIP) policy for the Information and Technology (ICT) sector by the end of March 2026. However, Starlink’s rollout may still only be possible years after that date, due to the time it will take to incorporate the policy into regulations and potential legal challenges. (10/15)

Are Falling Starlink Satellites Really Poisoning the Stratosphere? (Source: National Interest)
“Experts are increasingly alarmed about the potential effects of satellite reentries on Earth’s upper atmosphere. When satellites burn up, they release fine particles of metals such as aluminum oxide, which could interfere with the ozone chemistry and reflect sunlight.” These experts are demanding increased legislation and regulations to prevent what they believe is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen. A recent analysis in the academic journal, Science, dives deeper into the matter.

While certainly concerning, much of what has been provided as evidence is fairly circumstantial—and based on models that are incomplete. The scientific community is understandably concerned about environmental sustainability. Yet its attempt at a solution is opposite the entire point of Starlink: to create systems in orbit that can essentially maintain satellites and extend their lifespans so that they do not have to be so readily discarded. And there are NASA programs and private companies that are investigating the creation of things like on-orbit repair drones and what amounts to orbital workstations to keep satellites functioning. (10/15)

Federal Workers at Colorado Base Work Unpaid Amid Government Shutdown 'Stalemate' (Source: 9News)
Some federal employees at Buckley Space Force Base are working without paychecks as the government shutdown enters its third week, with workers calling themselves "pawns" in a political stalemate beyond their control. An employee at the base, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, said he and his colleagues received their last paycheck covering only through the end of September, with no October pay received. The employee is among those exempt from furlough but still affected by the funding lapse. (10/15)

Military Approves Second Site at Vandenberg to Increase SpaceX Launches (Source: Noozhawk)
The SpaceX rocket launch cadence at Vandenberg Space Force Base is about to get a big boost with the addition of a second site to conduct Falcon 9 missions after the military approved the firm’s expansion plans. The Department of the Air Force released its Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision regarding the proposal for Falcon 9 rockets to blast off from Space Launch Complex-6. (10/15)

Thailand Spaceport Study Underway (Source: The Nation)
Thailand's space agency, GISTDA, has initiated a feasibility study in collaboration with KPMG to establish a national spaceport. The project aims to position Thailand as a key player in the growing global space economy by creating opportunities in space transport, manufacturing, and tourism. (10/15)

Korea Announces Strategies to Reach Moon by 2032 and Mars by 2045 (Source: Chosun)
Administrator Yoon Young-bin of the Korea AeroSpace Administration said, “Since its launch, the Korea AeroSpace Administration has laid the groundwork to leap into the world’s top five in space and aviation, and achieved meaningful results in areas such as budget expansion, talent development, and international cooperation.”

“Going forward, we will pursue the realization of a space and aviation powerhouse around seven key tasks, including securing sustainable space transportation capabilities, developing advanced satellites, deep space exploration, and developing future aircraft.” (10/16)

Seiko Relaunches NASA-Approved, Shuttle-Era 'Astronaut' Watch (Source: Collect Space)
A digital watch that was chosen by many astronauts to wear on the space shuttle is getting a relaunch. Seiko has announced the return of its A829 Sports 100 "Rotocall," a timepiece worn by 40 astronauts on their NASA missions (more than 85 if including a similar version with a circular, rather than octagonal, bezel). First introduced in 1982, the 2025 edition ships in November. (10/16)

Once Unthinkable, NASA and Lockheed Now Consider Launching Orion on Other Rockets (Source: Ars Technica)
The Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket have been attached at the hip for the better part of two decades. The big rocket lifts, the smaller spacecraft flies, and Congress keeps the money rolling in. But now there are signs that the twain may, in the not too distant future, split. This is because Lockheed Martin has begun to pivot toward a future in which the Orion spacecraft—thanks to increasing reusability, a focus on cost, and openness to flying on different rockets—fits into commercial space applications.

If the spacecraft is going to be competitive on price, it needs a rocket that does not cost in excess of $2 billion per launch.

Orion has a launch mass, including its abort system, of 35 metric tons. The company has looked at rockets that could launch that much mass and boost it to the Moon, as well as alternatives that might see one rocket launch Orion, and another provide a tug vehicle to push it out to the Moon. So far, the company has not advanced to performing detailed studies of vibrations, acoustics, thermal loads, and other assessments of compatibility, said Kirk Shireman, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and program manager for Orion. (10/15)

China's Latest Launch Marks 600th Flight of Long March Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
China's Long March rocket series achieved its 600th space launch on Thursday, with a Long March-8A successfully deploying internet satellites into orbit. Serving as China's backbone launch vehicles, the Long March rockets have delivered nearly 1,400 spacecraft into orbits and conducted over 86 percent of the country's space launch missions to date, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China's major space contractor. (10/16)

New Space Debris Shield? Satellites and Astronauts Could Suit Up in 'Space Armor' (Source: Space.com)
Humanity has a new tool in the fight against space junk — "Space Armor," a multi-functional composite that could protect both spacecraft and astronauts. Space Armor is made via a proprietary fiber-to-resin manufacturing method courtesy of the company Atomic-6, based in Georgia. Space Armor's fiber-to-resin manufacturing method also provides another benefit: An enclosure using the tiles not only can protect communication gear, it also offers communications transparency. That means the system can safeguard mission-critical radio communications to and from the satellite as well. (10/15)

Aerospace Startup Rendezvous Robotics Opens Headquarters in Colorado (Source: Denver Post)
An aerospace startup that aims to provide a method to build living and industrial structures in space, communications systems and solar arrays to beam energy to Earth has opened its headquarters in Golden. Rendezvous Robotics formally started in November 2024 after about eight years of developing and testing technology that uses programmed tiles that autonomously assemble themselves to form modular structures and reconfigure when needed. Strong magnets help the tiles click in place. The tiles can be stacked in a rocket and released at their destination to start forming a structure. (10/16)

RGNext Laying Off 500 After Range Contract Loss (Source: BizJournals)
RGNext is laying off over 500 employees, including 228 at Patrick Space Force Base, 255 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and 22 at Kennedy Space Center, after losing a major Space Force contract to Amentum. The layoffs are expected to occur by November 30, although many impacted employees may have the opportunity to work for the incoming contractor, Amentum. (10/15)

Former North Carolina NASA Campus For Sale, Listed for $30M (Source: WLOS)
The former satellite tracking facility for NASA in Rosman, North Carolina, is now up for sale. The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a 192-acre site, built in 1963, that features more than 30 buildings, including a welcome center, library, exhibits, dorms and staff housing, and dining facilities. The site is selling for $30 million. (10/16)

Rule-Breaking Black Hole Destroys Star in Puzzling Way (Source: Space.com)
The death of a star at the hands of a massive black hole in a galaxy 650 million light-years away has surprised astronomers, for not only taking place outside the center of the galaxy, where massive black holes usually lurk, but also for launching two high-energy outflows months after the star's destruction. The optical flare of the TDE was spotted in 2024 by the Zwicky Transient Facility on the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory in California. (10/16)

For Next Test, SpaceX Plans Tower Catch of Starship Upper Stage (Source: Teslarati)
Elon Musk has revealed the tentative timeframe for Starship’s next milestone that would push the spacecraft’s reusability to a whole new level. Following Flight 11’s flawless mission, Musk noted on X that SpaceX will be aiming to catch the Starship Upper Stage with its launch tower as early as spring 2026. This should pave the way for SpaceX to start optimizing Starship for maximum reusability. (10/15)

4,000 Gone: Inside NASA’s Brain Drain (Source: Planetary Society)
Roughly 4,000 NASA employees — over 20% of the agency — have left in the past six months. Some were fired or retired early. Many took voluntary buyouts. In all cases, the root cause was the same: orders from on high to prepare for devastating budget cuts. Now, many of NASA’s most experienced workers are gone. This means that they are, for the first time, able to speak out about the brain drain and its impact on the agency. Click here. (10/15)

Radical Plan to Beam 'Sunlight on Demand' at Night Sparks Concerns (Source: Science Alert)
A proposed constellation of satellites has astronomers very worried. Unlike satellites that reflect sunlight and produce light pollution as an unfortunate byproduct, the ones by US startup Reflect Orbital would produce light pollution by design. The company promises to produce "sunlight on demand" with mirrors that beam sunlight down to Earth so solar farms can operate after sunset.

That vast constellation would deliver 20% of the midday Sun to no more than 80 locations at once, based on our calculations. In practice, even fewer locations would be illuminated due to cloudy weather. Additionally, given their altitude, the satellites could only deliver illumination to most locations near dusk and dawn, when the mirrors in low Earth orbit would be bathed in sunlight.

It remains to be seen whether Reflect Orbital's project will get off the ground. The company may launch a test satellite, but it's a long way from that to getting 250,000 enormous mirrors constantly circling Earth to keep some solar farms ticking over for a few extra hours a day. Still, it's a project to watch. The consequences of success for astronomers – and anyone else who likes the night sky dark – would be dire. (10/10)

Why NASA's Safety Award Features Snoopy (Source: BoingBoing)
When NASA astronauts want to honor someone who helped keep them alive, they hand out a silver pin depicting Snoopy in a spacesuit. The Silver Snoopy Award is one of the space agency's highest honors, and each sterling silver pin has flown in space before being presented. Following the deadly Apollo 1 fire in 1967, NASA wanted to create a symbol to remind its workforce that lives depended on their work. Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, donated his artwork for free, drawing the astronaut Snoopy that appears on each pin. (10/16)

Lawmakers Press Pentagon on Cuts to Oversight of Key Missile Defense Programs (Source: Breaking Defense)
Two democratic lawmakers are raising concerns that the Pentagon’s weapons testing office has reduced the number of programs under its remit and will no longer provide oversight of several space and missile defense efforts that could potentially be linked to Golden Dome. The Defense Department has cut 94 programs overseen by its office of the director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E) — a 37 percent reduction of the 251 programs previously on the list. (10/16)

SpaceX Has Big, Destructive Plans for its Big Rocket in Florida (Source: Florida Phoenix)
This is such a breakable age. Things we thought would last are, to our surprise, now in danger of shattering. You think our state parks will always be preserved? Nope, we’re going to try to put golf courses in them. Think the Everglades will be protected forever? Sorry, we’re building a prison camp there. Think our system for buying environmental land will be free of political influence? Too bad, here’s a shady campaign contributor getting $83 million for four acres in Destin.

Last week I heard about another target for breakage, one that I thought would never see a crack: The natural lands serving as a buffer around Cape Canaveral. Space X, the aerospace company owned by Elon Musk, wants to make big changes at the Cape. It wants to boost the number of rockets it launches and lands there, as well as boosting the size of the rocket involved.

The proposal has drawn opposition from residents and officials from Titusville, Cape Canaveral, and Brevard County, as well as environmental groups worried about the potential harm to nesting sea turtles, manatees, and endangered right whales. They’re also concerned about increased pollution, rampant water waste, a huge loss of public access, lots more sonic booms and — not to be rude — the tendency of Space X rockets to blow up. There have been four explosions so far this year. (10/16)

October 16, 2025

AI Model Sharpens Solar Forecasts to Support Satellite Network Stability (Source: Space Daily)
Accurate solar radiation forecasting is crucial for the stability of photovoltaic power systems, yet current models often blur as prediction time increases. Addressing this challenge, researchers led by Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology have unveiled an AI-based solution called GAN-Solar, designed to generate sharper, more reliable forecasts for solar energy management.

The model harnesses the principle of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), which pit two neural networks against each other in a process likened to a contest between a "master painter" (the generator) and a "keen art critic" (the discriminator). The generator produces simulated future radiation maps from historical data, while the discriminator learns to detect whether the images are genuine or generated. (10/16)

Federal Hiring Freeze Remains, and Political Appointees to Vet Candidates (Source: FNN)
The federal hiring freeze that has been ongoing since President Donald Trump took office in January will now continue indefinitely, as the White House also makes a new push to have a heavier hand in agencies’ recruitment of federal employees. As has been the case since Jan. 20, executive branch agencies will continue to be mostly barred from creating new federal positions or filling any current vacancies.

And on top of maintaining the current freeze, the White House is setting new expectations for the way agencies handle their recruitment efforts. The President has tasked each agency with creating a “strategic hiring committee,” composed of senior officials and political appointees who will have to ensure that any hiring that does take place is focused on “agency needs, the national interest and administration priorities.” (10/16)

ESA Taps NanoAvionics to Build Large Cubesat for EU IOD IOV Mission (Source: Space Daily)
ESA, acting through ESTEC, has chosen Lithuania-based Kongsberg NanoAvionics to deliver a large cubesat platform for the European Union's in-orbit demonstration and validation program. Under the IHE1-5 Cubesat project, the company will provide a 12-16U spacecraft to host multiple European payloads for flight testing. NanoAvionics will handle end-to-end delivery, including spacecraft design, assembly, integration, testing, ground segment, and mission operations.

The platform is intended to accelerate market readiness by giving emerging technologies on-orbit performance data and flight heritage ahead of wider adoption across scientific, public, and commercial applications. ESA has pre-selected eight candidate payloads from more than 50 proposals for this rideshare mission. Final payload choices will follow a system definition review in the coming months, aligning technical maturity, interfaces, and mission constraints with the bus capabilities and schedule. (10/16)

Gilat Secures $42 Million in Multi-Orbit Platform Orders as In-Flight Connectivity Surges (Source: Space Daily)
Gilat Satellite Networks has received $42 million in new orders from a major global satellite operator for its SkyEdge IV multi-orbit platform. The systems will be delivered over the next year, expanding Gilat's role in powering broadband connectivity across GEO, MEO, and LEO networks. The company said the orders underscore the growing demand for flexible ground infrastructure to support next-generation satellite services. SkyEdge IV is designed for scalability and high efficiency, enabling operators to meet increasing data requirements in aviation, maritime, and enterprise sectors. (10/16)

SATLINE Boosts European Satellite Reach with New UK Data Center (Source: Space Daily)
SATLINE has launched a new United Kingdom data center to expand its satellite coverage and enhance broadcast, IPTV, and OTT performance across Europe. The new facility, equipped with two high-performance downlink antennas, enables faster and more resilient connectivity for clients in the satellite communications sector. The center's core function is to convert satellite RF signals into IP streams for storage or origination. This allows customers to distribute data through their own networks, CDNs, or private connections with ultra-low latency, improving both coverage and reliability across broadcast workflows. (10/16)

Space Ocean and Enduralock to Unify Orbital Docking Standards for In-Space Fluid and Power Transfer (Source: Space Daily)
Space Ocean Corp. has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Enduralock to integrate the company's OneLink system as a standardized docking interface for in-orbit fluid, power, and data transfer. The collaboration aims to establish a common connection framework across Space Ocean's future logistics and servicing platforms. Space Ocean plans to adopt Enduralock's passive male receive port, now available for Assembly, Integration and Test (AI&T), as a baseline component across its orbital infrastructure. The OneLink system enables secure transfer of energy and materials while supporting high axial loads, making it suitable for operations such as refueling, cargo exchange, and modular construction in orbit. (10/16)

STARCOM Holds Florida Summit (Source: Team Orlando)
The Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) hosted a leadership summit, bringing together 80 leaders from across the country to discuss training, readiness and the evolving priorities of the U.S. Space Force, at Central Florida Tech Grove, Sep. 24. The summit provided a forum for participants to share perspectives, exchange best practices and coordinate efforts across the command’s missions. Leaders evaluated current programs and identified opportunities to strengthen collaboration across the Space Force and its partners.

Editor's Note: STARCOM is in the process of relocating its headquarters from Colorado to Florida, with facilities under development at Patrick Space Force Base. Their target is to have Full Operational Capability in 2026 and to complete the relocation by end of 2027. The move will allow closer coordination with Central Florida's impressive simulation and training cluster. (10/16)

Pentagon Solicits Bids for $151B SHIELD Missile Defense (Source: Stars and Stripes)
The Pentagon is seeking proposals for the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense, or SHIELD, program, a $151 billion initiative. The program, part of the Golden Dome initiative, has attracted significant interest from companies, with over 1,500 inquiries in the initial phase. The SHIELD program would require ground- and space-based systems to protect the US from ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles, but experts have raised concerns about the feasibility and cost, with estimates ranging from $161 billion to trillions over 20 years. (10/15)

Raytheon Expands Massachusetts Facility (Source: Design and Development Today)
Raytheon has broken ground on a $53 million addition to its Andover, Mass., facility, expanding its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor Production Facility. This project will accelerate the delivery of advanced defense systems and position the site as a key integration point for radar technologies supporting US and international customers. The expansion is expected to be completed by late 2026. (10/15)

Army to Focus on Counterspace Tech in FY27 Budget (Source: Defense Scoop)
The US Army plans to prioritize counterspace capabilities in budget requests starting in fiscal 2027, says Col. Peter Atkinson, the Army's principal space adviser. This move is part of the Army's broader effort to strengthen space operations, highlighted in the 2024 Space Vision. (10/15)

Axiom Changes Leadership (Source: Space News)
Commercial space station developer Axiom Space replaced its CEO Wednesday. The company announced that it had appointed Jonathan Cirtain as CEO, replacing Tejpaul Bhatia. The company described the move only as a “strategic leadership change to advance the company’s development of critical space infrastructure.” Bhatia, who joined Axiom in 2021 as chief revenue officer, was promoted to CEO in April. Cirtain is a former executive with nuclear technology company BWXT who joined IBX, the investment company whose portfolio includes Axiom Space, as president in May. (10/16)

SpaceX Launches DoD Satellites on Wednesday From California (Source: Space News)
SpaceX launched a second set of Space Development Agency satellites Wednesday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 7:06 p.m. Eastern and placed 21 Transport Layer Tranche 1 satellites built by Lockheed Martin into orbit. This is the second set of Transport Layer Tranche 1 satellites to launch after the first set launched a month ago. The Tranche 1 constellation will feature 10 planes of satellites, six for Transport Layer communications and four for Tracking Layer missile tracking applications. (10/16)

Beyond Gravity Considers Expansion on Space Coast for Solar Array Production (Source: Space News)
Beyond Gravity is weighing expanding solar array drive mechanism production in Florida to support Golden Dome and other U.S. space projects. The Swiss company said Wednesday it is expanding production of such mechanisms in Europe to meet demand for programs like the IRIS² secure broadband constellation. A U.S. production line would focus primarily on programs like Golden Dome and the Space Development Agency’s satellite constellations. (10/16)

Artemis Accords Turn Five, with 56 Nations (Source: Space News)
The Artemis Accords turned five years old this week. Monday marked the fifth anniversary of a ceremony where the United States and seven other nations became the first to sign the Accords, which outline norms of behavior for space exploration. A total of 56 nations have now signed the Accords, and representatives of 39 of them met at the International Astronautical Congress two weeks ago to discuss implementation issues. Those topics ranged from noninterference and safety zones to how to encourage more nations to participate, although at a press conference after the meeting officials provided few specifics. (10/16)

China Launches Guowang Constellation Satellites on Long March 8A (Source: Space News)
China launched another set of satellites for its Guowang broadband constellation Wednesday. A Long March 8A rocket lifted off at 9:33 p.m. Eastern from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center carrying the 12th set of Guowang satellites. Chinese officials did not disclose the number of satellites on board but previous Long March 8A launches for Guowang each carried nine satellites.

The national Guowang project, led by the state-owned China SatNet, will consist of nearly 13,000 satellites in low Earth orbit and is part of China’s response to Starlink. This launch will bring the constellation up to 95 satellites, with a near-term goal of having 400 satellites in orbit by 2027. This was the 600th launch of a rocket in the Long March family and comes just 22 months after the 500th launch. By contrast, it took China 37 years to perform the first 100 Long March launches. (10/16)

SpaceX Launches Thursday Starlink Mission From Florida (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A Falcon 9 launched more Starlink satellites early this morning. The rocket lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and put 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. This was the 130th Falcon 9 launch so far this year, with more than 90 of them devoted to Starlink. (10/16)

France and Germany Team on Satellite-Based Missile Warning System (Source: Reuters)
France and Germany have agreed to jointly develop a satellite-based missile warning system. The defense ministers of the two countries signed an implementation agreement Wednesday for a program called Odin’s Eye, which would use satellites to provide early warnings of missile launches. The program would support missile defense initiatives in Europe. (10/16)

Food Bank at Colorado Space Force Base Caters to Surge of Laid-Off Federal Workers (Source: Kyle Clark)
As of mid-October, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is handling a surge 900+ unemployment claims from federal workers due to the ongoing government shutdown. Meanwhile, a food pantry at Buckley Space Force Base has seen its demand double. The Buckley Spouses Alliance (BSA) runs a volunteer-operated food pantry on the base. (10/16)

Dassault Expands on Space Coast (Source: EDC of FSC)
The Economic Development Commission proudly celebrates the opening of Dassault Aviation's major new maintenance facility on Florida's Space Coast. CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet Thierry Betbeze commemorated the grand opening. Falcons, Dassault's advanced business jets, are already arriving at the new MRO facility, creating hundreds of full-time, high-wage jobs in Brevard County. This new global MRO is projected to create 400 jobs, and the $115 million capital investment further strengthens Florida’s position as a hub for aerospace innovation. (10/15)

One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Billionaires? (Source: University Times)
A quick Google search for “space tourism” loads several ultra-modern space tourism websites nestled between Wikipedia entries and news articles. At first glance, booking a seat on a rocket seems as easy as entering your credit card details. However, clicking on any one of these links reveals a sleek, high-budget website with impressive photos of stars, planets, and spacecraft, along with inspirational quotes. Noticeably missing is the price tag, with a lengthy interest form in its place. This message is clear: if you have to ask how much it costs, you probably cannot afford it. (10/14)

PLD Aims to Build One Engine Every Two Weeks by the End of 2025 (Source: European Spaceflight)
Spanish rocket builder PLD Space has revealed that it expects to be producing one TEPREL-C rocket engine every two weeks by the end of 2025. PLD Space is developing a 35.7-meter-tall, two-stage rocket called MIURA 5 that is designed to be capable of delivering payloads of up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The rocket will be launched from a new commercial launch facility on the grounds of the Guiana Space Center.

In a 14 October update, the company detailed several recent milestones as it prepares for the inaugural flight of its MIURA 5 rocket. It has completed the launch system’s Critical Design Review, confirming that it is ready for full-scale production. Additionally, PLD Space has finished the first phase of the Flight Safety Validation process with the French space agency CNES, a requirement for conducting operations from the Guiana Space Center.

Earlier this month, the company announced that it had begun hot-fire testing its TEPREL-C Vac rocket engine, which will power the MIURA 5 upper stage. Once this testing campaign is complete, PLD Space will be ready to begin producing one TEPREL-C engine every 14 days, a production rate it aims to achieve by the end of the year. (10/14)

Three CubeSats Successfully Deployed from "Kibo" (Source: JAXA)
On October 10, 2025, following 3 CubeSats were successfully deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) "Kibo": YOTSUBA-KULOVER; e-kagaku-1; and BOTAN. Click here. (10/14)

Bill Nelson Thinks Musk Must Rethink His Mars Plan (Source: Independent)
The former three-term senator from Florida is adamant that humans are going to Mars. It’s not a matter of if, just a matter of when, he told The Independent Sunday in an exclusive interview at the non-profit Washington West Film Festival in Virginia. But he’s seeking a clearer vision of that mission to Mars from the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

Musk has called the moon a “distraction” on the way to the Red Planet. But, Nelson says the billionaire X social media platform owner “has contradicted himself.” “Because he’s said the opposite, also,” the former astronaut said. Nelson says you can’t have Mars without the moon. Scientists need the research from the first phases of the Artemis program to get us to Mars. (10/14)

6 Things Starlink Does Better Than Regular Home Internet (Source: PC World)
It’s been a few months since I started using Starlink for home internet. And apart from some minor flaws and complaints—like weak upload speeds and the occasional global service outage—I have to admit it’s generally better than I expected it to be. One of the best things about Starlink is how normal it feels. Once you get it set up, it behaves just like regular internet: it’s fast, effective, and perfectly suitable for gaming and other latency-sensitive tasks. Click here. (10/15)

Not-So-Dark Matter? Mysterious Substance Might Leave Red and Blue 'Fingerprints' on Light (Source: Space.com)
A new theoretical study by scientists at the University of York in the U.K. suggests light passing through dark-matter-rich regions of space could pick up a faint tint — slightly red or blue, depending on the kind of dark matter it encounters. The effect would be extraordinarily subtle, far too weak for current telescopes to detect, but potentially measurable with the next generation of ultra-sensitive observatories, the researchers say. (10/15)

SpaceX’s Megarocket Finds Redemption After Explosive Failures. But Time May Be Running Out (Source: CNN)
The V2 test campaign began in January and was marked by a string of explosive, in-flight failures — with one vehicle exploding during a ground test and three others erupting into flames mid-flight — followed by a surprising redemption arc. Despite recent successes, however, SpaceX has a long way to go before Starship is ready to set out on an operational mission.

And the plans for this vehicle are nothing less than transformational: SpaceX CEO Elon wants Starship to carry humans to Mars for the first time. NASA also plans to use the vehicle to land astronauts on the moon as soon as 2027 amid a new space race with China — a goal that is putting SpaceX and Starship in the hot seat as the space agency’s deadline rapidly approaches.

With Version 2 set to retire, SpaceX has already teased the debut of Version 3, which is expected to carry out its first test launch later this year or early 2026. (10/14)

At Starbase, SpaceX is Taking Firefighting Into its Own Hands (Source: Tech Crunch)
SpaceX is quietly standing up a volunteer fire department to serve the sprawling launch-and-manufacturing Starbase complex, tightening its control over emergency response at a site known for rapid — and sometimes explosive — rocket development. A certificate of formation filed with the Texas Secretary of State on June 30 shows the creation of what’s called the Starbase Volunteer Fire Department.

SpaceX has historically handled fires at Starbase, which was recently incorporated as its own Texas city, with a combination of an internal firefighting and emergency response team and help from local fire departments, such as the one in nearby Brownsville. It’s unclear what impact the new volunteer fire department will have on those external relationships. (10/14)

Foodie Frontiers Feed the Future of Space Exploration (Source: Binghamton)
A team of Binghamton students placed second in the xFoundry Horizons Challenge, hosted by xFoundry — a university-based innovation program — in collaboration with NASA. The nationwide competition challenges university teams to tackle critical technology gaps that will help humanity establish a sustained presence on the Moon by 2040 — and eventually reach Mars.

Teams selected a focus area from four categories: Safe and Sustainable Food, Portable, Off-Grid Artificial Intelligence, Peak Physical and Mental Performance, and Autonomous Health Diagnosis and Monitoring, then worked on a pitch to solve a key issue in the chosen area. The Binghamton team, known as the Foodie Frontiers, focused on creating an intelligent nutrition system. Their project combines AI, smart hardware and biosensing to enable adaptive meal planning in space and on Earth, even when resources or biological constraints are limited. (10/14)

NASA Acting Administrator Says Relocating Headquarters Location (Potentially to Florida) is Not Priority (Source: Spectrum News)
Earlier this year, members of Florida’s congressional delegation made a big push advocating to relocate NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Sunshine State. But, for now, the current head of the space agency says he has ‘more important issues’ to deal with than think about any potential move. Back in March, a bipartisan group of Florida lawmakers introduced legislation in both the House and Senate called the CAPE Canaveral Act to transfer the headquarters of NASA to Brevard County.

“I’m in a place, though, where we’re in a race to get to the moon before the Chinese, and all effort has been to make that happen. So, I haven’t put one iota of mind space yet into where the headquarters should go, because I have other way more important issues that I’m navigating at NASA,” Duffy said. (10/14)

Debate Continues Over Moving Space Shuttle from D.C. to Houston (Source: Culture Map)
Texas’ two U.S. senators, Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, have called for the Space Shuttle Discovery to be relocated from the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington, D.C., to the visitors center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. They say Houston is Discovery’s “rightful home” and note that provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act call for the shuttle to be moved to Houston.

Moving the shuttle to Houston would reverse a decision made in 2011, when NASA awarded shuttles to museums in California, Florida, and New York instead of Space Center Houston. At the time, Houston Mayor Annise Parker blamed "political calculations" for not including the home of the Johnson Space Center as a shuttle home, even though the astronauts who flew the shuttle lived and trained in Houston. (10/14)

October 15, 2025

India Plans 2027 Crewed Spaceflight (Source: PTI)
The Indian space agency ISRO has reaffirmed a 2027 date for its first crewed flight. The chairman of ISRO, V Narayanan, said in an interview that the Gaganyaan program remains on schedule to fly its first astronauts as soon as the first quarter of 2027 after three uncrewed test flights, the first of which is scheduled for December. Narayanan said ISRO is also working on a roadmap for lunar exploration after being instructed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set a goal of a human lunar landing by 2040. (10/15)

Balloon Experiment Had Planned Landing in Texas (Source: Space.com)
No, a NASA balloon payload didn’t crash land in Texas after going off course. The payload, an astrophysics technology experiment, was found on a Texas farm earlier this month, leading to reports that the balloon had been blown off course and crash landed. However, the principal investigator for the payload at the University of Massachusetts Lowell said the balloon flight actually went according to plan, with landings on farms or ranches quite common. The balloon took off from a New Mexico facility and was guided to that landing after spending the night in the stratosphere to test technologies for imaging exoplanets. (10/15)

K2 Plans Trinity Mission to Deploy Satellites in Multiple Orbits (Source: Space News)
Satellite manufacturer K2 Space plans to show that its satellites can operate in any orbit by launching three of them at once to separate orbits. The company announced plans Tuesday for its Trinity mission, which will launch three spacecraft on a dedicated Falcon 9 in 2027. Two spacecraft will be deployed in low Earth orbit, with one immediately moving to medium Earth orbit, while a third will be placed in geostationary transfer orbit.

The mission is intended to demonstrate the capabilities of the company’s “multi-orbit” satellite platform. The Trinity mission is the next step in a series of tests that previously involved studying components such as reaction wheels and avionics. Founded in 2022, K2 Space has raised $180 million in venture funding and has reported $50 million in government and commercial contracts. (10/15)

Viasat and Space42 Partner on D2D (Source: Space News)
A joint venture of Viasat and Emirati operator Space42 has announced the first partner for its direct-to-device (D2D) services. Viasat and Space42 announced the formation of Equatys in September, combining more than 100 megahertz of mobile satellite spectrum available in more than 160 countries, using a business model analogous to shared cellular tower infrastructure. Equatys is positioning itself as a “sovereignty-friendly” D2D alternative to SpaceX where national governments will have more control over compliance and licensing. (10/15)

Poland's Scanway to Provide Lunar Multispectral Telescope for Intuitive Machines (Source: Space News)
Polish optical systems manufacturer Scanway Space won its first order from an American company for a lunar instrument. The company said that Intuitive Machines ordered a multispectral telescope instrument to map the moon’s surface for a 2026 mission. The order comes after the company won contracts from ESA for a multispectral data processing system as well as for Earth observation instruments from Asian customers. The company reported $3.2 million in revenue in the first half of 2025, a 119% increase from a year ago. (10/15)

Rocket Lab Launches Japanese Satellite From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a radar imaging satellite for a Japanese company Tuesday. An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and placed into orbit the seventh satellite for Synspective, a Japanese company developing a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. Synspective said this was the first spacecraft in the third generation of its spacecraft, which features improved performance and reliability. Synspective has ordered 20 more Electron launches of its satellites, including a 10-launch contract announced last month. Last week, Rocket Lab signed a contract with another Japanese SAR company, iQPS, for three additional launches. (10/15)

Duffy Seeks NASA Administrator, Isaacman Interviewed (Source: Bloomberg)
NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, is interviewing potential successors. Duffy met last week with Jared Isaacman, whose nomination to be NASA administrator was abruptly withdrawn at the end of May but whom the White House is reportedly reconsidering. Sources described the interview as a “tense examination” of Isaacman’s plans for NASA and his lack of prior government experience. Duffy is said to be interviewing others for the position. Acting administrators are typically not involved in the selection process for an administrator nominee, but Duffy is the first acting administrator who also serves on the Cabinet as secretary of transportation. Duffy, who has been acting administrator for three months, reportedly said he plans to stay in the NASA job through the end of the year. (10/15)

Snapdragon Mission Tactical Radio Gains Iridium Data for Gobal L Band Connectivity (Source: Space Daily)
Iridium Communications and Qualcomm Technologies have integrated Iridium data services into the Snapdragon Mission Tactical Radio, aiming to deliver resilient, secure L band satellite links for U.S. government and approved allied users. The effort targets handheld and mounted radios, autonomous systems, and other platforms that operate where terrestrial networks are congested, compromised, or absent.

The Snapdragon platform aggregates multiple Iridium services on a single chipset to match mission needs. Short Burst Data supports low-latency messaging and telemetry, while Iridium Burst enables simultaneous broadcasts to unlimited enabled devices. Pairing the Iridium waveform with Qualcomm's cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GNSS capabilities supports global connectivity under tight SWaP-C constraints. (10/15)

PLD Space Fast-Tracks MIURA 5 and Sharpens Europe Leadership in Space Access (Source: Space Daily)
PLD Space says it has advanced its reusable MIURA 5 orbital launcher from concept to near-validation in just two years, crediting vertical integration, MIURA 1 heritage, and in-house manufacturing. The company targets completing 2025 with its first fully integrated MIURA 5 ready for final qualification. MIURA 5 is progressing through subsystem qualification across engines, structures, avionics, GNC, separation, and fairing after closing the launch system Critical Design Review.

PLD Space also cleared the first phase of Flight Safety Validation with CNES for operations from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. Production has moved to semi-serial builds. The team has manufactured eight complete tanks spanning both stages. In propulsion, first full units of the 190 kN TEPREL-C main engine and the TEPREL-Vac upper-stage engine are complete, with capacity planned to reach one engine every 14 days by late 2025. (10/15)

K2 Space Corp, SpaceX Ink Falcon 9 Rocket Deal for 2027 Mission (Source: Space Daily)
Aerospace startup company K2 Space will team up with SpaceX to deploy a small number of K2 satellites into multiple levels of Earth's orbit. On Tuesday, California-based K2 Space announced its new contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch three K2 satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket for a 2027 mission dubbed "Trinity," which will lift three satellites into low, medium and geostationary transfer orbit. (10/14)

SpaceX Offers New Look at V3 Starlink Satellite for Gigabit Speeds (Source: PC Mag)
SpaceX is offering the clearest look yet at the next major upgrade to Starlink, confirming the upcoming “V3” satellite is significantly longer and larger. The V3 adopts a pair of longer solar arrays. The central satellite bus is also bigger, likely to contain improved “phased array antennas,” enabling it to deliver gigabit internet speeds for the first time. (10/14)

Starship Flight 11 Achieves New Milestones in Return, Re-entry and Landing Performance (Source: Space & Defense)
The Super Heavy booster executed a successful boostback and soft splashdown in the Gulf of America, while Starship continued to orbit, completing a targeted re-entry that tested its heat shield and aerodynamic control surfaces. Starship then performed a precision landing burn and touched down intact in the Indian Ocean — a first for the program. SpaceX confirmed the vehicle demonstrated improved stability, refined Raptor engine performance, and enhanced thermal protection system durability during the high-energy re-entry phase. (10/15)

Western Executives Shaken After Visiting China (Source: Futurism)
Western executives who visit China are returning humbled — and even terrified. The executives are warning that the country’s heavily automated manufacturing industry could quickly leave Western nations behind, especially when it comes to electric vehicles. “There are no people — everything is robotic,” said Andrew Forrest. Other executives recalled touring “dark factories” that don’t even need to keep the lights on, as most work is being done around the clock by robots.

“So in a pre-emptive fashion, they want to automate it as much as possible, not because they expect they’ll be able to get higher margins — that is usually the idea in the West — but to compensate for [their] population decline and to get a competitive advantage.” The country’s space program has also made massive strides, stoking fears of China beating the US back to the Moon. (10/14)

NASA Takes Major Step Toward Artemis II Launch with Latest Rocket Addition at Kennedy Space Center (Source: Space Coast Daily)
NASA integrated the Artemis II Orion stage adapter with the rest of the SLS rocket on Wednesday in KSC's Vehicle Assembly Building. Built by NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center, the adapter connects the rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the Orion spacecraft. Four CubeSats containing science and technology experiments will be deployed from the adapter into high Earth orbit after Orion is a safe distance away. (10/14)

Scientists Make a Major Breakthrough in the Mystery Surrounding Our Galaxy’s Black Hole (Source: Gizmodo)
Every large galaxy harbors a supermassive black hole at its center, each one emitting powerful winds of hot gas from its event horizon. Our galaxy should be no exception. Yet for the last 50 or so years, astronomers have been searching for winds coming from the black hole at the Milky Way’s center, and in all that time, they found nothing. Not even a gentle breeze. Until now. A team of scientists found the strongest evidence found yet of winds flowing from the Milky Way’s black hole, Sagittarius A*. The breakthrough findings describe a large, cone-shaped region around the black hole where cold gas appears to have been blown away. (10/11)

Humans May Be Among The First Intelligent Beings in The Universe (Source: Science Alert)
In the recent study, Professor David Kipping addresses two key facts that could mean humanity is an outlier. Based on the age of the Universe and the relatively rare nature of our Sun, he concludes that astrobiologists examining red dwarf planets may be looking in the wrong place. (10/14)

UK Boosts Satellite Defenses Against Laser Attacks (Source: New Atlas)
Star Wars becomes more than a film franchise title as the British government moves to protect the country's satellites from laser attacks. The £500,000 ($670,000) investment for new sensor systems is part of a broader strategic realignment. These are lasers designed to blind satellites or destroy delicate optical equipment.

The new initiative will be to develop sensors to be installed on satellites that will allow them to detect and assess laser attacks so proper countermeasures can be employed. Since these are not high-energy lasers, these defenses may require no more than switching off instruments or turning them away from the threat. Meanwhile, the sensors will be able to gather data on the threat and relay it back to Earth. (10/13)

Petaflop AI Supercomputer Lands at SpaceX (Source: NVIDIA)
The next AI revolution starts where rockets launch. NVIDIA DGX Spark’s first stop: Starbase, Texas. NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang arrived at the SpaceX facility — amid towering engines and gleaming steel — to hand-deliver the company’s just-launched DGX Spark to Elon Musk. DGX Spark packs 128GB of unified memory and delivers a petaflop of AI performance, enough to run models with 200 billion parameters locally. (10/13)

Psyche Asteroid Psyche May Be the Product of Metal Volcanoes (Source: Live Science)
The asteroid Psyche may have once had vents that spewed molten metal — but only if it is chemically similar to rare, metal-rich meteorites, a new study suggests. The study, which was published online July 31 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, could explain why the space rock has an unusual metallic cloak.

Potato-shaped asteroid Psyche, a member of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, is unique in being super-shiny. Radar measurements indicate that, on average, its surface reflects nearly a third of the sunlight shining on it, making it at least twice as reflective as most asteroids. Because of its reflectivity, scientists have posited that Psyche isn’t just mostly metal but may actually be the exposed iron-rich heart of a planetary building block. (10/13)

Impulse Space Sets Sights on the Moon with New Lunar Lander (Source: NSF)
Impulse Space, the innovative startup founded by SpaceX veteran Tom Mueller, has unveiled plans for a new lunar lander designed to deliver up to three tonnes of payload to the Moon’s surface. The announcement highlights the company’s ambition to fill a “critical gap” in lunar cargo capabilities, positioning it as a key player in the growing commercial space race. (10/14)

Vast Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field Keeps Growing (Source: Science Alert)
A giant dent in Earth's magnetic field is continuing to expand, according to the latest data from a trio of satellites monitoring our world. It's called the South Atlantic Anomaly, stretching across the gulf that separates Africa from South America, and the latest data suggests that it has expanded by roughly half the size of continental Europe since 2014, while its magnetic intensity weakens. (10/14)

October 14, 2025

China's Space Pioneer Raises $350 Million for Rocket Development (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch company Space Pioneer has raised $350 million, the latest in a series of major funding rounds for space startups in the country. The company announced funding worth nearly 2.5 billion yuan ($351 million). The funds will mainly be used for mass production preparation of rockets and engines, as well as for the “development of new-generation engines and launch vehicles,” according to the statement.

The company has flown its Tianlong-2 rocket once, in 2023, and is close to an orbital test flight on the potentially reusable and much larger Tianlong-3. The statement on new-generation engines and launch vehicles suggests, however, that the company is planning a newer, more capable launcher. The funding is the latest in a series of massive rounds of investment into commercial space in China in recent weeks that included launch company Galactic Energy and satellite operator Geespace. (10/14)

SpaceX Succeeds in Latest Starship Test (Source: Space News)
SpaceX successfully completed the final flight of the current version of its Starship vehicle Monday. The rocket lifted off from Starbase, Texas, at 7:23 p.m. Eastern on the Flight 11 mission, a suborbital test flight similar to the previous launch in late August. SpaceX said it completed all the major test milestones on the 66-minute suborbital flight. This is the last launch of version 2 of Starship as SpaceX works on a more capable version 3 with major upgrades to the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage. The company expects to begin orbital missions with the new version, including Starlink satellite deployments and Artemis lunar lander missions. (10/14)

Much of GEO Satellite Operators Transmissions are Not Encrypted (Source: WIRED)
A surprising amount of communications on geostationary orbit satellites are unencrypted, researchers have revealed. Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the University of Maryland used basic equipment to listen on transmissions from GEO satellites, discovering that many of the signals are unencrypted. Those communications included backhaul cellular communications for T-Mobile and in-flight Wi-Fi services, as well as communications used for critical infrastructure providers. Some companies, having been informed of the lack of encryption, have since moved to encrypt those communications, but others have yet to act. (10/14)

China Launches Experimental Satellite on Long March 2D (Source: Space News)
China launched an experimental satellite on Monday. A Long March 2D lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed the Shiyan-31 satellite into orbit. The launch came as a surprise to many observers, as Chinese officials had not issued airspace notices of a launch ahead of time. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the satellite will be used to verify new optical imaging technology but provided no other details. (10/14)

SpaceX Launches Kuiper Satellites From Florida in Monday Mission (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Falcon 9 launched a set of Project Kuiper satellites Monday night after days of weather delays. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, placing 24 Project Kuiper satellites into orbit for Amazon. The KF-03 mission was scheduled for last week but delayed by poor weather linked to a tropical storm offshore. This was the third and final launch of Kuiper satellites by Falcon 9, with Amazon planning to use the Ariane 6, Atlas 5, New Glenn and Vulcan Centaur for the remaining satellites in its broadband constellation. (10/14)

Momentus and Solstar Space announced a three-year agreement Monday for various services offered by the two companies. Earlier this year, Momentus and Solstar announced plans to provide customers of the Vigoride space tug with on-demand connectivity through Solstar’s Deke Space Communicator. The new agreement, with a value as much as $15 million, will combine Solstar’s communications expertise with Momentus products and services related to launch, logistics, payload deployment and on-orbit services. (10/14)

Promising to be a Good Neighbor (Source: Space Review)
As SpaceX continues Starship launches from Texas, the company is making plans to launch the vehicle from two sites in Florida to enable much higher launch rates. Jeff Foust reports that involves addressing concerns from other launch companies and the general public about the effects of those launches. Click here. (10/14)
 
This Spacecraft Will Self-Destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2… (Source: Space Review)
During the Cold War, US reconnaissance satellites and their film return capsules did not include self-destruct devices if they reentered off-course. Dwayne Day recounts incidents where intelligence officials may have wished they had. Click here. (10/14)
 
The Golden Dome Framework for Rethinking the Triad (Source: Space Review)
The proposed Golden Dome missile defense system is still in its earliest design stages but will likely feature major space-based elements. Justin Fu argues that it could also alter how the US approaches nuclear deterrence. Click here. (10/14)
 
The Other Space Race: Why the World is Obsessed with Sending Objects Into Orbit (Source: Space Review)
People have sent a wide range of unusual objects into space in recent years, from a car to a model of a Buddhist temple. Tony Milligan examines what motivates those efforts. Click here. (10/14)

Safran Federal Systems Unveils Inertial Navigation System for GPS-Denied Environments (Source: Safran)
Safran Federal Systems today announced the U.S. launch of the Blacknaute Inertial Navigation System, a next-generation solution engineered to deliver precision navigation in GPS-denied and Electronic Warfare-contested environments. The system is designed to support current platforms and other emerging DoD platforms requiring resilient positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). (10/14)

Viasat Gets Contract for Space Force Satcom Program (Source: SatNews)
Viasat has been awarded a prime contract by the US Space Force's Space Systems Command for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. As one of five companies selected, Viasat's role is to help develop a resilient, anti-jam satellite communications constellation in geostationary orbit. The contract positions Viasat to potentially serve as an end-to-end satellite maker for advanced military communications. (10/12)   
 
Switzerland Plans $1B Investment to Bolster Military Space (Source: Aviation Week)
Switzerland aims to enhance its military space capabilities with a $1.1 billion investment over 12 years, focusing on space situational awareness, communications and counter-space measures. The initiative includes the establishment of a space competence center by 2026 and collaboration with the European Space Agency. (10/13)

Congress Investigating Starlink Over Myanmar Scam Centers (Source: Guardian)
A powerful bipartisan committee in the US Congress says it has begun an investigation into the involvement of Starlink in providing internet access to Myanmar scam centers, blamed for swindling billions from victims across the world. The move comes as it was revealed that large numbers of Starlink dishes began appearing on scam-center roofs in Myanmar around the time of a crackdown in February that was supposed to eradicate the centers. (10/14)

Is LEO Getting Too Crowded? New Study Rings an Alarm Bell (Source: Space.com)
Hundreds of satellites may soon be flying in orbital regions that are already too packed to allow safe and long-term operations, a new study suggests. The study found that, while in 2019 only 0.2% of satellites in Earth orbit were forced to perform more than 10 collision-avoidance maneuvers per month, that percentage had risen sevenfold by early 2025, to 1.4%. That number might still seem low, but it means that some 340 satellites spend a lot of time dodging debris and other spacecraft.

Moreover, the satellite population is set to keep growing. While in 2019 about 13,700 objects (including space junk) zoomed around the planet in low Earth orbit (LEO), at altitudes below 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers), that number has since risen to 24,185 objects in 2025, an increase of 76%, according to the study. By the end of this decade, some 70,000 satellites may reside in LEO, according to industry growth predictions, representing a more than fivefold increase compared to the 2019 situation. (10/13)

Restoring American Space Dominance: Special Economic Zones (Source: FAI)
There are ways to get the space race back on track and even achieve victories such as a United States lunar base being built before a Chinese one. A prime example is that of special economic zones, innovative systems that allow for rapid industrial growth and quick expansion. These zones were the key to China’s unbelievably fast economic growth beginning in the 1980s. Many issues currently plaguing the United States’ industrial sector, such as regulatory overreach and processes involving lengthy environmental impact statements, could be sidestepped by adopting similar zones in America.

Southern states, policymakers, and space commercial companies wishing to propel the national space program forward could band together and form a Space Coast Compact, a special economic zone that makes use of the principles of interstate compacts. These states could set their own regulatory framework, one that encourages quick industrialization to speed up the national space program, ensuring American rockets and cargo are ready to land on the Moon before China does. This interstate compact could feature construction of space ports in several Southern states, massive factories for rockets and other space industry inputs that would bring high-paying jobs to the states involved, and the exponential growth that follows from having a technological hub.

Space companies would be able to launch more frequently without spending months waiting for federal investigations to end after minor incidents. The best and brightest engineers would relocate to live next to the other people working on the grand project of putting Americans in space, this time to stay. The possibilities of this type of interstate compact are endless, and its outcome would be entirely up to the states involved. (9/25)

Ghana Space Conference Pushes for Funding Beyond Policy Talk (Source: News Ghana)
Scientists and policymakers gathered at Ghana’s maiden National Space Conference have called on the government to back its space ambitions with actual money and institutional commitments, moving beyond policy documents into tangible investments. The message was clear: approving strategies doesn’t build satellites or train engineers. (10/13)

How Do Asteroids Spin in Space? The Answer Could Help Prevent a Catastrophic Earth Impact (Source:  Space.com)
Researchers used data from ESA's now-retired Gaia mission to study how an asteroid's spin depends on how often it's been hit by other space rocks. In another study, a team developed a method for identifying the safest regions on an asteroid to strike with a deflection mission, without accidentally steering it back toward Earth. Together, the findings offer a new way to understand the structure and behavior of these ancient bodies — knowledge that could prove critical to deflecting a dangerous asteroid if it were ever on a collision course with our planet. (10/13)

This Might be the Smallest Clump of Pure Dark Matter Ever Found (Source: Space.com)
A "dark object" detected as an anomalous notch in the arc of a gravitationally warped section of space, could be the smallest clump of pure dark matter yet found. If so, it would further validate the concept of cold dark matter and will help constrain the properties of dark matter particles as physicists and astronomers continue to hunt for what exactly the invisible substance is made from. (10/13)

A Black Hole Fell Into a Star – Then Ate its Way Out Again (Source: New Scientist)
A black hole that was eaten by a star seems to have gotten revenge by consuming the star from the inside, producing a gamma-ray burst spotted about 9 billion light-years from Earth. The burst, called GRB 250702B, was first spotted by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in July. Such bursts are bright flashes caused by jets fired out from energetic events, such as massive stars collapsing into black holes or neutron stars merging, and they usually last no more than a few minutes. (10/13)

No Bottle Rockets in the Kitchen, and Other Lessons from Kennedy Space Center Field Trips (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
During a recent field trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the on-site expert offered some sage advice when asked about the relative safety of rocketry venues. “I don’t recommend launching bottle rockets in mom’s kitchen,” said KSC lead educator Phil Bradley, who was demonstrating to a group of youngsters how to make a homemade rocket with a 2-liter bottle, baking soda and vinegar.

He and fellow educator Ben Hedgecock fielded other important inquiries from the three dozen Palm Bay Elementary School students such as, “Is that duct tape?” and “Are you the actor from ‘Wolverine’?” directed at the scruffier of the two educators and “Why can’t we do this inside?” “Why, because science needs its space,” Bradley replied. (10/14)

Rocket Lab Shares Soar 591% as Investors Weigh Valuation After NASA Contract Win (Source: Simply Wall Street)
If you’re looking at Rocket Lab’s stock chart this year, you’re probably double-checking your math right now. After all, a 591.1% gain over the last 12 months and a staggering 1,532.8% jump over three years are not numbers anyone shrugs off. In just the past month, shares have soared 36.8%, and if you’ve been holding since the start of the year, your return is a jaw-dropping 161.7%. Rocket Lab is not just riding a hot streak—it is practically in orbit. (10/9)

Solstar Space Signs $15 Million Global Agreement with Momentus (Source: Solstar)
Solstar Space announced a three-year reciprocal services agreement with Momentus to utilize the respective strengths, products and services of each company to deliver comprehensive low Earth orbit (LEO) space capabilities to address a broad range of commercial, government and space agency requirements. The three-year reciprocal services agreement provides a service value of up to $15 million for Solstar advanced space-based communications products and services and Momentus logistics, launch, payload deployment and on-orbit services. (10/13)

Could We Really Turn Mars Green? (Source: Universe Today)
A team of researchers led by Dr Erika DeBenedictis from Pioneer Labs argues it's time to take terraforming seriously as a research program, not because we should start tomorrow, but because recent breakthroughs in several fields have shifted the concept from impossible to merely very difficult. New technologies, from SpaceX's Starship potentially slashing launch costs by a factor of a thousand to advances in synthetic biology and climate modelling, have fundamentally changed the equation. The question is no longer whether terraforming is physically possible, but whether we should even pursue it and how we might approach such an incredible undertaking. (10/13)

SpaceX and xAI are Buying Tesla’s Unsold Cybertrucks (Source: Electrek)
Hundreds of Tesla Cybertrucks have been spotted being delivered Elon Musk’s private companies, SpaceX and xAI, as Tesla is having issues selling the electric pickup truck. Cybertruck turned out to be Tesla’s first real commercial flop. SpaceX has taken delivery of hundreds of Cybertrucks at Starbase of the last week and it is expected to take delivery of hundres, if not thousands more in the coming weeks.  (10/13)

Earth Has Entered a ‘New Reality’ as it Hits its First Climate Tipping Point (Source: CNN)
The planet is grappling with a “new reality” as it reaches the first in a series of catastrophic and potentially irreversible climate tipping points: the widespread death of coral reefs, according to a landmark report produced by 160 scientists across the world. As humans burn fossil fuels and ratchet up temperatures, it’s already driving more severe heat waves, floods, droughts, and wildfires. But there are even bigger impacts on the horizon. Climate change may also be pushing Earth’s crucial systems — from the Amazon rainforest to polar ice sheets — so far out of balance they collapse, sending catastrophic ripples across the planet. (10/13)

JPL Announces 550 Layoffs (Source: NASA Watch)
In a message from JPL Director Dave Gallagher, a JPL layoff of 500 people has been announced that is “not related to the current government shutdown”. ... “We are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success. As part of this effort, JPL is undergoing a realignment of its workforce, including a reduction in staff. This reduction — part of a reorganization that began in July and not related to the current government shutdown — will affect approximately 550 of our colleagues across technical, business, and support areas. Employees will be notified of their status on Tuesday, Oct. 14." (10/13)

Skynet-1A: Military Spacecraft Launched 56 Years Ago Has Been Moved By Persons Unknown (Source: IFL Science)
A military spacecraft launched 56 years ago was moved from its orbit – and nobody is quite sure who did it, or why. In 1969 the UK launched Skynet-1A, a military communications satellite placed in orbit above the east coast of Africa in order to relay information to British armed forces. It stopped working due to hardware issues around 18 months after it started operating, and the spacecraft was left to the laws of physics to orbit the Earth – it is now the oldest UK spacecraft still in space.

The spacecraft is not where it is supposed to be, according to what we know about orbits, now some 36,000 kilometers (22,369 miles) above the Americas. At some point in the intervening years, the satellite has likely been moved – but nobody appears to know when, who, or why. Tracking of the satellite has been patchy, particularly in the mid-1970s when the maneuver appears to have taken place, and any records of what happened appear to have been lost. (10/11)

SpaceX's Koenigsmann to Fly on Blue Origin New Shepard Mission (Source: Ars Technica)
Hans Koenigsmann is one of SpaceX's earliest, longest-tenured, and most-revered employees. When Elon Musk started the company in 2002, he was joined by two other "founding" employees, Tom Mueller in propulsion and Chris Thompson in structures. Koenigsmann was the next hire, brought on to develop avionics for the Falcon 1 rocket.

Because of this experience and his prominence during SpaceX's first crewed flights, Koenigsmann has become one of the most well-known German rocket scientists active today. And now he has announced he is going to space on a future New Shepard suborbital flight alongside his friend Michaela "Michi" Benthaus as early as next month. She's notable in her own right—a mountain biking accident in 2018 left her with a spinal cord injury, but she did not let this derail her from her dream. She will become the first wheelchair user to fly in space. (10/13)

October 13, 2025

Faraday Factory and Zenno Join Forces to Boost Superconducting Magnets for Orbital Systems (Source: Space Daily)
Faraday Factory Japan LLC has partnered with New Zealand-based Zenno Astronautics to advance the development of next-generation high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets designed specifically for space use. Faraday Factory is tailoring superconducting materials to meet the extreme demands of orbital environments. Faraday Factory will supply Zenno with advanced HTS tapes-including the new Mirai superconducting tape unveiled in July 2025-for integration into Zenno's superconducting magnet coils. (10/10)

Small Satellite Contracted to Probe Climate Effects of Space Radiation (Source: Space Daily)
The University of Alberta has contracted SFL Missions Inc. to develop the RADICALS small satellite, a mission designed to study how energetic particles from space interact with Earth's atmosphere and influence the climate system. The project is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Government of Alberta, and the Canadian Space Agency.

Built on SFL's proven DEFIANT bus, RADICALS will employ an unusual end-over-end spin as it travels in near-polar orbit. This maneuver allows its instruments to capture continuous 360-degree measurements of incoming space radiation, offering unprecedented accuracy in quantifying atmospheric energy input. The collaboration aims to enhance superconductor performance to improve operational margins, reduce mass, increase energy efficiency, and shorten system activation times. (10/13)

ULA Names Maverick Aerospace, LLC, as 2025 Supplier of the Year (Source: ULA)
United Launch Alliance (ULA) recently honored seven suppliers with 2025 Supplier of the Year Awards for their dedicated support across ULA’s product lines. Strategic supplier partnerships remain paramount as ULA continues to increase its launch rate for the innovative new Vulcan rocket to support Amazon’s Kuiper missions as well as our critical missions for the Space Force, NRO and NASA. 

Maverick Aerospace, LLC is a small business recognized for its tremendous impact and technical excellence in support of complex launch site upgrades including the fabrication of components used in the transportation, integration and launch of Vulcan from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and Space Launch Complex-3 (SLC-3) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (10/9)

Thales Alenia Space inaugurates state-of-the-art Space Smart Factory (Source: Thales Alenia)
Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has today inaugurated its Space Smart Factory at the Tecnopolo Tiburtino high-tech innovation hub in Rome. The factory — one of Europe’s largest intelligent, digital, reconfigurable manufacturing facilities — is the concrete result of an investment of over €100 million, partly financed through PNRR funds managed by the Italian Space Agency and by substantial investments from Thales and Leonardo.

It is a smart factory that can be reconfigured to produce all types of satellites and constellations using the principle of serialization of activities. The site is capable of producing over 100 satellites a year in the class up to 300 kilograms in an environment integrated with the most advanced digital, robotic and interconnection technologies. (10/7)

Senate Confirms New NOAA Administrator (Source: SIA)
The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today congratulated Neil Jacobs following his confirmation by the United States Senate as Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Dr. Jacobs previously served as the Acting U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the head of NOAA during President Trump’s first Administration. Prior to this, he was the Chief Atmospheric Scientist at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, where he directed the research and development of both the aviation weather observing program, as well as the numerical forecast models. (10/8)

GomSpace Signs 2.1 MEUR (SEK 23 Million) Contract Extensions with European Tech Firm (Source: GomSpace)
Following the June 25, 2025 announcement of a contract for 18 satellites with a confidential European customer, GomSpace has signed two amendments to the agreement, addressing new strategic needs identified by the customer — including the accelerated delivery of two satellites. (10/8)

Astronomers Image Two Black Holes Orbiting Each Other (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have captured the first image of two black holes orbiting each other. The image, taken from a network of ground-based radio telescopes along with a Russian spacecraft, confirm that a quasar designated OJ287 contains two black holes orbiting one another. Astronomers had speculated that the object, five billion light-years away, contained a pair of black holes because of periodic changes in its brightness. (10/13)

Planet Plans Next Generation of Imaging Satellites (Source: Space News)
Planet announced plans to develop a new line of imaging satellites to replace its Dove cubesats. The company said last week it is developing Owl, a satellite capable of providing one-meter imagery, sharper than the three- to four-meter imagery from current SuperDove satellites. The Owl satellites will also have Nvidia processors for AI applications, such as onboard processing of images. The Owl satellite is larger than the 3U cubesat form factor of SuperDoves, but the company did not disclose specifics. The first Owl satellite will launch in late 2026 with a full constellation to provide daily Earth imaging deployed in the coming years. (10/13)

Blue Origin Plans Rocket Refurb Facility at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Blue Origin plans to add to infrastructure at its Florida launch site. Local government filings show that the company plans to build a refurbishment facility for New Glenn boosters near its Launch Complex 36 pad at Cape Canaveral. The company said the facility would support refurbishment of first stages needed "to support a higher launch cadence and meet customer needs." The company now employs nearly 4,000 people in the Space Coast region spread across 11 sites. (10/13)

Winds on Mars are Faster Than We Thought (Source: Cosmos)
Mars is home to a very thin atmosphere, with a volume less than 1% of Earth’s. Despite this, scientists have observed intense Martian winds and dust storms. A new study photographed dust collected by the winds into ‘dust devils’ – rotating columns of dust and air that move across the planet’s surface. The new research offers a clearer understanding of Mars’s climate and dust cycle, which will play an important role in planning future missions to the Red Planet.

“Dust devils make the normally invisible wind visible,” says Valentin Bickel, the first author of the study from the University of Bern, Switzerland. “By measuring their speed and direction of travel we have started mapping the wind all over Mars’s surface. This was impossible before because we didn’t have enough data to make this kind of measurement on a global scale.” (10/13)

Uranus and Neptune May Not Be 'Ice Giants' After All (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have long called Uranus and Neptune the "ice giants" because models suggested that these outer planets' interiors are largely made of mixtures of water, ammonia and other ices — compounds that freeze easily in deep space. But new research reveals that we actually know very little about what's going on inside these planets, causing researchers to propose that Uranus and Neptune be called "rocky giants" instead.

New models have yielded a few expected results. Each planet is less than a quarter hydrogen and helium, which matches predictions from solar system formation models and the observed densities of the planets. The models also created layers of electrically conductive material, which can explain the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune. But this agnostic approach did yield one major surprise: We may not have any idea what the interiors of Uranus and Neptune are really like.

For example, the rock-to-water ratio for Uranus varies widely, anywhere from a low of 0.04, meaning the planet is almost entirely water, to as much as 3.92, which is the complete opposite. Neptune is slightly better understood, but it could still have anywhere from as much as five times as much water as rock up to twice as much rock as water. (10/13)

Government Criticized for Rushed Approval of Starlink Korea Agreement (Source: Korea JoongAng Daily)
The government is facing criticism for allegedly rushing its approval of a cross-border service agreement for Starlink Korea, the Korean subsidiary of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company SpaceX.
The Ministry of Science and ICT is accused of skipping essential steps to evaluate the broader market impact of such services, despite satellite communications being considered critical infrastructure. (10/13)

Senior Barrister: Space Industry a Trillion-Dollar Market for Hong Kong (Source: China Daily)
The space economy has the potential to be Hong Kong’s next trillion-dollar frontier, with a Chinese “SpaceX-like” commercial space company likely to emerge within the next two to three years to develop reusable orbital rockets, said Anthony Neoh, former chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong.

Neoh summarizes the city’s edge as being its unique combination of global reach, legal reliability, and financial sophistication. As one of the world’s most open and accessible markets, supported by a mature and diversified financial infrastructure, Hong Kong serves as a vital bridge between international capital and frontier industries. Its common law system — the legal foundation for most financing practices worldwide — provides the rule-of-law certainty that investors rely on. (10/12)

Race for Space Law: Inside the Sino-American Cosmic Rivalry (Source: China Talk)
The United States and China have both attempted to pass legislation and establish norms around outer space exploration and use within the United Nations. When this has failed, though, the United States has continued its law-based approach, pursuing norm-building agreements and legal partnerships outside the UN system.

In contrast, China’s approach, when faced with UN setbacks, has shifted to pursuing project-based initiatives, including activities at the International Lunar Research Station. By virtue of China’s state-centered economic model, space innovation and commerce are highly regulated or outright owned by the state. Experts argue that China is not likely to promulgate domestic space legislation due to the risk of inadvertently restricting state ownership of valuable space resources and scientific data. (10/12)

ESA’s Fourth Deep Space Antenna Unveiled in New Norcia, Western Australia (Source: Thales Alenia)
The European Deep Space Antenna Alliance (E-DSA²) celebrated the inauguration of the European Space Agency’s NNO-3 deep space antenna masterpiece for the New Norcia ground station near Perth, Australia, on October 4. NNO-3 is part of ESA’s ESTRACK global network of ground stations. This new-generation 35-meter antenna will enable ESA to increase its communication capabilities in X, K and Ka frequency bands. (10/6)

ispace to Serve as Core Partner in Japan’s Space Strategy Fund Project for Satellite Development (Source: ispace)
ispace has reached a  contract with the Institute of Science Tokyo after being selected to serve as a core partner for a lunar water sensing satellite project funded by Japan’s Space Strategy Fund. The satellite development project was selected under the “Development and Demonstration of Lunar Water Resource Exploration Technology (sensing technology) theme, one of the first publicly solicited themes of the Space Strategy Fund. The project was selected on April 25, 2025, with a funding grant of approximately 6.4 billion yen. (10/6)

ispace Selected for Taiwan Space Agency’s Lunar Mission Payloads (Source: ispace)
ispace was selected by the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) to deliver scientific payloads to the lunar surface. Based on the award, ispace is expected to enter into a contract with TASA to transport the “Vector Magnetometer and Ultraviolet Telescope” to the Moon on the company’s Mission 4, currently scheduled to launch in 2028. The total contract value is $8 million USD. (10/6)

ispace and Magna Petra Corp. Sign Payload Service Agreement to Deliver NASA’s MSOLO Instrument to the Moon (Source: ispace)
ispace announced the execution of a Payload Services Agreement with Magna Petra Corp. – a lunar resources company engaged in the commercialization of helium-3 isotopes from the lunar surface. ispace will integrate a NASA-developed Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) instrument into its upcoming Mission 3 lunar micro-rover platform as part of Magna Petra’s Helium Availability of Lunar Origin (HALO) reconnaissance mission. (10/6)

ispace and UEL Sign Interim Payload Service Agreement (iPSA) to Transport Rovers to the Moon (Source: ispace)
ispace and Unmanned Exploration Laboratory (UEL), a space robotics and exploration company in Korea, have signed an interim payload service agreement (iPSA) to transport up to two 2-wheeled rovers to the surface of the Moon. The rovers to be deployed on future ispace lunar lander missions are two-wheeled rovers with a rear-mounted tail that aims to explore hard-to-reach geological features on the moon. ispace will be responsible for transporting the rovers to the lunar surface and supporting communications relay to the rover via the lander. (10/1)