Space Force Shifts $4B Infrastructure
Portfolio To Colorado Base (Source: Business Facilities)
The U.S. Space Force’s Infrastructure Portfolio Acquisition Executive
(PAE) is relocating the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs,
bringing an office responsible for a $4 billion infrastructure
portfolio to a region with an established concentration of military and
space-related operations. Also the long-time headquarters of the Space
Force Combat Forces Command, the base is now one of nine PAEs under the
Pentagon.
The impetus for the new Colorado Springs PAE was the 2026 overhaul of
Space Force’s acquisition system, designed to significantly reduce
layers of review that have historically slowed down the process. Now,
each PAE is empowered with broad authority over its mission portfolio,
including responsibility for the vast majority of contracting decisions
– approximately 90% to 92% of contracting authority – within its area.
The Space Force’s Infrastructure PAE assumed leadership of the
portfolio earlier in August 2026.
The office’s relocation from Los Angeles puts those acquisition
functions closer to several Space Force installations in the Colorado
Springs area, including Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases and
Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station. The relocation is occurring as
the Space Force expands its presence in the Colorado Springs area. In
June, the Defense Department announced plans for a $250 million Space
Force Operations Facility at Schriever Space Force Base. The facility
is expected to support about 2,500 civilian jobs, although a
construction schedule has not been announced. (8/20)
Russia Approves Agreement on Peaceful
Cooperation in Space with Serbia (Source: TASS)
The Russian government has signed a draft agreement between Russia and
Serbia in research and the peaceful use of outer space, according to a
resolution released on the official website of legal information. Among
other fields, potential cooperation includes outer space exploration,
space medicine, remote Earth sensing, satellite systems, space
meteorology, and manned space flights. (9/7)
Louisiana Offered SpaceX $27.5B
Incentives Package (Source: Douglas Messier)
The state of Louisiana estimates that the incentives package it offered
SpaceX to build the world’s largest spaceport on the Gulf Coast is
worth more than $27.5 billion. The figure was included in a non-binding
letter of intent from Louisiana Economic Development (LED) Secretary
Susan Bonnett Bourgeois to Ben Lancaster, who is senior manager of
governmental affairs at SpaceX. Click here.
(9/9)
Inside the F-104 ‘Wind Tunnel in the
sky’ Accelerating Hypersonic Testing (Source: Aerospace Global
News)
Starfighters Space is turning its fleet of Cold War-era F-104s into
flying laboratories capable of giving hypersonic hardware minutes
rather than seconds in a real-world supersonic airflow. The company has
developed a modular underwing test platform that can carry full-size
components at speeds of up to Mach 2.2, offering aerospace and defense
developers an alternative to heavily booked ground facilities.
It has already attracted potential work from Florida-based propulsion
specialist Vaya Defense & Space. Under an agreement announced on
September 9, the companies will evaluate flying Vaya hypersonic test
articles and other payloads aboard the “Wind Tunnel in the Sky”. The
alternative developed by Starfighters resembles a missile carried
beneath an F-104’s wing.
Its four modular sections allow customers to install different types of
experimental hardware without modifying the aircraft itself. A
radio-transparent nose can house avionics, telemetry, communications
equipment and cameras. Further sections can accommodate air inlets,
control surfaces, wings, flaps and advanced materials, while the rear
can be used to evaluate tail fins or ignition systems. (9/9)
NASA KSC Transitions 560 Contractors
to Civil Service Workforce (Source: NASA)
In its move to increase civil service workforce skills and reduce
contractor outlays, NASA has been recruiting contractors to join the
NASA ranks. On Sep. 8 at KSC, the agency held the largest onboarding
event in NASA history, swearing in 560 new employees to restore it's
core competencies. (9/8)
GE Aerospace To Buy Consolidated
Precision Products In $12B Deal (Source: Aviation Week)
GE Aerospace will buy key castings supplier Consolidated Precision
Products for almost $12 billion in a deal that GE Aerospace CEO Larry
Culp said will provide both greater supply stability and allow for new
airfoil developments. (9/8)
Boom Supersonic Nears Tests for
In-House Engine Core (Source: Aviation Week)
Boom Supersonic has nearly completed a prototype of an in-house engine
core for its supersonic aircraft and expects to start ground tests at
the Watkins, Colo., facility within two months. The tests will help
development of two more engine prototypes. (9/8)
Federal Waivers Cast Doubt on Starbase
LA Environmental Promises (Source: Douglas Messier)
As SpaceX’s prepares to build the world’s largest spaceport on 125,000
acres of Louisiana land and marshes, Elon Musk’s company and state
officials are saying all the right things about protecting the fragile
coastal environment and the wildlife that live there. Louisiana’s coast
is disappearing at one of the fastest rates in the country.
According to the state: “The project will go through all applicable
environmental, wetlands, natural resource and launch-related
reviews…From regulated activities related to site development to
voluntary restoration plans across the entire property, the company has
sought the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s (CPRA) input
and guidance at every stage.”
That all sounds great. However, the phrase “all applicable
environmental, wetlands, natural resource and launch-related reviews”
is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that statement. The fact is, there
are about to be a lot fewer reviews. The Trump Administration plans to
waive all or parts of 13 federal laws “applicable to licenses to
operate a launch site, licenses to operate a reentry site, experimental
permits, and licenses to operate launch and reentry vehicles.” (9/9)
Blue Origin Pursues Space-Based
Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) Opportunity (Source:
Aviation Week)
To compliment traditional airborne sensing, the requirement for a
layered, highly resilient tracking architecture is evident. SB-AMTI
aims to enhance the Space Force’s capabilities to the Joint Force
through the establishment of a persistent, global capability to sense
and track airborne targets from space. Previously, SpaceX won a $4.16B
contract. RocketLab, STR LLC, and an unnamed company won a combined
$615M contract. (9/7)
The Missing Piece of America’s
Supersonic Comeback Could Also Enable Inland Spaceports (Source:
Space News)
Two recent FAA actions could reshape how the United States approaches
high-speed aviation and spaceflight. In July, the FAA announced a
rulemaking effort to allow supersonic overland flight, implementing
Executive Order 14304. Then, in August, the FAA issued a request for
information toward implementing Executive Order 14369, which calls for
the development of new U.S. spaceports, including “priority airspace”
for launch and reentry operations.
When the FAA opened low-altitude airspace to routine drone operations,
it didn't do so by rule alone — it built a network of UAS test sites
where operators, regulators, and controllers spent years building the
operational data and procedures that later rules could be written
around. A well-placed supersonic/hypersonic flight test corridor,
straddling multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers and extending in
altitude to above the Karman Line, would provide the same environment:
a place to convert a paper compliance framework into an operating
environment that regulators, operators, flight controllers, and the
public can observe.
The corridor could serve civilian and military requirements for
supersonic, hypersonic, launch, and reentry operations, and would give
the multiple planned inland spaceports a usable path to orbit that
doesn’t depend on a coastline. Supersonic advocates have proposed
versions of this corridor before, and inland spaceport proponents have
long sought FAA approval for access to orbit. What these efforts have
thus far lacked the kind of momentum that these new FAA projects can
provide. Click here.
(9/9)
Out of Stealth Mode, Lunar Forge
Progresses on Regolith Construction Opportunities (Source: Lunar
Forge)
Two months out of stealth. Five signed LOIs. Estimated infrastructure
value: $800M–$1.65B. Two cover fission reactor shielding. One covers a
60-meter structures that cannot be launched from Earth. One covers
protective infrastructure around sensor nodes and power systems. One
covers lunar habitats. These LOIs exist because the economics of lunar
infrastructure point to one unavoidable conclusion: if you cannot
launch it, you have to build it there.
We also prepared two proposals covering berms and landing pads. Both
reached NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson, who “visited the site
recently and is supportive of your work happening there.” (9/8)
Eutelsat Taps Infinite Orbits for GEO
Life Extension Mission (Source: Payload)
Eutelsat and Infinite Orbits announced an agreement today—on the
sidelines of the International Space Summit in Paris—paving a pathway
for the French satellite-servicing company to increase the life span of
at least one of Eutelsat’s GEO satellites. The mission is yet another
example of the increasing demand from satellite-servicing missions from
GEO operators. It is the third order for a life-extension mission for
Infinite Orbits, following last year’s agreement with SES, and a
similar agreement with Hispasat in 2024. (9/9)
Russia Undocks Cargo Craft From ISS (Source:
NASA)
A Progress cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space
Station amid rumored delays about the launch of its replacement. The
Progress MS-33 spacecraft undocked from the station Monday and
destructively reentered several hours later. A new cargo spacecraft,
Progress MS-35, was scheduled for launch Wednesday, but there were
reports the launch would be delayed because of an issue with the Soyuz
rocket's third stage. A NASA website says only that the launch is
"under review." (9/9)
India Approves Spectrum Plan to Allow
Broadband Constellation Service (Source: India Today)
India is a step closer to allowing services like Starlink to operate in
the country. The country's Digital Communications Commission has
approved recommendations on allocation of satellite spectrum, allowing
regulators to proceed with spectrum assignments to companies. Starlink
and other foreign services seeking permission to operate in India will
still need security clearances from the government. (9/9)
Pentagon Doubles NatSec Launch Plans
(Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has more than doubled the number of national security
launch services it expects to procure. A new Pentagon assessment of the
National Security Space Launch, or NSSL, program revealed that the
Space Force expects to procure 337 launches over the course of the
contract, up from 151 in its 2022 baseline estimate. The numbers
highlight a challenge for the Space Force as demand for launches is
expanding faster than the pool of rocket companies currently able to
compete for much of that business. While seven companies are in Lane 1
of the current NSSL Phase 3 contract, 38 of the 39 missions awarded to
date have gone to SpaceX. (9/9)
Paris Space Summit Attracts 2,000 From
120 Nations (Source: Space News)
A two-day space summit kicks off today in Paris featuring global and
European space issues. The International Space Summit, organized by the
French government, is expected to attract 2,000 delegates from as many
as 120 nations. The French government plans to release several
declarations at the summit on topics such as space sustainability,
frequency coordination and sharing of space data, but the contents of
the declarations remain under wraps.
While billed as an international event, the summit will have a strong
European focus as countries discuss what Europe should do to enhance
its space capabilities. ESA plans to use the summit to gain support
from member states for proposals to be debated at a December meeting
that could include starting work on a future reusable launch vehicle
and a European human spaceflight program. (9/9)
Missile Interceptor Constellation
Could Cost Hundreds of Billions (Source: Space News)
A proposed constellation of U.S. space-based missile interceptors could
cost tens to hundreds of billions of dollars. A study released Tuesday
by the Foreign Policy Research Institute raised doubts about the
effectiveness of space-based interceptors for Golden Dome, arguing that
even relatively limited missile threats could require thousands of
interceptors in orbit. The system could also be vulnerable to
relatively inexpensive countermeasures.
Their conclusions add to a longstanding debate over whether weapons
stationed in orbit can provide an affordable and strategically stable
defense against long-range missiles. Pentagon officials say advances in
commercial launch, satellite manufacturing, automation and other
technologies have changed the economics that doomed earlier efforts.
(9/9)
Space Command Completes Satellite
Maneuvers Exercise (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command says it has completed its first live exercise
focused on how military satellites could move more dynamically in
orbit. The exercise was part of a program called Apollo Maneuvers 2026
and was conducted during the first week of September, Space Command
said Tuesday. The "live-fly" space exercise involved real spacecraft
conducting operations in orbit, with spacecraft in low, medium and
geosynchronous orbit coordinating maneuvers. Space Command said data
from Apollo Maneuvers will be used to inform doctrine, operational
plans and future logistics and servicing requirements. (9/9)
The 1962 Iowa Summer Study
(Source: Space Review)
In the summer of 1962, scientists gathered at the University of Iowa to
discuss the future of space research. Danny Robb examines the
far-reaching impacts of that little-known event. Click here.
(9/9)
Mission Impossible: How Star Trek Used
the Aerospace Community to Try and Win an Emmy (Source: Space
Review)
Like many TV producers, Gene Roddenberry lobbied 60 years to win awards
for his new series, Star Trek. Glen Swanson examines the unusual
approach he took to seek television’s highest honor. Click here.
(9/9)
Space Academy (No, the Other One)
(Source: Space Review)
The success of Star Wars triggered the development of imitators,
including a short-lived TV series aimed at children. Dwayne Day
discusses the good premise of Space Academy, albeit one undercut by low
budgets. Click here.
(9/9)
Backfire to Space: The Backfire Bomber
and Skif Rocket System (Source: Space Review)
In the early 2000s, Russian engineers proposed converting the Backfire
bomber into an air-launch platform. Dwayne Day examines the details of
that concept. Click here.
(9/9)
ISRO’s Comeback with the Successful
Launch of EOS-05 (Source: Space Review)
What was a small building in a forgotten corner of Cape Canaveral Space
Force Station used for decades ago? James Behling uncovers the mystery
of facility number 49941 at the Cape. Click here.
(9/9)
Starfighters Space and Vaya to
Collaborate on Air-Launch and Hypersonic Projects (Source:
Starfighters Space)
Starfighters Space and Vaya Defense & Space will collaborate on
supersonic captive-carry flight testing and air-launch propulsion. The
MOU includes two collaboration tracks: 1) evaluate flying Vaya
hypersonic test articles and other payloads on Starfighters’
F-104-based Wind Tunnel in the Sky service; and 2) assess Vaya’s hybrid
propulsion technology for STARLAUNCH air-launch capability, beginning
with suborbital missions. (9/9)
NASA Prepares Demo of Dual-Mode
Satellite Propulsion with Green Propellant (Source: Aerospace
America)
Among the payloads scheduled for the next SpaceX rideshare mission is a
shoebox-sized spacecraft for NASA’s latest flight demonstration of a
low-toxicity propellant the agency has been studying for at least a
decade. This spacecraft, dubbed GPDM for Green Propulsion Dual Mode, is
to spend nine months in low-Earth orbit testing a new dual-mode
propulsion system with ASCENT propellant. (9/9)
Space City™ Makes Its Case: Inside the
IAC 2029 Houston Bid Site Visit (Source: AIAA)
There are many reasons Houston is known around the world as Space
City™. During the official site visit for AIAA’s bid to host the 80th
International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Houston in 2029, we had
the opportunity to demonstrate exactly why. IAF Executive Director
Christian Feichtinger visited Houston before providing his assessment
to the IAF Congress and Symposia Advisory Committee. IAF members will
decide the host city at the General Assembly during IAC 2026 in
Antalya, Türkiye, on 9 October. (9/9)
Space Force Expects to Spend $17B More
on Launch as Demand Soars (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force expects the scope of its main launch program to grow by
91 missions and nearly $17 billion by fiscal 2032 as demand for
national security space capabilities soars. Those increases are
revealed in the latest version of the National Security Space Launch
program’s selected acquisition report, drafted in April and published
in September. The update brings NSSL’s total expected procurement to
$76 billion for 337 launches between fiscal 2004 and 2032. (9/8)
Eutelsat Taps Infinite Orbits for GEO
Life Extension Mission (Source: Payload)
Eutelsat and Infinite Orbits announced an agreement today—on the
sidelines of the International Space Summit in Paris—paving a pathway
for the French satellite-servicing company to increase the life span of
at least one of Eutelsat’s GEO satellites. (9/9)
Stoke's New Nova Block-2 Rocket Would
Expand LC-14 for 2027 Debut Launch (Source: Space.com)
Stoke is expanding its operations at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The
company was selected by the U.S. Space Force in 2023 to manage Launch
Complex-14, where it’s now building a new payload processing facility
sized to accommodate both Nova Pathfinder and Block-2 vehicles. And to
complete its full reusability system, the company is also developing an
offshore recovery platform.
Pathfinder has a much shorter timeline to the launch pad. Stoke is
targeting early 2027 for Pathfinder’s debut launch, which the company
plans to send to orbit with a customer payload. If that’s successful,
Stoke hopes to fly multiple Pathfinder missions throughout 2027 and
2028 while Block 2 development and testing continue in parallel. (9/9)
BESXAR Completes First Suborbital
Semiconductor-Manufacturing Demonstration (Source: Space News)
BESXAR has flown its first mission, demonstrating that its
semiconductor-manufacturing technology can operate above the Kármán
line. The suborbital flight marks an initial in-space validation of a
manufacturing concept aimed at using the space environment for
semiconductor production. (9/9)
AvL Technologies Awarded $31 Million
Contract for WGS-Certified Satellite Terminals to Support Polish Armed
Forces (Source: SatNews)
On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, satellite communications terminal
manufacturer AvL Technologies, Inc. announced the signing of a $31
million contract with Polish defense supplier GISS Sp. z o.o. Under the
terms of the agreement, Asheville-based AvL will deliver 2.4-meter
trailer-mounted driveaway satellite terminals to support tactical
communications for Poland’s Ministry of National Defense. (9/8)
Eclipse Space Unveils Three Satellite
Platforms and Gama Power Partnership (Source: Space News)
Manufacturing startup Eclipse Space has unveiled its CitraSat,
SliceSat, and SurgeSat product lines. These flat-panel and high-power
satellite architectures provide sovereign and commercial buyers with
turnkey infrastructure to own and operate their own customized orbital
constellations. (9/9)
Hermeus Unveils Air-Launched Ramjet-X
Test Vehicle (Source: Aviation Week)
High-speed aircraft maker Hermeus has revealed a ramjet-powered test
vehicle that can be launched from under the wing of its supersonic
Quarterhorse aircraft. The unveiling of the Ramjet-X concept reveals a
low-cost, expendable vehicle capable of high-speed flight to complement
the reusable, Pratt & Whitney F100-229-powered Quarterhorse.
Hermeus launched operations in 2018 with the goal of delivering a
hypersonic aircraft powered by the Chimera, a turbine-based,
combined-cycle (TBCC) propulsion system featuring a high-mach turbine
engine that transitions to a ramjet. The turbine-powered Quarterhorse
and the ramjet-powered Ramjet-X repackages that TBCC into separately
powered aircraft, while still building the company’s experience with
both forms of propulsion. (9/9)
ICEYE, Arianespace Explore Ariane 6
Launches for European Missions (Source: AeroTime)
Finnish synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operator ICEYE and launch
services provider Arianespace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to explore the use of Ariane 6 for future missions carrying ICEYE
satellites. The arrangement targets European governmental and
institutional missions. ICEYE said the two companies are discussing
booking launch services in the coming years.
The MoU could address a gap in ICEYE’s sovereignty proposition. The
company sells constellations that governments own and operate, and says
its systems carry no ITAR restrictions, but its satellites have reached
orbit almost entirely on US vehicles. (9/9)
Loft and Marlan Plan 50-Satellite
Constellation for Earth Observation with $1 Billion From Abu Dhabi
(Source: LeMonde)
Loft Orbital and Marlan Space will develop a 50-satellite constellation
combining optical and radar imaging with AI-enabled Earth observation
products for Europe and the United Arab Emirates. The investment comes
from Abu Dhabi’s Royal Group, while International Holding Company is
preparing to acquire 80% of Marlan Space. (9/9)
BepiColombo Separates From Propulsion
Stage Ahead of Mercury Orbital Insertion (Source: Universe Today)
After an eight-year journey to the innermost planet, the BepiColombo
spacecraft has separated from its propulsion stage and entered the
final phase of its mission. The European-Japanese probe will now
prepare for orbital insertion at Mercury, a critical milestone in its
long-delayed arrival sequence. (9/9)
National Security Launch Forecast
Surges as New Rockets Struggle to Break SpaceX's Grip (Source:
Space News)
The Pentagon now expects to procure 337 national-security launch
services, up from 151 in its 2022 baseline, as the U.S. military and
intelligence community expand satellite deployments. The increase
underscores rising demand for launch capacity while newer providers
struggle to displace SpaceX’s dominant position. (9/8)
AFRL Seeks Payload-Agnostic,
Affordable Hypersonic Cruise Missile (Source: Air and Space
Forces)
The Air Force Research Laboratory has signaled to industry it wants to
develop a low-cost hypersonic cruise missile to deliver a wide range of
payloads at a range up to 500 nautical miles. In a brief one-page
notice released Sep. 1, posted on Sam.gov, AFRL gave the broad outlines
of its new project, which falls under the broader Pioneering Aerospace
Capabilities, Engineering & Research program. (9/2)
Hypersonix and Gilmour Team Up on
Hypersonic Flight-Test Options (Source: Australian Aviation)
Queensland-based aerospace companies Gilmour Space Technologies and
Hypersonix have signed an agreement to develop hypersonic flight-test
options for defence and commercial programs in Australia and overseas.
The partnership brings together Gilmour Space’s rocket propulsion,
launch, mission integration and flight-test capabilities with
Hypersonix’s scramjet propulsion and hypersonic vehicle technology.
Hypersonic flight generally refers to speeds of Mach 5 and above, or at
least five times the speed of sound. Growing demand for hypersonic
testing is being driven by the development of systems and enabling
technologies including advanced sensors, communications, guidance
systems and high-temperature materials.
(9/8)
Trump Administration’s
1,000-Launches-a-Year Ambition Faces Infrastructure and Funding
Constraints (Source: Breaking Defense)
The space industry welcomed a new Trump administration policy targeting
1,000 launches annually, but experts questioned whether current launch
infrastructure can support that pace. Expanding capacity would require
substantial investment, with unresolved questions over who would pay
for the facilities and systems needed to reach the goal.
“Show me the money,” quipped Clayton Swope, deputy director of the
Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Aerospace
Security Project, echoing seven other expert, industry, and government
sources. The FAA asks for input on criteria, including investment
requirements and safety considerations, for new sites. It also asks for
insights on three specific potential locations in Florida, Georgia and
Puerto Rico that previously were proposed by outside organizations, as
well as the option of using either repurposed oil rigs or new offshore
platforms as is being considered by the Interior Department’s Bureau of
Oceans Management. (9/8)
Satellogic Names Former NGA Director
Frank Whitworth as President (Source: Space News)
Earth observation company Satellogic appointed Frank “Trey” Whitworth,
the former director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as
its president on Sept. 8. The leadership change brings a former senior
U.S. geospatial-intelligence official into a top executive role at the
satellite operator. (9/8)
September 9, 2026
SpaceX Sinks 5% as $47.2B Insider
Share Unlock Hits the Tape, AST SpaceMobile Drops 4%, Rocket Lab Slips
2% (Source: 24/7 Wall Street)
SpaceX stock is down 5% to $146.35 in midday trading Wednesday as the company’s 90-calendar-day insider share unlock milestone comes due. The tranche of early-release-eligible shares now becoming sellable represents up to $47.2 billion in potential insider selling pressure, per SpaceX’s own IPO prospectus. It’s a heavy overhang for a stock that floated only a small slice of itself in June and has traded with elevated volatility ever since.
Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile stock is down 4% to $63.18, giving back part of a sharp run earlier this month that followed a fresh sell-side buy call. Shares are up 55% over the past year even after today’s slide. The move looks like sympathy selling rather than a company-specific development, since AST SpaceMobile hasn’t put out a release into today’s session.
Rocket Lab stock is down 3% to $63.92, matching the sector-wide drift. Still, shares of RKLB are up 34% over the past year on the strength of a record backlog and pending acquisitions in satellite communications. Both names sit inside the Procure Space ETF, which is why a scheduled event at the sector’s flagship listed name drags them along on the session. (9/9)
Trump Claims the US Owns the Moon (Source: Geekspin)
President Trump recently posted a photo of the moon on Truth Social with the text "The Moon is Ours," reviving a once-held claim that the United States owns the celestial body. Unwittingly or not, the assertion violates the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which the U.S. helped draft and which was signed by more than 100 other countries. The treaty in question explicitly states that outer space and celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, use, occupation, or any other means.
The same posting run also included a map of New Mexico with "Mexico" crossed out in red and replaced with "America." Whether that's a real proposal is unclear. While such social media posts serve as potent political messaging, they lack the legal authority to actually alter state names or status. On Aug. 27, Trump announced from the Oval Office that he had formally submitted paperwork to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America," amid an escalating trade dispute with Canada. (9/7)
Pivotal Research Rates SpaceX a Buy, Betting Starship Reusability Can Unlock Launch Economics and Starlink Growth (Source: CNBC)
Pivotal Research initiated coverage of SpaceX with a buy rating, arguing the company can overcome Starship’s reusability bottleneck. The firm sees a successful solution potentially supporting Starlink’s expansion into part of the $1.7 trillion terrestrial and wireless communications market, while failure could leave SpaceX smaller than expected. (9/8)
FCC Poised to Reaffirm Environmental-Review Exemption for Satellite Constellations, Including Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space News)
The FCC is expected to formalize its longstanding practice of excluding satellite constellations from environmental reviews as developers advance proposals for more than 1 million orbital data centers. The decision could establish a clearer regulatory baseline for large-scale commercial space infrastructure. (9/8)
ESA Seeks European Plant to Produce Americium-241 Heaters for Future Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency has opened a call to establish a pilot plant producing European-manufactured americium-241 radioisotope heater units. The devices convert radioactive decay into heat, enabling spacecraft components to remain operational in cold environments during future exploration missions. (9/8)
Pixxel Raises $100 Million to Fund U.S. Growth and New Sensing Technologies (Source: Via Satellite)
Hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel has completed a $100 million funding round to support its expansion in the United States and develop additional sensing technologies. The raise accelerates the company’s growth plans as it builds a larger commercial position in satellite-based Earth observation. (9/8)
Brownsville Shrimper Suspects SpaceX Debris Ruined $12K in Fishing Gear (Source: KRGV)
A Brownsville shrimp boat captain says something underwater damaged his fishing equipment and forced his crew off the water. Shrimp boat captain Juan Pablo Sandoval Perez and his crew are docked at the shrimp basin in Brownsville after their equipment got caught on what they describe as a large, thick piece of metal in the water. "When I felt a hit, then another hit—the third hit sent my boat veering all the way to the right," Sandoval Perez said. It happened last Wednesday about eight miles off Boca Chica Beach. (9/7)
New UK Space Strategy Prioritizes Domestic Launch Capacity (Source: Aviation Week)
The UK government is to invest £30 million in SaxaVord Spaceport as it makes assured access to orbit a priority of its new Space Strategy. The funding will support development of two additional launchpads at the Shetland Islands site as it moves toward regular commercial launch operations, with a first orbital launch expected in the coming months. Alongside access to space, the strategy—announced ahead of the International Space Summit in Paris—will prioritize satellite communications, in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, and space domain awareness. The strategy is backed by £7.8 billion ($10.5) through 2030 to support national security and defense capabilities, space science, and research and development. (9/7)
Funding Boost Worth £60m for SaxaVord Spaceport (Source: Shetland News)
The UK Government has committed £30 million in funding for the SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst as part of a wider £60 million public-private investment program. The government investment, which is subject to due diligence, is being announced as part of the UK’s updated space strategy published today (Tuesday), and will be complemented by £30 million of planned private investment.
The spaceport said the funding will support completion of key infrastructure as it moves towards regular commercial launch operations. It is targeted towards all three launchpads, mission management infrastructure and second integration hangar required by international launch companies keen to bring their business to the UK. (9/8)
Five Cities Want The Space Academy (Source: Washington Examiner)
President Donald Trump wants America to establish something it has never had: a national academy dedicated to preparing Americans for the space age. The decision should not simply come down to which governor offers the most land or which congressional delegation has the most influence. The country should consider existing its military infrastructure, NASA expertise, aerospace engineering, commercial spaceflight, and the kind of identity it wants the new institution to develop. Now comes another consequential question: Where should we put it? Click here.
Editor's Note: One interesting proposal is for this academy to avoid brick-and-mortar classrooms, labs, dorms and other facilities altogether. Instead, the academy could focus on scholarships and curriculum development that would put students through a distributed program at existing universities nationwide. Florida might be an underdog to attract a brick-and-mortar academy, but the state's public and private universities would surely win a lot of students and their funding under a distributed model. (9/8)
Trump Reveals New Space Force Uniforms Inspired by Nazi-Esthetic Film (Sources: New York Post, Telegraph)
President Trump unveiled new uniforms for the United States Space Force Sunday, inspired by the sci-fi film “Starship Troopers.” The commander-in-chief shared a mock-up of the black and grey fits on Truth Social, which also detailed how they were “inspired by the discipline of the Starship Trooper uniform” but “modernized for the guardians of the space domain.” People on social media were quick to quip that the uniforms were also reminiscent of the Imperial officers in Star Wars. The movie's uniforms were modeled after those worn by Nazi SS officers. (9/7)
NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers (Source: NASA)
Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore aerospace jobs while competing for monetary awards. The applications period is currently open. The deadline to register is Monday, Sep. 28. (9/2)
US Aircraft Engine Supplier to Build Next-Gen Testbed for Hypersonic Systems (Source: Interesting Engineering)
US aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace has received a new contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to advance development of a liquid-fueled hypersonic test platform under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities, or HyCAT, program. The project is aimed at making hypersonic flight testing faster and more repeatable. (9/6)
NASA Funds Effort to Chart Multiple Planets and Moons (Source: Space.com)
Nearby Earth, an iconic series of orbiting U.S. government satellites called Landsat have collectively been charting minerals and climate change for more than 50 years. What if we can do the same thing in space? A new NASA early-stage project, whimsically named "Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys", aims to bring "Landsat-style mineral intelligence" to other worlds, including the moon.
The newly funded concept isn't meant to address that big task all at once, but to be a Phase 1 study for a far-future Discovery-class (large) mission. The spacecraft could fly from world to world, scanning destinations such as the moon, an asteroid near Earth, or a target like the Mars moon Phobos, said principal investigator Pablo Sobron. (9/5)
Astronomers Have Completed the Largest Map of Space (Source: Wired)
The new map boasts an overwhelming amount of information: 5.6 trillion pixels containing approximately 4 billion celestial objects, including stars, galaxies, black holes, and asteroids. It covers approximately 75 percent of the entire sky, recording both visible light and near-infrared wavelengths. Missing pieces include the deeper parts of space blocked by the stars, space dust, and other matter in our own galaxy, which is a major challenge for astronomy surveys.
Earlier this year, DESI researchers released another map, which projected the distances of 47 million galaxies and quasars. This reconstructed 11 billion years of cosmic history, bringing the effects of dark energy into focus. Dark energy is thought to be responsible for the expansion of our universe, and while the force itself remains elusive, astronomers can track it by analyzing the rates at which other celestial objects appear to be moving away from us. (9/7)
Indian River Lagoon is Making a Comeback (Source: Hometown News)
Today’s Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County is in far better health than just 10 years ago. What was a dead sea, with frequent algae blooms that killed fish and other marine life, has begun bouncing back. Water quality is improving, sea grass has returned to thousands of acres, progress is being made to stop sewage and old-style septic systems from leaking into the lagoon. Dolphins and manatee populations are improving. There haven’t been any widespread fish kills in more than five years.
All of this goes back to a decision Brevard voters overwhelmingly made in 2016 to enact a half cent sales tax to clean up the lagoon. That referendum is up for renewal on the 2026 election ballot. Passing the referendum does not mean a tax increase…It simply renews the half-cent tax originally approved by voters ten year ago. Editor's Note: Along with the Mosquito Lagoon, this is among the estuaries impacted by space industry growth at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, so it's good news that conditions are improving. I'm also sure that environmental concerns persist from plans for a big increase in heavy-lift launch activity. (9/7)
BAE Says Golden Dome Role Includes $1.2 Billion Missile-Warning Project, U.S. Space Business Grows 30% (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
BAE Systems expects its U.S. space business to play a significant role in the Golden Dome missile-defense architecture, including through the $1.2 billion Epoch 2 missile-warning and tracking program. Tom Arseneault, President and CEO of BAE Systems Inc., said the company supports several of the mission solutions underpinning the initiative. (9/6)
New UK Space Strategy Released (Source: Gov.UK)
The UK Space Strategy sets out the UK’s enhanced intentions for the space sector, focusing on defense, national security and economic growth, backed by £7.8 billion of investment to 2030. Our vision is for the UK to be a competitive space power; assertive in protecting our interests and driving our growth. Click here. (9/8)
SpaceX Petitions FCC to Block ViaSat-3 F2 Satellite, Citing Interference Concerns (Source: DCD)
SpaceX has submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), citing fears of interference from an upcoming ViaSat satellite. Elon Musk's space company is seeking either a blockage or strict operational restrictions on Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, poised to enter service in September, claiming the F2’s radio frequency allocation and orbital configuration could create electromagnetic interference with SpaceX's Starlink constellation. (9/7)
60-Foot Moon Crater After SpaceX Rocket Stage Hits at 5,400 mph (Source: TCD)
A spent SpaceX rocket stage left a fresh scar on the moon when it slammed into the lunar surface on Aug. 5, and NASA images taken on Aug. 11 and 12 showed exactly where it struck. The newly photographed crater was a stark reminder that when space missions do not go as planned, the debris they leave behind does not simply vanish. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified it after a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the lunar surface on Aug. 5 at roughly 5,400 miles per hour, with the orbiter taking the images from about 60 miles above the Moon. (9/6)
Historic Engines Take Their Place on Artemis III (Source: NASA)
On Aug. 24, technicians at KSC in Florida began installing the four RS‑25 engines in the core stage of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will carry the Artemis III crew into low Earth orbit in 2027.
Each RS‑25 engine has a unique serial number that records its detailed flight history. The four engines assigned to Artemis III — E2054, E2057, E2048, and E2052 — previously powered multiple space shuttle missions. Engine 2048 helped launch NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik’s earlier mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis during STS‑129. It also flew on Space Shuttle Discovery during STS‑95 in 1998, the mission that returned 77-year‑old space pioneer U.S. Sen. John Glenn to orbit, making him the oldest person to fly in space at that time. (9/1)
Nearly 17,000 Satellites Now Orbiting Earth (Source: Look Up)
Look Up, a European company specializing in space situational awareness, is publishing the fourth edition of its quarterly Look Up x Le Point Space Barometer, in partnership with French weekly Le Point. Based on data collected and processed by Look Up's SYNAPSE digital platform, this new edition highlights a further acceleration in orbital activity and an increasingly dense, dynamic and complex space environment. In one year, the number of active satellites orbiting the Earth has risen from 13,005 to 16,819, an increase of 29%.
More than 34,000 objects are now tracked in Earth orbit, including satellites, rocket stages and catalogued space debris. With 4,737 satellites launched over the past twelve months, the deployment of new orbital infrastructure continues at an unprecedented pace, nearly 13 per day on average. (9/8)
At Northwest Florida's Eglin AFB, NASA is Concluding its Study on Impacts of Methane Rocket Explosions (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA is targeting the middle of this month to wrap up a test campaign that is simulating explosions of rockets fueled by liquid methane, a common propellant for the new generation of launch vehicles. The goal is to inform efforts to update launch safety protocols and launch pad keep-out zones, the agency said. Tests began in January at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
As of Aug. 26, engineers had conducted 16 detonations of test articles filled with pressurized liquid natural gas — which is mostly methane — and liquid oxygen, Jason Hopper said. The largest detonation used 9,000 kilograms of propellant, and three more explosions at that size are planned. The tests are scheduled to conclude Sept. 16, he added.
Hopper said NASA’s testing includes two failure scenarios. One is a “bulkhead failure,” in which there is some breakdown of the barrier between the liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas tanks in the test article. Another configuration is failure of the “transfer tube” that feeds one of the propellants through the tank containing the other propellant. To measure the resulting explosions, NASA placed instruments on the test articles themselves and out to roughly 240 meters, including optical cameras designed to capture high-speed movement of debris and sensors to measure noise, heat and pressure. (9/4)
How to Advance the S7’s Recommendations on Large Satellite Constellations (Source: Aerospace America)
In May, the science academies of the G7 countries — also known as the S7 — provided French President Emmanuel Macron its statement on large satellite constellations to carry into the G7 Summit. The S7’s working group, of which I was a member, concluded that “the rapid expansion of large satellite constellations, particularly in low Earth orbits (LEO), marks a turning point in humanity’s relationship with near-Earth space.”
But the political moment the S7 recommendations were engineered for came and went without a leaders’ declaration. The load-bearing venue is now a French-hosted summit focused on the space economy, sovereignty, security and responsible use of space. Instead, discussion of satellite constellations would be “directly addressed” during the International Space Summit on Sept. 9-10, the Élysée Palace, Macron’s official residence, said in a statement. (9/4)
SpaceX and Other Rocket Companies May Soon Be Exempt From Key Environmental Rules (Source: NBC)
When companies like SpaceX want to launch rockets or build spaceports, they are required by law to assess how that could affect local ecosystems, wildlife, air, water and even nearby residents. The Federal Aviation Administration factors all of this in when deciding whether to grant licenses and permits. Soon, however, Elon Musk’s rocket company and others like it may get to bypass much of that. (9/6)
Trump Threatens to Ban Bombardier Jet Sales Unless Production Moves From Canada to US (Source: AeroTime)
President Donald Trump has declared that Bombardier will no longer be permitted to sell aircraft in the United States unless it manufactures them there, in a post published on his Truth Social account on September 7, 2026. “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” Trump wrote, adding that the company’s products “aren’t good enough,” and that “if they want our Market, they must build here.” No executive order, tariff schedule or regulatory action accompanied the statement. (9/8)
HyImpulse Could Attempt Second SR75 Flight as Early as 5 October (Source: European Spaceflight)
Maritime and aviation notices indicate that HyImpulse could attempt the second flight of its SR75 suborbital rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland as early as 5 October. On 2 September, Norwegian air navigation service provider Avinor published a notice outlining temporary danger areas for a HyImpulse rocket launch from SaxaVord Spaceport between 5 and 18 October. (9/8)
SpaceX stock is down 5% to $146.35 in midday trading Wednesday as the company’s 90-calendar-day insider share unlock milestone comes due. The tranche of early-release-eligible shares now becoming sellable represents up to $47.2 billion in potential insider selling pressure, per SpaceX’s own IPO prospectus. It’s a heavy overhang for a stock that floated only a small slice of itself in June and has traded with elevated volatility ever since.
Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile stock is down 4% to $63.18, giving back part of a sharp run earlier this month that followed a fresh sell-side buy call. Shares are up 55% over the past year even after today’s slide. The move looks like sympathy selling rather than a company-specific development, since AST SpaceMobile hasn’t put out a release into today’s session.
Rocket Lab stock is down 3% to $63.92, matching the sector-wide drift. Still, shares of RKLB are up 34% over the past year on the strength of a record backlog and pending acquisitions in satellite communications. Both names sit inside the Procure Space ETF, which is why a scheduled event at the sector’s flagship listed name drags them along on the session. (9/9)
Trump Claims the US Owns the Moon (Source: Geekspin)
President Trump recently posted a photo of the moon on Truth Social with the text "The Moon is Ours," reviving a once-held claim that the United States owns the celestial body. Unwittingly or not, the assertion violates the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which the U.S. helped draft and which was signed by more than 100 other countries. The treaty in question explicitly states that outer space and celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, use, occupation, or any other means.
The same posting run also included a map of New Mexico with "Mexico" crossed out in red and replaced with "America." Whether that's a real proposal is unclear. While such social media posts serve as potent political messaging, they lack the legal authority to actually alter state names or status. On Aug. 27, Trump announced from the Oval Office that he had formally submitted paperwork to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America," amid an escalating trade dispute with Canada. (9/7)
Pivotal Research Rates SpaceX a Buy, Betting Starship Reusability Can Unlock Launch Economics and Starlink Growth (Source: CNBC)
Pivotal Research initiated coverage of SpaceX with a buy rating, arguing the company can overcome Starship’s reusability bottleneck. The firm sees a successful solution potentially supporting Starlink’s expansion into part of the $1.7 trillion terrestrial and wireless communications market, while failure could leave SpaceX smaller than expected. (9/8)
FCC Poised to Reaffirm Environmental-Review Exemption for Satellite Constellations, Including Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space News)
The FCC is expected to formalize its longstanding practice of excluding satellite constellations from environmental reviews as developers advance proposals for more than 1 million orbital data centers. The decision could establish a clearer regulatory baseline for large-scale commercial space infrastructure. (9/8)
ESA Seeks European Plant to Produce Americium-241 Heaters for Future Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
The European Space Agency has opened a call to establish a pilot plant producing European-manufactured americium-241 radioisotope heater units. The devices convert radioactive decay into heat, enabling spacecraft components to remain operational in cold environments during future exploration missions. (9/8)
Pixxel Raises $100 Million to Fund U.S. Growth and New Sensing Technologies (Source: Via Satellite)
Hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel has completed a $100 million funding round to support its expansion in the United States and develop additional sensing technologies. The raise accelerates the company’s growth plans as it builds a larger commercial position in satellite-based Earth observation. (9/8)
Brownsville Shrimper Suspects SpaceX Debris Ruined $12K in Fishing Gear (Source: KRGV)
A Brownsville shrimp boat captain says something underwater damaged his fishing equipment and forced his crew off the water. Shrimp boat captain Juan Pablo Sandoval Perez and his crew are docked at the shrimp basin in Brownsville after their equipment got caught on what they describe as a large, thick piece of metal in the water. "When I felt a hit, then another hit—the third hit sent my boat veering all the way to the right," Sandoval Perez said. It happened last Wednesday about eight miles off Boca Chica Beach. (9/7)
New UK Space Strategy Prioritizes Domestic Launch Capacity (Source: Aviation Week)
The UK government is to invest £30 million in SaxaVord Spaceport as it makes assured access to orbit a priority of its new Space Strategy. The funding will support development of two additional launchpads at the Shetland Islands site as it moves toward regular commercial launch operations, with a first orbital launch expected in the coming months. Alongside access to space, the strategy—announced ahead of the International Space Summit in Paris—will prioritize satellite communications, in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, and space domain awareness. The strategy is backed by £7.8 billion ($10.5) through 2030 to support national security and defense capabilities, space science, and research and development. (9/7)
Funding Boost Worth £60m for SaxaVord Spaceport (Source: Shetland News)
The UK Government has committed £30 million in funding for the SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst as part of a wider £60 million public-private investment program. The government investment, which is subject to due diligence, is being announced as part of the UK’s updated space strategy published today (Tuesday), and will be complemented by £30 million of planned private investment.
The spaceport said the funding will support completion of key infrastructure as it moves towards regular commercial launch operations. It is targeted towards all three launchpads, mission management infrastructure and second integration hangar required by international launch companies keen to bring their business to the UK. (9/8)
Five Cities Want The Space Academy (Source: Washington Examiner)
President Donald Trump wants America to establish something it has never had: a national academy dedicated to preparing Americans for the space age. The decision should not simply come down to which governor offers the most land or which congressional delegation has the most influence. The country should consider existing its military infrastructure, NASA expertise, aerospace engineering, commercial spaceflight, and the kind of identity it wants the new institution to develop. Now comes another consequential question: Where should we put it? Click here.
Editor's Note: One interesting proposal is for this academy to avoid brick-and-mortar classrooms, labs, dorms and other facilities altogether. Instead, the academy could focus on scholarships and curriculum development that would put students through a distributed program at existing universities nationwide. Florida might be an underdog to attract a brick-and-mortar academy, but the state's public and private universities would surely win a lot of students and their funding under a distributed model. (9/8)
Trump Reveals New Space Force Uniforms Inspired by Nazi-Esthetic Film (Sources: New York Post, Telegraph)
President Trump unveiled new uniforms for the United States Space Force Sunday, inspired by the sci-fi film “Starship Troopers.” The commander-in-chief shared a mock-up of the black and grey fits on Truth Social, which also detailed how they were “inspired by the discipline of the Starship Trooper uniform” but “modernized for the guardians of the space domain.” People on social media were quick to quip that the uniforms were also reminiscent of the Imperial officers in Star Wars. The movie's uniforms were modeled after those worn by Nazi SS officers. (9/7)
NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers (Source: NASA)
Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore aerospace jobs while competing for monetary awards. The applications period is currently open. The deadline to register is Monday, Sep. 28. (9/2)
US Aircraft Engine Supplier to Build Next-Gen Testbed for Hypersonic Systems (Source: Interesting Engineering)
US aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace has received a new contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to advance development of a liquid-fueled hypersonic test platform under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities, or HyCAT, program. The project is aimed at making hypersonic flight testing faster and more repeatable. (9/6)
NASA Funds Effort to Chart Multiple Planets and Moons (Source: Space.com)
Nearby Earth, an iconic series of orbiting U.S. government satellites called Landsat have collectively been charting minerals and climate change for more than 50 years. What if we can do the same thing in space? A new NASA early-stage project, whimsically named "Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys", aims to bring "Landsat-style mineral intelligence" to other worlds, including the moon.
The newly funded concept isn't meant to address that big task all at once, but to be a Phase 1 study for a far-future Discovery-class (large) mission. The spacecraft could fly from world to world, scanning destinations such as the moon, an asteroid near Earth, or a target like the Mars moon Phobos, said principal investigator Pablo Sobron. (9/5)
Astronomers Have Completed the Largest Map of Space (Source: Wired)
The new map boasts an overwhelming amount of information: 5.6 trillion pixels containing approximately 4 billion celestial objects, including stars, galaxies, black holes, and asteroids. It covers approximately 75 percent of the entire sky, recording both visible light and near-infrared wavelengths. Missing pieces include the deeper parts of space blocked by the stars, space dust, and other matter in our own galaxy, which is a major challenge for astronomy surveys.
Earlier this year, DESI researchers released another map, which projected the distances of 47 million galaxies and quasars. This reconstructed 11 billion years of cosmic history, bringing the effects of dark energy into focus. Dark energy is thought to be responsible for the expansion of our universe, and while the force itself remains elusive, astronomers can track it by analyzing the rates at which other celestial objects appear to be moving away from us. (9/7)
Indian River Lagoon is Making a Comeback (Source: Hometown News)
Today’s Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County is in far better health than just 10 years ago. What was a dead sea, with frequent algae blooms that killed fish and other marine life, has begun bouncing back. Water quality is improving, sea grass has returned to thousands of acres, progress is being made to stop sewage and old-style septic systems from leaking into the lagoon. Dolphins and manatee populations are improving. There haven’t been any widespread fish kills in more than five years.
All of this goes back to a decision Brevard voters overwhelmingly made in 2016 to enact a half cent sales tax to clean up the lagoon. That referendum is up for renewal on the 2026 election ballot. Passing the referendum does not mean a tax increase…It simply renews the half-cent tax originally approved by voters ten year ago. Editor's Note: Along with the Mosquito Lagoon, this is among the estuaries impacted by space industry growth at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, so it's good news that conditions are improving. I'm also sure that environmental concerns persist from plans for a big increase in heavy-lift launch activity. (9/7)
BAE Says Golden Dome Role Includes $1.2 Billion Missile-Warning Project, U.S. Space Business Grows 30% (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
BAE Systems expects its U.S. space business to play a significant role in the Golden Dome missile-defense architecture, including through the $1.2 billion Epoch 2 missile-warning and tracking program. Tom Arseneault, President and CEO of BAE Systems Inc., said the company supports several of the mission solutions underpinning the initiative. (9/6)
New UK Space Strategy Released (Source: Gov.UK)
The UK Space Strategy sets out the UK’s enhanced intentions for the space sector, focusing on defense, national security and economic growth, backed by £7.8 billion of investment to 2030. Our vision is for the UK to be a competitive space power; assertive in protecting our interests and driving our growth. Click here. (9/8)
SpaceX Petitions FCC to Block ViaSat-3 F2 Satellite, Citing Interference Concerns (Source: DCD)
SpaceX has submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), citing fears of interference from an upcoming ViaSat satellite. Elon Musk's space company is seeking either a blockage or strict operational restrictions on Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, poised to enter service in September, claiming the F2’s radio frequency allocation and orbital configuration could create electromagnetic interference with SpaceX's Starlink constellation. (9/7)
60-Foot Moon Crater After SpaceX Rocket Stage Hits at 5,400 mph (Source: TCD)
A spent SpaceX rocket stage left a fresh scar on the moon when it slammed into the lunar surface on Aug. 5, and NASA images taken on Aug. 11 and 12 showed exactly where it struck. The newly photographed crater was a stark reminder that when space missions do not go as planned, the debris they leave behind does not simply vanish. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified it after a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the lunar surface on Aug. 5 at roughly 5,400 miles per hour, with the orbiter taking the images from about 60 miles above the Moon. (9/6)
Historic Engines Take Their Place on Artemis III (Source: NASA)
On Aug. 24, technicians at KSC in Florida began installing the four RS‑25 engines in the core stage of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will carry the Artemis III crew into low Earth orbit in 2027.
Each RS‑25 engine has a unique serial number that records its detailed flight history. The four engines assigned to Artemis III — E2054, E2057, E2048, and E2052 — previously powered multiple space shuttle missions. Engine 2048 helped launch NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik’s earlier mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis during STS‑129. It also flew on Space Shuttle Discovery during STS‑95 in 1998, the mission that returned 77-year‑old space pioneer U.S. Sen. John Glenn to orbit, making him the oldest person to fly in space at that time. (9/1)
Nearly 17,000 Satellites Now Orbiting Earth (Source: Look Up)
Look Up, a European company specializing in space situational awareness, is publishing the fourth edition of its quarterly Look Up x Le Point Space Barometer, in partnership with French weekly Le Point. Based on data collected and processed by Look Up's SYNAPSE digital platform, this new edition highlights a further acceleration in orbital activity and an increasingly dense, dynamic and complex space environment. In one year, the number of active satellites orbiting the Earth has risen from 13,005 to 16,819, an increase of 29%.
More than 34,000 objects are now tracked in Earth orbit, including satellites, rocket stages and catalogued space debris. With 4,737 satellites launched over the past twelve months, the deployment of new orbital infrastructure continues at an unprecedented pace, nearly 13 per day on average. (9/8)
At Northwest Florida's Eglin AFB, NASA is Concluding its Study on Impacts of Methane Rocket Explosions (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA is targeting the middle of this month to wrap up a test campaign that is simulating explosions of rockets fueled by liquid methane, a common propellant for the new generation of launch vehicles. The goal is to inform efforts to update launch safety protocols and launch pad keep-out zones, the agency said. Tests began in January at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
As of Aug. 26, engineers had conducted 16 detonations of test articles filled with pressurized liquid natural gas — which is mostly methane — and liquid oxygen, Jason Hopper said. The largest detonation used 9,000 kilograms of propellant, and three more explosions at that size are planned. The tests are scheduled to conclude Sept. 16, he added.
Hopper said NASA’s testing includes two failure scenarios. One is a “bulkhead failure,” in which there is some breakdown of the barrier between the liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas tanks in the test article. Another configuration is failure of the “transfer tube” that feeds one of the propellants through the tank containing the other propellant. To measure the resulting explosions, NASA placed instruments on the test articles themselves and out to roughly 240 meters, including optical cameras designed to capture high-speed movement of debris and sensors to measure noise, heat and pressure. (9/4)
How to Advance the S7’s Recommendations on Large Satellite Constellations (Source: Aerospace America)
In May, the science academies of the G7 countries — also known as the S7 — provided French President Emmanuel Macron its statement on large satellite constellations to carry into the G7 Summit. The S7’s working group, of which I was a member, concluded that “the rapid expansion of large satellite constellations, particularly in low Earth orbits (LEO), marks a turning point in humanity’s relationship with near-Earth space.”
But the political moment the S7 recommendations were engineered for came and went without a leaders’ declaration. The load-bearing venue is now a French-hosted summit focused on the space economy, sovereignty, security and responsible use of space. Instead, discussion of satellite constellations would be “directly addressed” during the International Space Summit on Sept. 9-10, the Élysée Palace, Macron’s official residence, said in a statement. (9/4)
SpaceX and Other Rocket Companies May Soon Be Exempt From Key Environmental Rules (Source: NBC)
When companies like SpaceX want to launch rockets or build spaceports, they are required by law to assess how that could affect local ecosystems, wildlife, air, water and even nearby residents. The Federal Aviation Administration factors all of this in when deciding whether to grant licenses and permits. Soon, however, Elon Musk’s rocket company and others like it may get to bypass much of that. (9/6)
Trump Threatens to Ban Bombardier Jet Sales Unless Production Moves From Canada to US (Source: AeroTime)
President Donald Trump has declared that Bombardier will no longer be permitted to sell aircraft in the United States unless it manufactures them there, in a post published on his Truth Social account on September 7, 2026. “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” Trump wrote, adding that the company’s products “aren’t good enough,” and that “if they want our Market, they must build here.” No executive order, tariff schedule or regulatory action accompanied the statement. (9/8)
HyImpulse Could Attempt Second SR75 Flight as Early as 5 October (Source: European Spaceflight)
Maritime and aviation notices indicate that HyImpulse could attempt the second flight of its SR75 suborbital rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland as early as 5 October. On 2 September, Norwegian air navigation service provider Avinor published a notice outlining temporary danger areas for a HyImpulse rocket launch from SaxaVord Spaceport between 5 and 18 October. (9/8)
September 8, 2026
New Hypersonic Aircraft Concept Could
Take Off From Airships near the Edge of Space (Source:
Interesting Engineering)
JP Aerospace has released images of its proposed Hazel vehicle, giving a new look at an unusual idea for reaching orbit without using a traditional rocket. The company president, John Powell, shared images showing Hazel being released from a high-altitude airship called SuperTandem. JP Aerospace describes itself as “America’s Other Space Program” and has operated as an all-volunteer nonprofit for more than 40 years under Powell’s leadership. (9/7)
US Breakthrough Could Build Hypersonic Shields, Rocket Parts in a Fraction of the Time (Source: Interesting Engineering)
John Hopkins APL researchers have found a way to dramatically speed up the way that carbon-carbon composites can be created. The new approach, the research team explains, could replace the current slow, labor-intensive process, ultimately slashing the cost of production. Carbon–carbon is basically carbon fiber embedded in a solid carbon matrix. Imagine carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, except instead of the fibers being surrounded by epoxy/resin, they’re surrounded by more carbon.
That gives you something that is simultaneously very light, mechanically strong and astonishingly tolerant of heat. It’s why you see it in things like rocket nozzles, re-entry systems, missile nose cones, aircraft brakes and hypersonic thermal protection.
Traditionally, you start with a porous carbon-fiber structure. You then need to fill all the tiny gaps between the fibers with additional carbon. There are two main ways of doing that: repeatedly force carbon-rich gas through the material and deposit carbon inside it, or soak it with a resin and heat the resin until almost everything except the carbon burns/pyrolyses away. With the new approach, similar materials that take months to produce can be created in just days. (9/6)
European Gateway to Commercial Space Is Established in Dübendorf (Source: UZH Space Hub)
For many years, we have developed and flown experiments from Dübendorf and supported missions in low Earth orbit. We are now connecting these capabilities into an integrated access system. The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein🇨🇭🇱🇮 (CSA) is establishing a fully integrated pathway at the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, spanning laboratory preparation, parabolic flight testing and qualification, and ultimately access to low Earth orbit, building on nearly two decades of mission experience.
Starting today, with the launch of the five-day 8th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign of Swiss SkyLab Foundation, CSA is bringing two complementary levels of access to microgravity into a single operational framework: parabolic flight and orbital research aboard the ISS.
CSA and Starlab are launching this Zurich-to-orbit pathway by offering the first three competitively selected experiments free access to the International Space Station National Laboratory, with the possibility of subsequently continuing their research aboard Starlab using payload capacity already reserved by CSA. A special very warm welcome to the teams from the University of Florida and The Ohio State University as they join us for the 8th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign! (9/8)
NASA's Quiet Supersonic Plane Builds Momentum Through 25th Flight (Source: NASA)
After 25 test flights, NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic experimental aircraft steadily continues to pass performance marks set by its team. This successful run of tests has the aircraft on a path toward a new phase later this year, where NASA will evaluate the sonic thumps the X-59 is designed to make when flying faster than the speed of sound.
The X-59's 25th flight took off from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. It lasted a total of 72 minutes with the aircraft reaching Mach 1.2 at a height of approximately 49,000 feet. Like all of its test flights so far, the X-59 was accompanied by a chase plane to monitor it. That chase aircraft's sonic booms masked any noise from the X-59. (9/7)
Moody: Put US Space Academy in Florida (Source: Florida Today)
Florida Sen. Ashley Moody believes the newly proposed U.S. Space Academy should set up shop amid the Sunshine State's thriving space-industry ecosystem, rather than making taxpayers spend to build such infrastructure elsewhere. "Choose Florida. The rockets are already launching here. The scientists, engineers, students and skilled workers are already here," Moody said Tuesday, Sep. 8, during a news conference at Space Florida's offices at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (9/8)
Space Florida Board Considers Budget and Project Approvals (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida's board meeting on Sep. 10 includes a review of their budget for FY-2026 (ending Sep. 30) and FY-2027. The state entity operated under a $19 million budget in FY-2026 and is planning for a $20.7 million budget for FY-2027. They anticipate $16.5 million will be from state appropriations while $4.2 million would come from project revenues (financing fees, leases, etc.). The FY-2027 increase includes a $1.04 million upward adjustment for salaries. Personnel numbers were not shared, but the agency employed over 50 people in 2024.
The agency is considering ~$313M in projects for FY-2027 (mixing direct and conduit financing), including $230M for Project Horseshoe (space infrastructure); $26M for Project Forge (Relativity); $2.5M for Blue Origin payload processing; $1.5M for Cecil Spaceport payload processing; $10.8M for ULA wastewater treatment; $7.7M for NASA Causeway wastewater conveyance; and $1.2M for Israel and UK grant partnerships; $100K for FSGC research grants. (9/8)
Northrop Grumman Gets $508M MDA Missile Test Contract (Source: GovCon Wire)
Northrop Grumman has secured a $508.5 million follow-on contract from the Missile Defense Agency to provide flight test support for Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile targets. The contract, which runs through August 2035, includes integrated logistics support and will be executed in Arizona, Utah, and Maryland. (9/8)
Russia Launches 32 Rassvet Satellites (Source: UkrinForm)
Russia has placed 32 Rassvet satellites into orbit, but this is not enough to ensure stable communications. This was reported by Oleh Ivashchenko, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in an interview with Ukrinform.
“We know that the Russians are trying to launch satellites into orbit. But so far, there are not enough of them, and their effectiveness is low. We are aware of this problem. Let me give you some figures. Today, the Russian Federation has launched 32 satellites. We will not go into detail about the orbits they are in, how frequently they operate, or which regions of Ukraine they cover,” Ivashchenko said. (9/7)
Data Centers in Space: Four Big Obstacles (Source: CNBC)
Blaine Curcio, the founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, says the 2030s timeline [for in-space data center deployment] is a “fair assessment.” Here are some of the issues that need to be overcome: 1) Terrestrial data centers can rely on liquid cooling to manage heat, but cooling works very differently in the vacuum of space. “It also needs to be tolerant to radiation.” 2) The rate of technological advancement: “GPUs are evolving so quickly that if you launch a state-of-the-art data center into space, at an enormous cost, it might be obsolete in a couple of years.”
3) High-volume data transfer: “Anyone can build data centers, but if you can’t talk to these AI systems, then those data centers are useless.” And 4) Orbital data centers could take another five to seven years to reach hyperscale, a level that would likely require nuclear power. (9/6)
$10K Invested in SpaceX 2 Months Ago is Now Worth $9.1K (Source: Finbold)
Investors who bought SpaceX stock during the August recovery rally have yet to fully recover their losses despite a strong rebound over the past month. This is evident in the performance of a $10,000 investment made on July 6, 2026. With SpaceX shares trading at $160 at the time, the investment would have purchased 62.5 shares. At the current price of about $147, that stake is worth approximately $9,188, representing a loss of roughly 8%. (9/5)
Musk Moves Up SpaceX (SPCX)’s Orbital Data Center Timeline, Again (Source: Insider Monkey)
Elon Musk said SpaceX's first AI satellites, powered exclusively by NVIDIA chips, will launch in the fourth quarter of 2027 and reach "significant scale" in 2028. Musk wrote "SpaceX, in partnership with Nvidia, has designed a space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 system for launch to orbit in Q4 next year," describing the satellite data center as "significantly simpler, lower cost, denser, and lighter than a traditional rack." (9/6)
Case for Life on Mars Just Got Stronger (Source: BBC)
Scientists have confirmed one of the most extensive detections yet of complex organic carbon on Mars, found in mudstones in an ancient dried‑up river channel in Jezero Crater. The findings are based on hundreds of detections of macromolecular carbon (MMC) – large, tangled networks of carbon atoms – within two rocks sampled by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rocks are part of the Bright Angel formation in Neretva Vallis, a channel that once fed a lake inside Jezero. (9/5)
How Many Spaceports Does the U.S. Need? (Source: Scientific American)
Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, says an update to the NSTP was overdue, necessitated by associated sweeping technological and political changes. One area where he’d like to see “a little bit more clarity,” however, is the matter “of shifting away from government-operating space facilities to private sector,” he says. Outside of threats to national security or public safety, he adds, the standard of U.S. space policy has been and remains that commercial space activities will not be precluded or deterred.
Pace argues that NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida chiefly exists to support the space agency’s Space Launch System megarocket for its Artemis missions returning astronauts to the moon—just as it previously supported the space shuttle program. Meanwhile, he says, most actual demand for KSC’s launchpads is commercial, largely because of the clamor for megaconstellations. “If megaconstellations prove not to be commercially viable in the longer term, then a lot of this goes away,” he adds.
As for reentry sites, the new presidential memorandum directs the identification of an additional designated reentry zone on federal lands, as well as consideration of key associated safety criteria. Much like launches, reentries can drop hazardous debris on the ground below, and for safety’s sake require large stand-off zones kept clear of people and sensitive infrastructure. (9/7)
Stoke Space Raises $1 Billion for Larger Launch Vehicle (Source: Space News)
Stoke Space Technologies has raised $1 billion that will help the company develop a larger reusable launch vehicle. The company announced Tuesday the initial close of a Series E round led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital with participation from several other investors. Stoke Space has raised $2.3 billion to date, with more than $1.8 billion of that coming in the last year. The company said it will use the funding to accelerate work on Nova Block 2, an upgraded version of its original Nova vehicle now called Nova Pathfinder. Nova Block 2 will be able to place up to 15 tons into orbit with reusable lower and upper stages, with a first launch planned for 2029. The first Nova Pathfinder launch is scheduled for early 2027. (9/8)
Aerospace Project at KSC Runway Could Bring More Space Coast Growth (Source: Florida Today)
A large-scale commercial aerospace facility is planned for construction at NASA's Kennedy Space Center off the northeast end of the former space shuttle landing strip, St. Johns River Water Management District permitting records show. On Aug. 28, Space Florida applied for stormwater permitting to accommodate future buildings, parking lots, driveways and entry roads, a stormwater management system, and associated infrastructure across 217 undeveloped acres. Editor's Note: Is this the site where Relativity builds their factory? Or it might be a Stoke Space rocket factory. (9/3)
Exploration Company Raises $450 Million (Source: Space News)
The Exploration Company (TEC) has raised $450 million to complete a cargo spacecraft and advance planning for its own launch vehicle. It is the largest Series C for a European space company, and brings the total raised by TEC to $680 million. The company will use the funding to complete work on its Nyx cargo spacecraft, with a first flight to the International Space Station planned for 2028. The funds will also support development of Storm, a large rocket engine intended for use on a future reusable European launcher. The funding round came a day before the start of the International Space Summit in Paris, an event that is expected to include contract announcements by French and European companies. (9/8)
India's Pixxel Raises $100 Million (Source: Space News)
Indian hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel announced a $100 million funding round Sunday. The company said the funding round will allow it to ramp up satellite production in both India and the United States. A Gigapixxel factory is set to open in the coming months in India that will allow the company to expand production from 25 to 100 satellites annually. Pixxel also aims to expand annual production capacity in Los Angeles, including the upgraded Honeybee imaging platform slated to debut early next year. The company launched its first six Firefly hyperspectral imaging satellites last year with another six planned for next year before shifting to Honeybee, which will extend coverage into shortwave infrared wavelengths across around 250 spectral bands. (9/8)
China Picking Tianwen-3 Mars Landing Site for Sample Return (Source: Space News)
China will select a final landing site for its Tianwen-3 Mars sample return before the end of the year. The mission's chief scientist said at a conference last week that teams have identified candidates at eight sites, which he did not identify, based on scientific characteristics such as the potential to host evidence of past Martian life.
The Tianwen-3 mission is scheduled to launch in late 2028 using two Long March 5 rockets. These will separately carry a lander and ascent vehicle stack, and the Mars orbiter and Earth return spacecraft combination. After landing and collecting at least 500 grams of samples on the surface, the ascent vehicle will launch them into Mars orbit for rendezvous with the orbiter before returning to Earth in 2031. With the cancellation of NASA's Mars Sample Return program, Tianwen-3 is set to be the first to attempt to return samples from Mars. (9/8)
India's Push to Commercialize Questioned Among ISRO Workers (Source: The Hindu)
Indian government officials said their push to commercialize space activities in the country is not meant to privatize the national space agency. A letter from nine employee groups at ISRO asked for clarification about plans to transfer launch vehicle and satellite manufacturing work from the agency to the private sector, including impacts on the agency's workforce. In a response, Pawan Kumar Goenka, head of the IN-SPACe, the organization responsible for commercializing space activities in India, said that while the private sector would take on more satellite and launch vehicle manufacturing, ISRO would still work on advanced programs, including the Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft and a planned space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station. (9/8)
Space Force Moving Beyond OCX for GPS Ground Architecture (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is starting work on a new ground control architecture for its future GPS constellation after the cancellation of the OCX program. Space Systems Command is preparing a prototype competition for GPS Gen4 Ground, the command-and-control segment of a broader next-generation GPS architecture now being defined by the service, according to a "coming soon" notice posted last week.
The envisioned architecture would include a software application framework that could run on government hardware, cloud services or a combination of the two. The Pentagon canceled the OCX program in April after concluding that the remaining problems could not be resolved quickly enough without creating unacceptable risk for GPS operations. OCX had cost approximately $6.27 billion. (9/8)
SpaceX Launches Sunday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites on Sunday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and placed 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was the 80th Starlink mission this year. (9/7)
Katalyst Wrapping Up Link Grappler Mission (Source: Space News)
Katalyst Space is wrapping up operations of a spacecraft intended to reboost a NASA space telescope. The company said Friday that its Link spacecraft came within 12 to 15 kilometers of NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory during recent operations that also tested the spacecraft's thrusters and robotic arms. Katalyst Space launched Link in July to grapple Swift and raise its orbit, but attitude-control issues with Link caused the company, in collaboration with NASA, to cancel the reboost effort last month. Katalyst Space plans to continue to operate Link for two to three more weeks before the spacecraft deorbits. Swift's orbit continues to decay, and NASA said it expects to get one or two more months of science operations from Swift before its atmospheric drag makes it too difficult to operate the spacecraft. (9/8)
Space Force Provides $50 Million for Space Kinetic's Whirlwind (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is putting $50 million behind a startup developing an unusual way to dispatch small spacecraft from a larger vehicle in orbit. California-based Space Kinetic is developing Whirlwind, an electromechanical system designed to release small spacecraft from a host vehicle at high velocity. The company recently announced that it received a $50 million Other Transaction Authority agreement from the Space Force to develop the technology. The company is not building a maneuverable satellite bus or space tug but is focusing on the machinery needed to release smaller payloads from a host platform, which could potentially allow the deployed vehicles to be simpler and cheaper. (9/8)
Lawrence Livermore Lab Supports Space Force LEO Satellite Chase (Source: Space News)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) provided the optical telescope used in a Space Force "cat-and-mouse" exercise involving two spacecraft. LLNL developed the telescope incorporated into a Rocket Lab spacecraft for the Victus Haze mission, where Rocket Lab's Puma and True Anomaly's Jackal spacecraft pursued each other in low Earth orbit. LLNL says its payload helped Puma acquire and track the target spacecraft. The Space Force has described the mission as a test of its ability to respond rapidly to potentially threatening behavior in orbit. (9/8)
JP Aerospace has released images of its proposed Hazel vehicle, giving a new look at an unusual idea for reaching orbit without using a traditional rocket. The company president, John Powell, shared images showing Hazel being released from a high-altitude airship called SuperTandem. JP Aerospace describes itself as “America’s Other Space Program” and has operated as an all-volunteer nonprofit for more than 40 years under Powell’s leadership. (9/7)
US Breakthrough Could Build Hypersonic Shields, Rocket Parts in a Fraction of the Time (Source: Interesting Engineering)
John Hopkins APL researchers have found a way to dramatically speed up the way that carbon-carbon composites can be created. The new approach, the research team explains, could replace the current slow, labor-intensive process, ultimately slashing the cost of production. Carbon–carbon is basically carbon fiber embedded in a solid carbon matrix. Imagine carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, except instead of the fibers being surrounded by epoxy/resin, they’re surrounded by more carbon.
That gives you something that is simultaneously very light, mechanically strong and astonishingly tolerant of heat. It’s why you see it in things like rocket nozzles, re-entry systems, missile nose cones, aircraft brakes and hypersonic thermal protection.
Traditionally, you start with a porous carbon-fiber structure. You then need to fill all the tiny gaps between the fibers with additional carbon. There are two main ways of doing that: repeatedly force carbon-rich gas through the material and deposit carbon inside it, or soak it with a resin and heat the resin until almost everything except the carbon burns/pyrolyses away. With the new approach, similar materials that take months to produce can be created in just days. (9/6)
European Gateway to Commercial Space Is Established in Dübendorf (Source: UZH Space Hub)
For many years, we have developed and flown experiments from Dübendorf and supported missions in low Earth orbit. We are now connecting these capabilities into an integrated access system. The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein🇨🇭🇱🇮 (CSA) is establishing a fully integrated pathway at the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, spanning laboratory preparation, parabolic flight testing and qualification, and ultimately access to low Earth orbit, building on nearly two decades of mission experience.
Starting today, with the launch of the five-day 8th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign of Swiss SkyLab Foundation, CSA is bringing two complementary levels of access to microgravity into a single operational framework: parabolic flight and orbital research aboard the ISS.
CSA and Starlab are launching this Zurich-to-orbit pathway by offering the first three competitively selected experiments free access to the International Space Station National Laboratory, with the possibility of subsequently continuing their research aboard Starlab using payload capacity already reserved by CSA. A special very warm welcome to the teams from the University of Florida and The Ohio State University as they join us for the 8th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign! (9/8)
NASA's Quiet Supersonic Plane Builds Momentum Through 25th Flight (Source: NASA)
After 25 test flights, NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic experimental aircraft steadily continues to pass performance marks set by its team. This successful run of tests has the aircraft on a path toward a new phase later this year, where NASA will evaluate the sonic thumps the X-59 is designed to make when flying faster than the speed of sound.
The X-59's 25th flight took off from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. It lasted a total of 72 minutes with the aircraft reaching Mach 1.2 at a height of approximately 49,000 feet. Like all of its test flights so far, the X-59 was accompanied by a chase plane to monitor it. That chase aircraft's sonic booms masked any noise from the X-59. (9/7)
Moody: Put US Space Academy in Florida (Source: Florida Today)
Florida Sen. Ashley Moody believes the newly proposed U.S. Space Academy should set up shop amid the Sunshine State's thriving space-industry ecosystem, rather than making taxpayers spend to build such infrastructure elsewhere. "Choose Florida. The rockets are already launching here. The scientists, engineers, students and skilled workers are already here," Moody said Tuesday, Sep. 8, during a news conference at Space Florida's offices at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (9/8)
Space Florida Board Considers Budget and Project Approvals (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida's board meeting on Sep. 10 includes a review of their budget for FY-2026 (ending Sep. 30) and FY-2027. The state entity operated under a $19 million budget in FY-2026 and is planning for a $20.7 million budget for FY-2027. They anticipate $16.5 million will be from state appropriations while $4.2 million would come from project revenues (financing fees, leases, etc.). The FY-2027 increase includes a $1.04 million upward adjustment for salaries. Personnel numbers were not shared, but the agency employed over 50 people in 2024.
The agency is considering ~$313M in projects for FY-2027 (mixing direct and conduit financing), including $230M for Project Horseshoe (space infrastructure); $26M for Project Forge (Relativity); $2.5M for Blue Origin payload processing; $1.5M for Cecil Spaceport payload processing; $10.8M for ULA wastewater treatment; $7.7M for NASA Causeway wastewater conveyance; and $1.2M for Israel and UK grant partnerships; $100K for FSGC research grants. (9/8)
Northrop Grumman Gets $508M MDA Missile Test Contract (Source: GovCon Wire)
Northrop Grumman has secured a $508.5 million follow-on contract from the Missile Defense Agency to provide flight test support for Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile targets. The contract, which runs through August 2035, includes integrated logistics support and will be executed in Arizona, Utah, and Maryland. (9/8)
Russia Launches 32 Rassvet Satellites (Source: UkrinForm)
Russia has placed 32 Rassvet satellites into orbit, but this is not enough to ensure stable communications. This was reported by Oleh Ivashchenko, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in an interview with Ukrinform.
“We know that the Russians are trying to launch satellites into orbit. But so far, there are not enough of them, and their effectiveness is low. We are aware of this problem. Let me give you some figures. Today, the Russian Federation has launched 32 satellites. We will not go into detail about the orbits they are in, how frequently they operate, or which regions of Ukraine they cover,” Ivashchenko said. (9/7)
Data Centers in Space: Four Big Obstacles (Source: CNBC)
Blaine Curcio, the founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, says the 2030s timeline [for in-space data center deployment] is a “fair assessment.” Here are some of the issues that need to be overcome: 1) Terrestrial data centers can rely on liquid cooling to manage heat, but cooling works very differently in the vacuum of space. “It also needs to be tolerant to radiation.” 2) The rate of technological advancement: “GPUs are evolving so quickly that if you launch a state-of-the-art data center into space, at an enormous cost, it might be obsolete in a couple of years.”
3) High-volume data transfer: “Anyone can build data centers, but if you can’t talk to these AI systems, then those data centers are useless.” And 4) Orbital data centers could take another five to seven years to reach hyperscale, a level that would likely require nuclear power. (9/6)
$10K Invested in SpaceX 2 Months Ago is Now Worth $9.1K (Source: Finbold)
Investors who bought SpaceX stock during the August recovery rally have yet to fully recover their losses despite a strong rebound over the past month. This is evident in the performance of a $10,000 investment made on July 6, 2026. With SpaceX shares trading at $160 at the time, the investment would have purchased 62.5 shares. At the current price of about $147, that stake is worth approximately $9,188, representing a loss of roughly 8%. (9/5)
Musk Moves Up SpaceX (SPCX)’s Orbital Data Center Timeline, Again (Source: Insider Monkey)
Elon Musk said SpaceX's first AI satellites, powered exclusively by NVIDIA chips, will launch in the fourth quarter of 2027 and reach "significant scale" in 2028. Musk wrote "SpaceX, in partnership with Nvidia, has designed a space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 system for launch to orbit in Q4 next year," describing the satellite data center as "significantly simpler, lower cost, denser, and lighter than a traditional rack." (9/6)
Case for Life on Mars Just Got Stronger (Source: BBC)
Scientists have confirmed one of the most extensive detections yet of complex organic carbon on Mars, found in mudstones in an ancient dried‑up river channel in Jezero Crater. The findings are based on hundreds of detections of macromolecular carbon (MMC) – large, tangled networks of carbon atoms – within two rocks sampled by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rocks are part of the Bright Angel formation in Neretva Vallis, a channel that once fed a lake inside Jezero. (9/5)
How Many Spaceports Does the U.S. Need? (Source: Scientific American)
Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, says an update to the NSTP was overdue, necessitated by associated sweeping technological and political changes. One area where he’d like to see “a little bit more clarity,” however, is the matter “of shifting away from government-operating space facilities to private sector,” he says. Outside of threats to national security or public safety, he adds, the standard of U.S. space policy has been and remains that commercial space activities will not be precluded or deterred.
Pace argues that NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida chiefly exists to support the space agency’s Space Launch System megarocket for its Artemis missions returning astronauts to the moon—just as it previously supported the space shuttle program. Meanwhile, he says, most actual demand for KSC’s launchpads is commercial, largely because of the clamor for megaconstellations. “If megaconstellations prove not to be commercially viable in the longer term, then a lot of this goes away,” he adds.
As for reentry sites, the new presidential memorandum directs the identification of an additional designated reentry zone on federal lands, as well as consideration of key associated safety criteria. Much like launches, reentries can drop hazardous debris on the ground below, and for safety’s sake require large stand-off zones kept clear of people and sensitive infrastructure. (9/7)
Stoke Space Raises $1 Billion for Larger Launch Vehicle (Source: Space News)
Stoke Space Technologies has raised $1 billion that will help the company develop a larger reusable launch vehicle. The company announced Tuesday the initial close of a Series E round led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital with participation from several other investors. Stoke Space has raised $2.3 billion to date, with more than $1.8 billion of that coming in the last year. The company said it will use the funding to accelerate work on Nova Block 2, an upgraded version of its original Nova vehicle now called Nova Pathfinder. Nova Block 2 will be able to place up to 15 tons into orbit with reusable lower and upper stages, with a first launch planned for 2029. The first Nova Pathfinder launch is scheduled for early 2027. (9/8)
Aerospace Project at KSC Runway Could Bring More Space Coast Growth (Source: Florida Today)
A large-scale commercial aerospace facility is planned for construction at NASA's Kennedy Space Center off the northeast end of the former space shuttle landing strip, St. Johns River Water Management District permitting records show. On Aug. 28, Space Florida applied for stormwater permitting to accommodate future buildings, parking lots, driveways and entry roads, a stormwater management system, and associated infrastructure across 217 undeveloped acres. Editor's Note: Is this the site where Relativity builds their factory? Or it might be a Stoke Space rocket factory. (9/3)
Exploration Company Raises $450 Million (Source: Space News)
The Exploration Company (TEC) has raised $450 million to complete a cargo spacecraft and advance planning for its own launch vehicle. It is the largest Series C for a European space company, and brings the total raised by TEC to $680 million. The company will use the funding to complete work on its Nyx cargo spacecraft, with a first flight to the International Space Station planned for 2028. The funds will also support development of Storm, a large rocket engine intended for use on a future reusable European launcher. The funding round came a day before the start of the International Space Summit in Paris, an event that is expected to include contract announcements by French and European companies. (9/8)
India's Pixxel Raises $100 Million (Source: Space News)
Indian hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel announced a $100 million funding round Sunday. The company said the funding round will allow it to ramp up satellite production in both India and the United States. A Gigapixxel factory is set to open in the coming months in India that will allow the company to expand production from 25 to 100 satellites annually. Pixxel also aims to expand annual production capacity in Los Angeles, including the upgraded Honeybee imaging platform slated to debut early next year. The company launched its first six Firefly hyperspectral imaging satellites last year with another six planned for next year before shifting to Honeybee, which will extend coverage into shortwave infrared wavelengths across around 250 spectral bands. (9/8)
China Picking Tianwen-3 Mars Landing Site for Sample Return (Source: Space News)
China will select a final landing site for its Tianwen-3 Mars sample return before the end of the year. The mission's chief scientist said at a conference last week that teams have identified candidates at eight sites, which he did not identify, based on scientific characteristics such as the potential to host evidence of past Martian life.
The Tianwen-3 mission is scheduled to launch in late 2028 using two Long March 5 rockets. These will separately carry a lander and ascent vehicle stack, and the Mars orbiter and Earth return spacecraft combination. After landing and collecting at least 500 grams of samples on the surface, the ascent vehicle will launch them into Mars orbit for rendezvous with the orbiter before returning to Earth in 2031. With the cancellation of NASA's Mars Sample Return program, Tianwen-3 is set to be the first to attempt to return samples from Mars. (9/8)
India's Push to Commercialize Questioned Among ISRO Workers (Source: The Hindu)
Indian government officials said their push to commercialize space activities in the country is not meant to privatize the national space agency. A letter from nine employee groups at ISRO asked for clarification about plans to transfer launch vehicle and satellite manufacturing work from the agency to the private sector, including impacts on the agency's workforce. In a response, Pawan Kumar Goenka, head of the IN-SPACe, the organization responsible for commercializing space activities in India, said that while the private sector would take on more satellite and launch vehicle manufacturing, ISRO would still work on advanced programs, including the Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft and a planned space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station. (9/8)
Space Force Moving Beyond OCX for GPS Ground Architecture (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is starting work on a new ground control architecture for its future GPS constellation after the cancellation of the OCX program. Space Systems Command is preparing a prototype competition for GPS Gen4 Ground, the command-and-control segment of a broader next-generation GPS architecture now being defined by the service, according to a "coming soon" notice posted last week.
The envisioned architecture would include a software application framework that could run on government hardware, cloud services or a combination of the two. The Pentagon canceled the OCX program in April after concluding that the remaining problems could not be resolved quickly enough without creating unacceptable risk for GPS operations. OCX had cost approximately $6.27 billion. (9/8)
SpaceX Launches Sunday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites on Sunday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and placed 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was the 80th Starlink mission this year. (9/7)
Katalyst Wrapping Up Link Grappler Mission (Source: Space News)
Katalyst Space is wrapping up operations of a spacecraft intended to reboost a NASA space telescope. The company said Friday that its Link spacecraft came within 12 to 15 kilometers of NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory during recent operations that also tested the spacecraft's thrusters and robotic arms. Katalyst Space launched Link in July to grapple Swift and raise its orbit, but attitude-control issues with Link caused the company, in collaboration with NASA, to cancel the reboost effort last month. Katalyst Space plans to continue to operate Link for two to three more weeks before the spacecraft deorbits. Swift's orbit continues to decay, and NASA said it expects to get one or two more months of science operations from Swift before its atmospheric drag makes it too difficult to operate the spacecraft. (9/8)
Space Force Provides $50 Million for Space Kinetic's Whirlwind (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is putting $50 million behind a startup developing an unusual way to dispatch small spacecraft from a larger vehicle in orbit. California-based Space Kinetic is developing Whirlwind, an electromechanical system designed to release small spacecraft from a host vehicle at high velocity. The company recently announced that it received a $50 million Other Transaction Authority agreement from the Space Force to develop the technology. The company is not building a maneuverable satellite bus or space tug but is focusing on the machinery needed to release smaller payloads from a host platform, which could potentially allow the deployed vehicles to be simpler and cheaper. (9/8)
Lawrence Livermore Lab Supports Space Force LEO Satellite Chase (Source: Space News)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) provided the optical telescope used in a Space Force "cat-and-mouse" exercise involving two spacecraft. LLNL developed the telescope incorporated into a Rocket Lab spacecraft for the Victus Haze mission, where Rocket Lab's Puma and True Anomaly's Jackal spacecraft pursued each other in low Earth orbit. LLNL says its payload helped Puma acquire and track the target spacecraft. The Space Force has described the mission as a test of its ability to respond rapidly to potentially threatening behavior in orbit. (9/8)
September 7, 2026
Is Hydro-Launch the Future of Space
Delivery? (Source: Maximus Willhammer)
Traditional rockets are expensive for reasons that go beyond the hardware. Liquid fuel is costly, dangerous to handle, and demands elaborate safety infrastructure. A large share of every launch budget goes toward managing the risks of controlled explosion. The Spacer Delivery Bullet removes much of that burden. By replacing volatile liquid fuel with stored gas energy, water displacement, and compressed powder pellet ignition, the system is designed to cut space delivery costs by up to 50% compared with conventional rockets.
The rocket is lowered by gantry into position at the top of a vertical water tube. The water is the medium that will transfer stored energy into the projectile. Beneath the tube sits a hollow, pyramid-shaped displacement bunker built underground. It's filled with oxygen and hydrogen gas—the stored energy source for the launch. A frozen nitrogen projectile acts as the trigger. When introduced into the system, this cryogenic element sets off the rapid displacement event that drives the rocket upward. Once airborne and moving at speed, scramjet engines take over. They ignite using compressed powder pellets—not volatile liquid fuels. (9/3)
Stoke and Relativity Advance LC-14 and LC-16 Toward First Flights (Source: NSF)
Along Missile Row at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Stoke Space and Relativity Space are building out launch sites almost side by side. Launch Complex 14 and Launch Complex 16 sit as neighbors on the Space Coast, two historic pads now being readied for two different reusable rockets: Stoke’s fully reusable medium-lift Nova and Relativity’s partially reusable heavy-lift Terran R. LC-15 still sits between them, but it is expected to remain inactive. Click here. (9/6)
Traditional rockets are expensive for reasons that go beyond the hardware. Liquid fuel is costly, dangerous to handle, and demands elaborate safety infrastructure. A large share of every launch budget goes toward managing the risks of controlled explosion. The Spacer Delivery Bullet removes much of that burden. By replacing volatile liquid fuel with stored gas energy, water displacement, and compressed powder pellet ignition, the system is designed to cut space delivery costs by up to 50% compared with conventional rockets.
The rocket is lowered by gantry into position at the top of a vertical water tube. The water is the medium that will transfer stored energy into the projectile. Beneath the tube sits a hollow, pyramid-shaped displacement bunker built underground. It's filled with oxygen and hydrogen gas—the stored energy source for the launch. A frozen nitrogen projectile acts as the trigger. When introduced into the system, this cryogenic element sets off the rapid displacement event that drives the rocket upward. Once airborne and moving at speed, scramjet engines take over. They ignite using compressed powder pellets—not volatile liquid fuels. (9/3)
Stoke and Relativity Advance LC-14 and LC-16 Toward First Flights (Source: NSF)
Along Missile Row at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Stoke Space and Relativity Space are building out launch sites almost side by side. Launch Complex 14 and Launch Complex 16 sit as neighbors on the Space Coast, two historic pads now being readied for two different reusable rockets: Stoke’s fully reusable medium-lift Nova and Relativity’s partially reusable heavy-lift Terran R. LC-15 still sits between them, but it is expected to remain inactive. Click here. (9/6)
September 6, 2026
How Central Florida Became ‘The
Gateway to the Moon’ (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Space exploration’s story from Florida has been a roller coaster — but it would never have begun if not for the dominoes of the post-World War II world falling in place. In 1948, Naval Air Station Banana River was transferred to the Air Force and soon renamed Patrick Air Force Base. A year later, President Harry S. Truman designated Cape Canaveral as the place where the country would do its missile testing.
“The Cape, a desolate sandy, scrub area mapped by the Spaniards, was a wasteland inhabited by alligators, snakes and insects,” the Sentinel wrote. “It was important to no one. Perhaps that is why it was chosen for a launching site. Nothing could be hurt.”
Sabra Gossett, a curator for the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, said the choice to shift to Florida for missile launches came after issues with one launch out of New Mexico. “They had an accident where they launched into Mexican airspace, and Mexico wasn’t very keen on that,” she said. “So they were like, ‘OK, where else are we going to go?'” Click here. (9/6)
Cowboy Space Leases a Huge Facility in the Seattle Area to Produce Hardware for Orbital Data Centers (Source: Geekwire)
California-based Cowboy Space is leasing a 291,035-square-foot industrial facility in Kent, Wash., to support the production of hardware for its planned constellation of AI data center satellites, according to the company that arranged the lease. “According to Newmark Research, the transaction is the largest industrial lease in the Puget Sound region year-to-date,” Newmark, the real estate broker for the deal, said in a news release. Newmark represented CenterPoint Properties, Cowboy’s new landlord. (9/5)
You Get a SCIF, You Get a SCIF: Pentagon Unveils ‘Secure Space Network’ (Source: Breaking Defense)
Contractors will soon have more options to perform classified work for the Pentagon through the newly announced “Secure Space Network.” The effort aims to provide access to physical, classified spaces, known as Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs), by designing and deploying around 50 of them across the country.
For many small businesses trying to do work with the military, access to classified information and SCIFs can be hard to come by. They are costly to establish and some companies just don’t have easy access to them. The intent of the Secure Space Network is to lower the barrier for more companies to do business with the Pentagon. (9/4)
AAC Clyde Space Receives Order From a Dutch Aerospace Company for Power Systems and Onboard Subsystems (Source: AAC Clyde Space)
AAC Clyde Space has received an order valued at EUR 824,000 from a Dutch aerospace company for power systems and onboard subsystems. First subsystems are expected to be delivered in early 2027, with final deliveries in the second half of 2027. The systems will be used in an advanced spacecraft technology demonstration program. Such missions require reliable, flight-proven subsystems across several key spacecraft functions and are part of the continued development of more capable and flexible space infrastructure. (9/1)
The SETI Institute and ETH Zurich Join Forces to Search for the Origin of Life (Source: SETI)
The question of how life originated and whether it exists elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humanity for centuries. Now, ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute in California are joining forces to seek answers. The two institutions have agreed on a strategic partnership and signed a corresponding agreement. At the heart of the collaboration is a new assistant professorship, to be called ‘Earth and Planetary Evolution’, which will be based in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich. The professorship will play a key role at ETH’s Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL). (9/1)
America’s AI Lead Won’t Win The Next Space Race (Source: Forbes)
Every transformative technology produces two competitions: the race to build it, and the race to use it to build everything else. America has a long history of winning the first. The second is far less certain. America has a lot to celebrate on the first count. More venture capital is flowing into the American AI economy than anywhere else in the world, orbital data centers included. We are building one of the most ambitious computing infrastructures ever attempted. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have created extraordinary value at extraordinary speed.
But in the context of winning the second space race, we are watching the wrong scoreboard. China's approach has been relentlessly practical, taking advances from the tech world and applying them to the fundamentals: availability, quality, and cost. AI is becoming another tool for driving all three. But what does any of this have to do with the Space Force?
In the past decade, military and civil space have transitioned into an industrial enterprise much like the automotive industry did over the last 50 years. Satellites are increasingly software-defined and manufactured at scale rather than handcrafted. Ground networks and user equipment are following the same path. Missions generate and transmit enormous amounts of data, requiring decisions to be made on orbit and on the ground at machine speed. AI will transform all of it, from engineering design and supply chains to constellation operations. (8/31)
Datacentrex Invests $30 Million in Eagle LNG Partners, a Supplier of Fuel for the U.S. Space Launch Industry (Source: Datacentrix)
Datacentrex has entered into a Common Unit Purchase Agreement and invested $30 million in Eagle LNG. Eagle LNG is a vertically integrated producer of liquefied natural gas and a qualified supplier of the aerospace-specification liquid methane used to fuel next-generation American launch vehicles. Eagle LNG Partners is a Jacksonville, Florida–based developer and operator of small-scale LNG infrastructure serving space propulsion, marine bunkering, island utility and industrial customers across the southeastern United States and the Caribbean.
Editor's Note: This is a timely investment as NASA and the Space Force invite industry interest in accommodating an LNG producer and tank farm operator at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Continued truck-based delivery of this commodity from Jacksonville is untenable given the amounts that will be needed for Starship, New Glenn, and other vehicles. The production/storage capacity could also serve the needs of next-generation cruise ships at Port Canaveral. (8/31)
The Scariest Thing About SpaceX Isn't the Rockets. It's the Speed (Source: Jacqueline Nassirzadeh Oved)
The aerospace industry is used to long development cycles, complex supply chains, layers of approvals and processes that can take years to change. Elon Musk's approach has been to ignore limitations. This has helped SpaceX challenge some of the assumptions aerospace spent decades treating as unavoidable. SpaceX has, in essence, made speed part of its business model. SpaceX's execution framework, referred to as "The Algorithm," follows a sequence: challenge requirements, delete unnecessary processes or parts, optimize what remains, accelerate cycle time, and then automate.
SpaceX also describes vertical integration as central to its ability to iterate quickly. When something becomes a constraint, the instinct is not automatically to accept it. The instinct is to question it. SpaceX's plan to bring the production of blades and vanes for natural-gas turbines in-house is a good example. Musk's stated goal is to accelerate the time required to bring additional gas-turbine capacity online by as much as 18 months, as demand for power to support AI infrastructure increases. A constraint appears, and SpaceX responds: "Why accept it?"
SpaceX says approximately 80% of Starship is manufactured in-house. The company argues that this degree of vertical integration gives its engineers greater control over design and manufacturing and allows the organization to iterate faster. It does still rely on outside suppliers for certain key components, but its willingness to bring critical capabilities inside the organization is a defining part of its operating model. Those are enormous ambitions, and adopting them industry-wide will require substantial technical, operational and regulatory progress. (9/3)
Private German Rocket Makes History, Reaches Orbit From European Soil (Source: Space.com)
No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil — until today. The German company Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Space Center in Norway on Sep. 5. A little over seven minutes later, it etched its name into the record books, settling into an elliptical path around our planet. Spectrum carried five cubesats and one non-deployable scientific experiment on this "Onward and Upward" mission. (9/5)
Can Florida Maintain a 100+ Launch Cadence Without Starlink? (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Cape Canaveral Spaceport's recent milestone of 100+ launches per year is a symptom of a widely reported international rise in launch demand. Florida spaceport leaders anticipate they can maintain and increase this level of activity. But were continued Starlink missions baked into this demand forecasting? Now that SpaceX is relocating its Starlink missions to California, and with the potential retirement of their workhorse Falcon 9, how much of a launch-count dip will we see in Florida over the next five years?
Maintaining a 100+ launch cadence may depend on whether companies like Blue Origin, ULA, Relativity, Stoke Space, and others are able to pick up the slack. Like SpaceX, Blue Origin could potentially achieve Falcon-9 levels of cadence through their vertically integrated business model, serving as their own customer launching their huge satellite constellations. But they'll be ironing out the kinks and optimizing their New Glenn program for at least the next year. And we can expect maybe two annual NASA SLS launches. With SpaceX building and operating Starship pads in multiple states, I would optimistically foresee 6-10 Starship launches from Florida in 2027.
Also entering and re-entering the manifest for 2027 are SpaceX's Starship, ULA, Relativity, Stoke Space, Vaya, Starfighters Space, Phantom Space, and Astra. Beyond 2027, Firefly has a placeholder launch pad assignment, but they're generally committed elsewhere. And there are still a few unassigned launch pads and parcels that might accommodate Rocket Lab and the various other small rocket builders currently in startup mode. In my opinion, SpaceX will continue Florida Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy operations into at least 2028, and may have enough non-Starlink customers to keep the Cape above a 100 launch floor with the help of the other emerging Florida-based launchers. (9/5)
Starbase Louisiana Presents Unprecedented Risks and Should Receive Extraordinary Scrutiny by FAA (Source: Anonymous Comment to FAA RFI)
This is not an incremental expansion of existing launch activity. In the company's announcement of the project, Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have more than a dozen launch towers and enable more than 30 Starship flights per day, as the biggest launch site on Earth. This is a cadence no existing spaceport in the world approaches. Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, and it has flown only a handful of times. There is no operational record anywhere of the environmental effects of launching this vehicle at anything close to the proposed scale and frequency.
I recommend the following features be treated as exclusionary, or at minimum as presumptively disqualifying absent extraordinary justification and completed environmental review: 1) Adjacency to National Wildlife Refuges, state wildlife refuges, and private conservation sanctuaries; 2) Occupied habitat and designated critical habitat of federally listed species; 3) Active, publicly funded species-recovery or reintroduction sites; 4) Major migratory flyway corridors, where launch activity and priority airspace concentrate risk to enormous numbers of birds; 5) Storm-protective coastal wetlands and high-subsidence, high-land-loss zones, where the wetland performs a public-safety function for inland communities; and 6) Locations that would enclose or displace existing residents through hazard, security, and exclusion zones.
Editor's Note: Maybe SpaceX should support a Trump Administration invasion of Brazil, to turn Alcantara into the world's biggest and busiest spaceport. Click here to view all the FAA RFI comments. (9/5)
Space exploration’s story from Florida has been a roller coaster — but it would never have begun if not for the dominoes of the post-World War II world falling in place. In 1948, Naval Air Station Banana River was transferred to the Air Force and soon renamed Patrick Air Force Base. A year later, President Harry S. Truman designated Cape Canaveral as the place where the country would do its missile testing.
“The Cape, a desolate sandy, scrub area mapped by the Spaniards, was a wasteland inhabited by alligators, snakes and insects,” the Sentinel wrote. “It was important to no one. Perhaps that is why it was chosen for a launching site. Nothing could be hurt.”
Sabra Gossett, a curator for the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, said the choice to shift to Florida for missile launches came after issues with one launch out of New Mexico. “They had an accident where they launched into Mexican airspace, and Mexico wasn’t very keen on that,” she said. “So they were like, ‘OK, where else are we going to go?'” Click here. (9/6)
Cowboy Space Leases a Huge Facility in the Seattle Area to Produce Hardware for Orbital Data Centers (Source: Geekwire)
California-based Cowboy Space is leasing a 291,035-square-foot industrial facility in Kent, Wash., to support the production of hardware for its planned constellation of AI data center satellites, according to the company that arranged the lease. “According to Newmark Research, the transaction is the largest industrial lease in the Puget Sound region year-to-date,” Newmark, the real estate broker for the deal, said in a news release. Newmark represented CenterPoint Properties, Cowboy’s new landlord. (9/5)
You Get a SCIF, You Get a SCIF: Pentagon Unveils ‘Secure Space Network’ (Source: Breaking Defense)
Contractors will soon have more options to perform classified work for the Pentagon through the newly announced “Secure Space Network.” The effort aims to provide access to physical, classified spaces, known as Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs), by designing and deploying around 50 of them across the country.
For many small businesses trying to do work with the military, access to classified information and SCIFs can be hard to come by. They are costly to establish and some companies just don’t have easy access to them. The intent of the Secure Space Network is to lower the barrier for more companies to do business with the Pentagon. (9/4)
AAC Clyde Space Receives Order From a Dutch Aerospace Company for Power Systems and Onboard Subsystems (Source: AAC Clyde Space)
AAC Clyde Space has received an order valued at EUR 824,000 from a Dutch aerospace company for power systems and onboard subsystems. First subsystems are expected to be delivered in early 2027, with final deliveries in the second half of 2027. The systems will be used in an advanced spacecraft technology demonstration program. Such missions require reliable, flight-proven subsystems across several key spacecraft functions and are part of the continued development of more capable and flexible space infrastructure. (9/1)
The SETI Institute and ETH Zurich Join Forces to Search for the Origin of Life (Source: SETI)
The question of how life originated and whether it exists elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humanity for centuries. Now, ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute in California are joining forces to seek answers. The two institutions have agreed on a strategic partnership and signed a corresponding agreement. At the heart of the collaboration is a new assistant professorship, to be called ‘Earth and Planetary Evolution’, which will be based in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich. The professorship will play a key role at ETH’s Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL). (9/1)
America’s AI Lead Won’t Win The Next Space Race (Source: Forbes)
Every transformative technology produces two competitions: the race to build it, and the race to use it to build everything else. America has a long history of winning the first. The second is far less certain. America has a lot to celebrate on the first count. More venture capital is flowing into the American AI economy than anywhere else in the world, orbital data centers included. We are building one of the most ambitious computing infrastructures ever attempted. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have created extraordinary value at extraordinary speed.
But in the context of winning the second space race, we are watching the wrong scoreboard. China's approach has been relentlessly practical, taking advances from the tech world and applying them to the fundamentals: availability, quality, and cost. AI is becoming another tool for driving all three. But what does any of this have to do with the Space Force?
In the past decade, military and civil space have transitioned into an industrial enterprise much like the automotive industry did over the last 50 years. Satellites are increasingly software-defined and manufactured at scale rather than handcrafted. Ground networks and user equipment are following the same path. Missions generate and transmit enormous amounts of data, requiring decisions to be made on orbit and on the ground at machine speed. AI will transform all of it, from engineering design and supply chains to constellation operations. (8/31)
Datacentrex Invests $30 Million in Eagle LNG Partners, a Supplier of Fuel for the U.S. Space Launch Industry (Source: Datacentrix)
Datacentrex has entered into a Common Unit Purchase Agreement and invested $30 million in Eagle LNG. Eagle LNG is a vertically integrated producer of liquefied natural gas and a qualified supplier of the aerospace-specification liquid methane used to fuel next-generation American launch vehicles. Eagle LNG Partners is a Jacksonville, Florida–based developer and operator of small-scale LNG infrastructure serving space propulsion, marine bunkering, island utility and industrial customers across the southeastern United States and the Caribbean.
Editor's Note: This is a timely investment as NASA and the Space Force invite industry interest in accommodating an LNG producer and tank farm operator at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Continued truck-based delivery of this commodity from Jacksonville is untenable given the amounts that will be needed for Starship, New Glenn, and other vehicles. The production/storage capacity could also serve the needs of next-generation cruise ships at Port Canaveral. (8/31)
The Scariest Thing About SpaceX Isn't the Rockets. It's the Speed (Source: Jacqueline Nassirzadeh Oved)
The aerospace industry is used to long development cycles, complex supply chains, layers of approvals and processes that can take years to change. Elon Musk's approach has been to ignore limitations. This has helped SpaceX challenge some of the assumptions aerospace spent decades treating as unavoidable. SpaceX has, in essence, made speed part of its business model. SpaceX's execution framework, referred to as "The Algorithm," follows a sequence: challenge requirements, delete unnecessary processes or parts, optimize what remains, accelerate cycle time, and then automate.
SpaceX also describes vertical integration as central to its ability to iterate quickly. When something becomes a constraint, the instinct is not automatically to accept it. The instinct is to question it. SpaceX's plan to bring the production of blades and vanes for natural-gas turbines in-house is a good example. Musk's stated goal is to accelerate the time required to bring additional gas-turbine capacity online by as much as 18 months, as demand for power to support AI infrastructure increases. A constraint appears, and SpaceX responds: "Why accept it?"
SpaceX says approximately 80% of Starship is manufactured in-house. The company argues that this degree of vertical integration gives its engineers greater control over design and manufacturing and allows the organization to iterate faster. It does still rely on outside suppliers for certain key components, but its willingness to bring critical capabilities inside the organization is a defining part of its operating model. Those are enormous ambitions, and adopting them industry-wide will require substantial technical, operational and regulatory progress. (9/3)
Private German Rocket Makes History, Reaches Orbit From European Soil (Source: Space.com)
No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil — until today. The German company Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Space Center in Norway on Sep. 5. A little over seven minutes later, it etched its name into the record books, settling into an elliptical path around our planet. Spectrum carried five cubesats and one non-deployable scientific experiment on this "Onward and Upward" mission. (9/5)
Can Florida Maintain a 100+ Launch Cadence Without Starlink? (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Cape Canaveral Spaceport's recent milestone of 100+ launches per year is a symptom of a widely reported international rise in launch demand. Florida spaceport leaders anticipate they can maintain and increase this level of activity. But were continued Starlink missions baked into this demand forecasting? Now that SpaceX is relocating its Starlink missions to California, and with the potential retirement of their workhorse Falcon 9, how much of a launch-count dip will we see in Florida over the next five years?
Maintaining a 100+ launch cadence may depend on whether companies like Blue Origin, ULA, Relativity, Stoke Space, and others are able to pick up the slack. Like SpaceX, Blue Origin could potentially achieve Falcon-9 levels of cadence through their vertically integrated business model, serving as their own customer launching their huge satellite constellations. But they'll be ironing out the kinks and optimizing their New Glenn program for at least the next year. And we can expect maybe two annual NASA SLS launches. With SpaceX building and operating Starship pads in multiple states, I would optimistically foresee 6-10 Starship launches from Florida in 2027.
Also entering and re-entering the manifest for 2027 are SpaceX's Starship, ULA, Relativity, Stoke Space, Vaya, Starfighters Space, Phantom Space, and Astra. Beyond 2027, Firefly has a placeholder launch pad assignment, but they're generally committed elsewhere. And there are still a few unassigned launch pads and parcels that might accommodate Rocket Lab and the various other small rocket builders currently in startup mode. In my opinion, SpaceX will continue Florida Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy operations into at least 2028, and may have enough non-Starlink customers to keep the Cape above a 100 launch floor with the help of the other emerging Florida-based launchers. (9/5)
Starbase Louisiana Presents Unprecedented Risks and Should Receive Extraordinary Scrutiny by FAA (Source: Anonymous Comment to FAA RFI)
This is not an incremental expansion of existing launch activity. In the company's announcement of the project, Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have more than a dozen launch towers and enable more than 30 Starship flights per day, as the biggest launch site on Earth. This is a cadence no existing spaceport in the world approaches. Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, and it has flown only a handful of times. There is no operational record anywhere of the environmental effects of launching this vehicle at anything close to the proposed scale and frequency.
I recommend the following features be treated as exclusionary, or at minimum as presumptively disqualifying absent extraordinary justification and completed environmental review: 1) Adjacency to National Wildlife Refuges, state wildlife refuges, and private conservation sanctuaries; 2) Occupied habitat and designated critical habitat of federally listed species; 3) Active, publicly funded species-recovery or reintroduction sites; 4) Major migratory flyway corridors, where launch activity and priority airspace concentrate risk to enormous numbers of birds; 5) Storm-protective coastal wetlands and high-subsidence, high-land-loss zones, where the wetland performs a public-safety function for inland communities; and 6) Locations that would enclose or displace existing residents through hazard, security, and exclusion zones.
Editor's Note: Maybe SpaceX should support a Trump Administration invasion of Brazil, to turn Alcantara into the world's biggest and busiest spaceport. Click here to view all the FAA RFI comments. (9/5)
September 5, 2026
Hubble Deserves a Plan, Not a Hail
Mary (Source: Space News)
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies didn't succeed in their attempt to save the Swift Observatory. But their quickly executed plan to grapple the telescope and boost its orbit offers valuable lessons for preserving Hubble, says former NASA headquarters official Brett Silcox, currently the vice president of government relations & civil space business development at Astroscale U.S. "The Swift mission demonstrates why the United States needs to move on spacecraft servicing earlier, before orbital mechanics, aging hardware or impending mission loss turn a difficult engineering challenge into an emergency," Silcox wrote. He warns that while the "speed was impressive, ... it should not become the model for Hubble or for servicing other assets in space." (9/5)
America Needs a Space Academy That Invests in People, Not Buildings (Source: Space News)
The White House wants to create a United States Space Academy, a NASA-run federal institution meant to educate and train up new generations of the space workforce, which is facing a squeeze. Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute offered advice on how to approach and organize the academy. He says it should be a "national scholarship-for-service program" with "full-tuition scholarships at any accredited U.S. institution offering an approved field of study."
His idea is to tie the scholarships to specific high-priority majors, adjusting the priorities annually according to workforce needs at NASA, the Space Force, and other organizations. Graduates would then be required to "commit to a period of government service." This scholarship model, he argues, would be "faster to establish, easier to scale as workforce demands change from year to year, and able to draw from the full range of specialized programs already operating across American higher education." Editor's Note: I think this is an idea a lot of existing universities would strongly support. (9/5)
Blue Origin Expands Test and Launch Sites Across the Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: NSF)
Blue Origin is expanding its Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral footprint on multiple fronts, from a new Merritt Island test site and Rocket Park production buildings to the rebuild of Launch Complex 36 and early work on nearby processing facilities. NSF’s latest Space Coast flyover captured that progress in sequence, as the company ramps up to its proposed launch and production cadence. Following the news that SpaceX is working toward rocket test stands at the Kennedy Space Center, Blue Origin is also working on its own second stage test stand close to its campus. Click here. (9/4)
Defense Industrial Complex Sees Record Revenue Amid Global Tensions (Source: Defense News)
Global defense companies saw record revenue in 2025, driven by increased military spending in the US and Europe, with RTX, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman leading the Defense News Top 100. The US Reconciliation Act of 2025 allocated $156 billion for acquisition, boosting companies' financials, while European firms benefited from higher national budgets and EU joint procurement. (9/3)
GE Secures Pentagon Contract for Hypersonic Test Vehicle (Source: AeroTime)
GE Aerospace has secured a contract from the US Defense Innovation Unit to develop Derecho, a hypersonic test vehicle capable of reaching Mach 5. Scheduled for its first flight in 2028, Derecho will serve as a test platform for the Pentagon's Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities program. (9/3)
Space Academy Could Blur Lines Between NASA and Military (Source: The Conversation)
But the biggest implication of this space academy proposal is that it would almost certainly lead to a reconsideration of the relationship between military and civilian space. The distinction between these two areas has been a cornerstone of U.S. space policy for over 65 years. While the lines have been blurred at times, a U.S. Space Academy that serves as both a military and civilian institution confuses them even further.
It will also be important to define the precise purpose of the space academy and who exactly it will serve. What advantage does a space academy offer over civilian schools and universities that offer similar programs? Will commercial space companies have an opportunity to be involved? And what would that look like? (9/2)
New Mexico Land Commissioner Shoots Down Canadian Data Center Company’s Pitch at Spaceport America (Source: Source NM)
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard on Thursday shot down a Canadian company’s pitch to build a solar-powered data center at Spaceport America. Green Data CEO Jason Bak has been in talks with Spaceport officials for years about building a data center on the property, which is on leased state trust land. Bak has engaged in those talks on behalf of another one of his companies, Aetherion. (9/3)
China's International Deep Space Exploration Conference Fosters Cooperation (Source: CGTN)
The 2026 International Deep Space Exploration Conference opened on Thursday in Hefei, Anhui Province. At the opening ceremony, the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, together with international institutions, unveiled the Moon Village Center - China and four joint laboratories. Bringing together Chinese and international researchers, these laboratories will tackle key challenges in deep‑space exploration. The conference, with participants coming from over 40 countries, come as China keeps advancing international collaboration for space exploration. (9/4)
Canadian Space Agency Opens Latest SmartEarth Funding Opportunity with up to $3M (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is accepting applications for its latest round of smartEarth funding, offering Canadian universities up to $3 million to develop new applications that put satellite data to work on climate, safety and resource questions. SmartEarth is the agency’s funding initiative for satellite Earth observation. This is the Enabler stream of its three funding tracks, the one built to grow capacity and expertise at Canadian institutions. The other two, Accelerator and Integrator, fund industry and federal government projects that deliver solutions more directly. (9/3)
Canadian Space Agency Wants Industry Input for Future Lunar Resource Operations (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is looking to map domestic capabilities in resource extraction and regolith management to guide any future “major” infrastructure contributions on the Moon’s surface. The agency issued a Notice to Industry on Aug. 28, calling on organizations across both the space and terrestrial sectors, including Canada’s long-established mining industry.
The notice falls under the Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative. As missions extend farther from Earth, reliance on resupply chains becomes increasingly difficult and costly. By identifying domestic expertise early, the CSA hopes ensure Canadian technologies remain competitive including for the Artemis program. (9/3)
Foundational Challenges to SpaceX's Louisiana Starbase Plan (Source: Douglas Messier)
Dr. Robert Campbell, a physicist and engineer, has raised serious questions about the viability of SpaceX’s $100 billion Starbase Louisiana spaceport. “Starbase Louisiana is a disaster on so many fronts. It runs straight into immovable limits in geology, soil mechanics, structural engineering, and operations,” he wrote. Campbell warns that the 125,000 acre site that SpaceX selected is a fragile wetlands ecosystem that has: a) soft saturated soil; b) high subsidence, which happens when soil or land is dropping significantly; c) soils that can liquefy, which is when wet and loose ground loses its solid strength and acts like a thick liquid in response to vibrations or an earthquake; and d) bedrock that is more than 6,000 ft (1.83 km) deep.
In short, there is a lack of “load‑bearing stratum” to support SpaceX’s plans to launch the world’s most powerful rocket, Starship, thousands of times per year. “‘Rapid refurbishment’ becomes ‘major civil reconstruction every time you launch,’” he wrote. Asked if engineers faced similar challenges at SpaceX’s Starbase spaceport in Texas and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida, he said: “You are absolutely right to bring up Starbase Texas and Cape Canaveral, because both DID add stabilizing rock and soil. The difference here is that this Louisiana site bears no resemblance to either of these cases.” (9/4)
UCF to Host International Space University Space Studies Program in 2027 (Source: UCF)
The University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando will be a premier destination for the global space sector with the hosting of the 38th International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program (SSP 2027). Hosted at UCF’s Mediterranean-style Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus, this intensive 7-week graduate level immersion brings together global space educators, researchers, and rising leaders in direct proximity to Florida’s Space Coast. (9/4)
China to Select Tianwen-3 Mars Sample-Return Landing Site by Year-End (Source: Space News)
China is narrowing candidate landing sites for Tianwen-3, its Mars sample-return mission, and plans to select a final location before the end of 2026. Hardware development is advancing as the mission targets samples that could help determine whether Mars once hosted—or still preserves—evidence of life. (9/4)
Planet’s Sovereign Contracts Drive Nearly 60% Q2 Revenue Growth (Source: Via Satellite)
Planet’s revenue increased nearly 60% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, while the satellite-imagery company narrowed its net loss. The results point to growing momentum in sovereign agreements with governments worldwide and continued demand for commercial Earth-observation services. (9/4)
Chinese Reconnaissance Satellite Yaogan-50 (02) Breaks Up in Rare Retrograde Orbit, Generating Debris Field (Source: Space News)
Chinese reconnaissance satellite Yaogan-50 (02), launched into an unusual retrograde orbit earlier this year, has apparently fragmented, creating a field of orbital debris. The event adds a new object and debris-generation incident to an increasingly complex space environment, although the cause and full extent of the breakup remain unclear. (9/4)
China’s Commercial Rocket Startups Race to Orbit as Shanghai Listing Rules Raise the Stakes (Source: Payload)
A Shanghai listing rule has made orbital flight a prerequisite for commercial space companies seeking public-market access, prompting China’s rocket startups to accelerate launches. The policy is linking capital-market eligibility directly to demonstrated launch capability and reshaping competition across the country’s emerging commercial space sector. (9/4)
Isar Aerospace Scrubs Planned Sept. 4 Spectrum Launch Attempt (Source: European Spaceflight)
Isar Aerospace appears to have called off a planned Sept. 4 launch attempt for its Spectrum rocket, shortly after launch-related road closures took effect. The development marks another change to the timing of the company’s commercial launch effort, though no reason for the apparent scrub was provided. (9/3)
Franco-German NewSpace Urges Brussels to Buy Launch Services Instead of Adding Rules (Source: Ars Technica)
In a joint declaration ahead of the Paris summit, German and French NewSpace companies are urging the European Commission to become a customer for commercial launch services rather than impose additional regulation. The appeal reflects industry efforts to secure demand and strengthen Europe’s emerging private space sector. (9/4)
Europe’s Space Leaders are Unhappy with the Status Quo (Source: Payload)
Europeans aren’t known for airing their dirty laundry in public, but let them speak anonymously and the clotheslines will fill up quickly. ASD Eurospace, the trade association for Europe’s space industry, released a report this week built on anonymized interviews with 15 space industry CEOs—leaders of both A&D primes and newer scaleups. The results showed many industry leaders are disgruntled with the current setup of the region’s space sector.
First and foremost, CEOs told ASD Eurospace that the region’s space sector is too fragmented to remain competitive on a global scale. ESA and its 23 member states each have their own national priorities. Procurement decisions are often made to protect local industrial capacity, instead of promoting market efficiencies. In the report—titled GALAXY—the CEOs highlighted structural issues limiting the growth of Europe’s space industry, stifling its competitiveness on a global scale. But these leaders were also aligned in proposing changes that could right the ship.
“We need strong and determined European institutional customers to anchor a strong European market, with stable and predictable institutional demand. We need demanding and creative space agencies to challenge industry to innovate, to be efficient, and to deliver real value for European missions,” ASD Eurospace President Marco Fuchs said in the report. “We also need strong European member states backing the European efforts, rather than focusing only on growing national competences in a market that cannot sustain them.” (9/4)
German Space Situation Awareness Startup Project-S Emerges from Stealth (Source: European Spaceflight)
Munich-based space situational awareness startup Project-S has emerged from stealth with what it describes as “multi-million-euro backing.” The company is currently preparing for the first in-orbit demonstration of its active radar. The company’s approach will be to use compact space-based active radar to detect and track objects in orbit.
The company also disclosed that it had already closed a multi-million-euro funding round led by Greek venture capital fund Uni.Fund II. It added that the funding is being supplemented by non-dilutive support from the German government and “ESA-linked public innovation programs.” The exact size of the funding round was not shared. (9/4)
Embry‑Riddle Researcher Measures Waves Generated by Extreme Solar Storm that Wreaked Havoc on Earth (Source: ERAU)
As exceptionally powerful ejections of magnetically charged plasma from the sun called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasted toward Earth in May 2024, two NASA spacecraft formations detected never-before-witnessed solar storm activity. Now, in newly published research, Dr. Katariina Nykyri of Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University has used the data to analyze and describe explosive releases of magnetic energy and high-energy particle bursts occurring along the boundaries of incoming CMEs very close to Earth. (8/18)
Axelspace to Supply Airbus With GRUS Microsatellite Earth-Observation Imagery (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Axelspace has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to provide medium-resolution optical imagery from its GRUS Earth-observation microsatellite constellation. The partnership expands Airbus’ access to commercial imagery for Earth-observation and space-safety services, while giving Axelspace an additional channel to commercialize its data. (9/4)
NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies didn't succeed in their attempt to save the Swift Observatory. But their quickly executed plan to grapple the telescope and boost its orbit offers valuable lessons for preserving Hubble, says former NASA headquarters official Brett Silcox, currently the vice president of government relations & civil space business development at Astroscale U.S. "The Swift mission demonstrates why the United States needs to move on spacecraft servicing earlier, before orbital mechanics, aging hardware or impending mission loss turn a difficult engineering challenge into an emergency," Silcox wrote. He warns that while the "speed was impressive, ... it should not become the model for Hubble or for servicing other assets in space." (9/5)
America Needs a Space Academy That Invests in People, Not Buildings (Source: Space News)
The White House wants to create a United States Space Academy, a NASA-run federal institution meant to educate and train up new generations of the space workforce, which is facing a squeeze. Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute offered advice on how to approach and organize the academy. He says it should be a "national scholarship-for-service program" with "full-tuition scholarships at any accredited U.S. institution offering an approved field of study."
His idea is to tie the scholarships to specific high-priority majors, adjusting the priorities annually according to workforce needs at NASA, the Space Force, and other organizations. Graduates would then be required to "commit to a period of government service." This scholarship model, he argues, would be "faster to establish, easier to scale as workforce demands change from year to year, and able to draw from the full range of specialized programs already operating across American higher education." Editor's Note: I think this is an idea a lot of existing universities would strongly support. (9/5)
Blue Origin Expands Test and Launch Sites Across the Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: NSF)
Blue Origin is expanding its Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral footprint on multiple fronts, from a new Merritt Island test site and Rocket Park production buildings to the rebuild of Launch Complex 36 and early work on nearby processing facilities. NSF’s latest Space Coast flyover captured that progress in sequence, as the company ramps up to its proposed launch and production cadence. Following the news that SpaceX is working toward rocket test stands at the Kennedy Space Center, Blue Origin is also working on its own second stage test stand close to its campus. Click here. (9/4)
Defense Industrial Complex Sees Record Revenue Amid Global Tensions (Source: Defense News)
Global defense companies saw record revenue in 2025, driven by increased military spending in the US and Europe, with RTX, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman leading the Defense News Top 100. The US Reconciliation Act of 2025 allocated $156 billion for acquisition, boosting companies' financials, while European firms benefited from higher national budgets and EU joint procurement. (9/3)
GE Secures Pentagon Contract for Hypersonic Test Vehicle (Source: AeroTime)
GE Aerospace has secured a contract from the US Defense Innovation Unit to develop Derecho, a hypersonic test vehicle capable of reaching Mach 5. Scheduled for its first flight in 2028, Derecho will serve as a test platform for the Pentagon's Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities program. (9/3)
Space Academy Could Blur Lines Between NASA and Military (Source: The Conversation)
But the biggest implication of this space academy proposal is that it would almost certainly lead to a reconsideration of the relationship between military and civilian space. The distinction between these two areas has been a cornerstone of U.S. space policy for over 65 years. While the lines have been blurred at times, a U.S. Space Academy that serves as both a military and civilian institution confuses them even further.
It will also be important to define the precise purpose of the space academy and who exactly it will serve. What advantage does a space academy offer over civilian schools and universities that offer similar programs? Will commercial space companies have an opportunity to be involved? And what would that look like? (9/2)
New Mexico Land Commissioner Shoots Down Canadian Data Center Company’s Pitch at Spaceport America (Source: Source NM)
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard on Thursday shot down a Canadian company’s pitch to build a solar-powered data center at Spaceport America. Green Data CEO Jason Bak has been in talks with Spaceport officials for years about building a data center on the property, which is on leased state trust land. Bak has engaged in those talks on behalf of another one of his companies, Aetherion. (9/3)
China's International Deep Space Exploration Conference Fosters Cooperation (Source: CGTN)
The 2026 International Deep Space Exploration Conference opened on Thursday in Hefei, Anhui Province. At the opening ceremony, the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, together with international institutions, unveiled the Moon Village Center - China and four joint laboratories. Bringing together Chinese and international researchers, these laboratories will tackle key challenges in deep‑space exploration. The conference, with participants coming from over 40 countries, come as China keeps advancing international collaboration for space exploration. (9/4)
Canadian Space Agency Opens Latest SmartEarth Funding Opportunity with up to $3M (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is accepting applications for its latest round of smartEarth funding, offering Canadian universities up to $3 million to develop new applications that put satellite data to work on climate, safety and resource questions. SmartEarth is the agency’s funding initiative for satellite Earth observation. This is the Enabler stream of its three funding tracks, the one built to grow capacity and expertise at Canadian institutions. The other two, Accelerator and Integrator, fund industry and federal government projects that deliver solutions more directly. (9/3)
Canadian Space Agency Wants Industry Input for Future Lunar Resource Operations (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is looking to map domestic capabilities in resource extraction and regolith management to guide any future “major” infrastructure contributions on the Moon’s surface. The agency issued a Notice to Industry on Aug. 28, calling on organizations across both the space and terrestrial sectors, including Canada’s long-established mining industry.
The notice falls under the Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative. As missions extend farther from Earth, reliance on resupply chains becomes increasingly difficult and costly. By identifying domestic expertise early, the CSA hopes ensure Canadian technologies remain competitive including for the Artemis program. (9/3)
Foundational Challenges to SpaceX's Louisiana Starbase Plan (Source: Douglas Messier)
Dr. Robert Campbell, a physicist and engineer, has raised serious questions about the viability of SpaceX’s $100 billion Starbase Louisiana spaceport. “Starbase Louisiana is a disaster on so many fronts. It runs straight into immovable limits in geology, soil mechanics, structural engineering, and operations,” he wrote. Campbell warns that the 125,000 acre site that SpaceX selected is a fragile wetlands ecosystem that has: a) soft saturated soil; b) high subsidence, which happens when soil or land is dropping significantly; c) soils that can liquefy, which is when wet and loose ground loses its solid strength and acts like a thick liquid in response to vibrations or an earthquake; and d) bedrock that is more than 6,000 ft (1.83 km) deep.
In short, there is a lack of “load‑bearing stratum” to support SpaceX’s plans to launch the world’s most powerful rocket, Starship, thousands of times per year. “‘Rapid refurbishment’ becomes ‘major civil reconstruction every time you launch,’” he wrote. Asked if engineers faced similar challenges at SpaceX’s Starbase spaceport in Texas and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida, he said: “You are absolutely right to bring up Starbase Texas and Cape Canaveral, because both DID add stabilizing rock and soil. The difference here is that this Louisiana site bears no resemblance to either of these cases.” (9/4)
UCF to Host International Space University Space Studies Program in 2027 (Source: UCF)
The University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando will be a premier destination for the global space sector with the hosting of the 38th International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program (SSP 2027). Hosted at UCF’s Mediterranean-style Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus, this intensive 7-week graduate level immersion brings together global space educators, researchers, and rising leaders in direct proximity to Florida’s Space Coast. (9/4)
China to Select Tianwen-3 Mars Sample-Return Landing Site by Year-End (Source: Space News)
China is narrowing candidate landing sites for Tianwen-3, its Mars sample-return mission, and plans to select a final location before the end of 2026. Hardware development is advancing as the mission targets samples that could help determine whether Mars once hosted—or still preserves—evidence of life. (9/4)
Planet’s Sovereign Contracts Drive Nearly 60% Q2 Revenue Growth (Source: Via Satellite)
Planet’s revenue increased nearly 60% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, while the satellite-imagery company narrowed its net loss. The results point to growing momentum in sovereign agreements with governments worldwide and continued demand for commercial Earth-observation services. (9/4)
Chinese Reconnaissance Satellite Yaogan-50 (02) Breaks Up in Rare Retrograde Orbit, Generating Debris Field (Source: Space News)
Chinese reconnaissance satellite Yaogan-50 (02), launched into an unusual retrograde orbit earlier this year, has apparently fragmented, creating a field of orbital debris. The event adds a new object and debris-generation incident to an increasingly complex space environment, although the cause and full extent of the breakup remain unclear. (9/4)
China’s Commercial Rocket Startups Race to Orbit as Shanghai Listing Rules Raise the Stakes (Source: Payload)
A Shanghai listing rule has made orbital flight a prerequisite for commercial space companies seeking public-market access, prompting China’s rocket startups to accelerate launches. The policy is linking capital-market eligibility directly to demonstrated launch capability and reshaping competition across the country’s emerging commercial space sector. (9/4)
Isar Aerospace Scrubs Planned Sept. 4 Spectrum Launch Attempt (Source: European Spaceflight)
Isar Aerospace appears to have called off a planned Sept. 4 launch attempt for its Spectrum rocket, shortly after launch-related road closures took effect. The development marks another change to the timing of the company’s commercial launch effort, though no reason for the apparent scrub was provided. (9/3)
Franco-German NewSpace Urges Brussels to Buy Launch Services Instead of Adding Rules (Source: Ars Technica)
In a joint declaration ahead of the Paris summit, German and French NewSpace companies are urging the European Commission to become a customer for commercial launch services rather than impose additional regulation. The appeal reflects industry efforts to secure demand and strengthen Europe’s emerging private space sector. (9/4)
Europe’s Space Leaders are Unhappy with the Status Quo (Source: Payload)
Europeans aren’t known for airing their dirty laundry in public, but let them speak anonymously and the clotheslines will fill up quickly. ASD Eurospace, the trade association for Europe’s space industry, released a report this week built on anonymized interviews with 15 space industry CEOs—leaders of both A&D primes and newer scaleups. The results showed many industry leaders are disgruntled with the current setup of the region’s space sector.
First and foremost, CEOs told ASD Eurospace that the region’s space sector is too fragmented to remain competitive on a global scale. ESA and its 23 member states each have their own national priorities. Procurement decisions are often made to protect local industrial capacity, instead of promoting market efficiencies. In the report—titled GALAXY—the CEOs highlighted structural issues limiting the growth of Europe’s space industry, stifling its competitiveness on a global scale. But these leaders were also aligned in proposing changes that could right the ship.
“We need strong and determined European institutional customers to anchor a strong European market, with stable and predictable institutional demand. We need demanding and creative space agencies to challenge industry to innovate, to be efficient, and to deliver real value for European missions,” ASD Eurospace President Marco Fuchs said in the report. “We also need strong European member states backing the European efforts, rather than focusing only on growing national competences in a market that cannot sustain them.” (9/4)
German Space Situation Awareness Startup Project-S Emerges from Stealth (Source: European Spaceflight)
Munich-based space situational awareness startup Project-S has emerged from stealth with what it describes as “multi-million-euro backing.” The company is currently preparing for the first in-orbit demonstration of its active radar. The company’s approach will be to use compact space-based active radar to detect and track objects in orbit.
The company also disclosed that it had already closed a multi-million-euro funding round led by Greek venture capital fund Uni.Fund II. It added that the funding is being supplemented by non-dilutive support from the German government and “ESA-linked public innovation programs.” The exact size of the funding round was not shared. (9/4)
Embry‑Riddle Researcher Measures Waves Generated by Extreme Solar Storm that Wreaked Havoc on Earth (Source: ERAU)
As exceptionally powerful ejections of magnetically charged plasma from the sun called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasted toward Earth in May 2024, two NASA spacecraft formations detected never-before-witnessed solar storm activity. Now, in newly published research, Dr. Katariina Nykyri of Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University has used the data to analyze and describe explosive releases of magnetic energy and high-energy particle bursts occurring along the boundaries of incoming CMEs very close to Earth. (8/18)
Axelspace to Supply Airbus With GRUS Microsatellite Earth-Observation Imagery (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Axelspace has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to provide medium-resolution optical imagery from its GRUS Earth-observation microsatellite constellation. The partnership expands Airbus’ access to commercial imagery for Earth-observation and space-safety services, while giving Axelspace an additional channel to commercialize its data. (9/4)
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