Trump Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science
Funds Mandated by Congress (Source: New York Times)
The National Science Foundation, one of the biggest sources of federal
research funding, withheld $1.4 billion that Congress had intended for
research over the course of the past year, according to internal data.
The extraordinary move — holding back about one-fifth of the NSF’s
primary research budget — is the latest sign of how the Trump
administration is finding creative ways to work around Congress.
Lawmakers from both parties have consistently opposed White House-led
proposals to cut funding to major science agencies, including the NSF,
[NASA] and the National Institutes of Health. Since the NSF was founded
over 75 years ago, the agency has spent nearly all of its budget on
so-called basic research from a wide range of scientific fields, which
has led to major advances in technology
“The money should be granted as Congress intended, and essentially,
they’re ignoring what Congress did,” said Representative Zoe Lofgren
(D-CA) of the Science, Space and Technology Committee. “It’s a dramatic
attack on the science enterprise that has served us very well since
World War II, when this whole system was set up,” Ms. Lofgren added.
(10/2)
Following Ancient Rain Toward the
Origins of Life on Mars (Source: Tohoku)
The Mars we know today is a cold, dry world of dust and rocks. However,
around 3.8-3.6 billion years ago, it may have looked very different.
Geological and mineral evidence suggests that, in its distant past, the
planet experienced periods warm and wet enough for water to exist on
its surface, potentially forming rivers, lakes, and even an ocean in
the northern hemisphere.
Earlier research has also shown that formaldehyde (H₂CO) could have
been produced in the atmosphere of warm early Mars. The importance of
this substance is that once delivered to water, formaldehyde can serve
as a starting material for chemical reactions that produce sugars,
amino acids, and other complex organic molecules - compounds important
to ultimately start life. Yet one major question remained unanswered:
where on Mars would this formaldehyde have actually reached the surface?
To answer this question, a research team led by scientists from Tohoku
University, the Earth-Life Science Institute, and the Institute of
Science Tokyo created a global map showing where atmospheric H₂CO may
have been delivered across the planet during its early history. (10/1)
NASA’s Webb Provides Crash Course on
Planet-Shattering Collisions (Source: NASA)
In the early history of our solar system, scientists theorize that a
Mars-sized object called Theia smashed into the infant Earth,
vaporizing massive amounts of rock and blasting it into space. Some of
that material coalesced into the Moon, where NASA’s Artemis program is
returning humans, preparing for Mars, and shaping the future of space
exploration.
That long-ago, violent collision reshaped our home planet. Astronomers
have used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to examine a class of young
stellar systems that show signs of similar upheavals, providing clues
to the amount of energy in their collisions. The results offer insights
into the composition and evolution of these chaotic systems. (10/1)
Rheinmetall, Argotec Launch First
Satellite for Military Air-Defense Network (Source: Space News)
German defense contractor Rheinmetall and Italian space company Argotec
launched the first satellite developed under a new partnership. The
spacecraft was designed to help military forces spot activity on the
ground that could signal an emerging airborne threat. (10/2)
Scientists Connect Cosmic Fingerprints
of the Universe’s First Stars With MEGATRON Simulation (Source:
Space.com)
Beginning in 2023 and set to run until 2030, MEGATRON uses James Webb
Space Telescope (JWST) data to combine cutting-edge cosmological
simulations with sophisticated models of radiation, chemistry, and
galaxy formation. This allows researchers to investigate how the first
galaxies and the first stars, known as Population III (POP III) stars,
lit the shadows of the cosmic dark ages.
This is an important quest; POP III stars were primarily composed of
hydrogen and helium, the lightest elements, and all that was available
in the universe's infancy. However, during their lives, POP III stars
forged heavier elements, which astronomers call metals. Upon their
supernova deaths, POP III stars distributed elements like nitrogen,
carbon, and oxygen to become the building blocks of the next generation
of stars, their planets, and eventually life itself, be it here on
Earth or anywhere else it exists in the cosmos. (10/3)
Skyroot CEO Pawan Chandana Among
TIME's 100 Most Influential Rising Stars (Source: NDTV)
Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana has been
named to TIME's 2026 TIME100 Next list, which recognises emerging
leaders shaping the future across various fields. Chandana's
recognition comes after Skyroot Aerospace's successful Vikram-I
mission, which marked a significant milestone for India's private space
sector. On July 18, 2026, Vikram-I became the first privately developed
Indian rocket to successfully launch to orbit from Indian soil,
carrying multiple payloads into Low Earth Orbit. (10/3)
NASA Satellites Detect Fires at
Russian Tsymbulova Drone Launch Site (Source: Militarnyi)
Fires on the grounds of the Russian Tsymbulova drone launch site in the
Oryol region were detected by NASA’s FIRMS satellites on the night of
October 3. This was reported by the Telegram channel Falcon Insight.
Most likely, this is the result of strikes by the Ukrainian Defense
Forces, as Russian monitoring channels reported drone activity in the
area that night. (10/3)
Space Force Laying Groundwork To
Connect Future Satellite ‘Enclaves’ As It Prepares for Additional
Launches (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force is on the cusp of launching its next batch of
satellites into low-Earth orbit as officials are laying the groundwork
to connect future “enclaves” of platforms that are expected to pass
critical data to warfighters.
The Space Development Agency over the past year has been building out a
so-called Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) that will
consist of multiple layers of data transport and missile tracking
satellites manufactured by multiple vendors. SDA is planning to add to
it next week with the launch of 21 Northrop Grumman-made birds. The
upcoming launch is about adding capacity to what’s already on orbit.
(10/2)
Thomas Zurbuchen Joins Blue Origin as
SVP of Advanced Concepts (Source: ETHZ)
Over the past three years, Thomas Zurbuchen, Director of ETH Zurich
Space, has had a major impact on space research and education at ETH
Zurich. He is now leaving the university to join US space technology
company Blue Origin. "In my role as Senior Vice President, I will lead
Blue Origin's Advanced Concepts team in the US, which develops
next-generation concepts and systems to advance a sustainable future of
living and working in space. That means we’ll have a major say in what
this space technology company builds next." (10/2)
Whatever Trump Claims, Weaponization
of Space Makes Losers of Us All (Source: SCMP)
Many other states such as China, Russia, Britain, France and Japan have
built dedicated space combat organizations. However, none of them has
publicly acknowledged deploying on-orbit space weapons, unwilling to
face the global backlash against turning outer space into a
battlefield.
Another reason people have refrained from talking about the
weaponization of space is because there is no clear definition of what
constitutes a space weapon. Systems that have a civilian purpose can be
used for military purposes. For example, an ordinary satellite can
instantly turn into an offensive weapon if it extends a robotic arm to
seize other spacecraft.
For nearly two decades, China, Russia and many Global South countries
have called for a legally binding treaty to ban space weaponization
entirely. The US-led Western bloc, however, argues that space
militarization is inevitable, so the world should instead focus on
establishing non-binding “responsible behaviors”. (10/1)
Space Force to Demonstrate GEO
Refueling, Orbit Transfer in Upcoming Demos (Source: Aerospace
America)
The Space Force will test a depot-servicer-client model of operations
in geostationary orbit, says Col. Scott Carstetter. “We view that as a
potential structure that could scale,” he says. First to be launched
are the Tetra-5 client satellites, built by Colorado-based Orion Space
Solutions through a combined SSC-Air Force Research Laboratory program.
The satellites are to expend fuel during separate anomaly resolution
tests before the launch of the other spacecraft: a Provisioner servicer
from Denver-based Astroscale U.S. and a fuel depot from Colorado-based
Orbit Fab. (10/1)
ESA Boss Sees European Human
Spaceflight Taking Decade To Attain (Source: Aviation Week)
Europe would need about a decade to develop an independent human
spaceflight capability, European Space Agency Director General Josef
Aschbacher says as the continent explores whether to make the
investment. The cost of such an effort would be around to €10 billion
($11.2 billion), he said. (9/1)
Virgin Galactic Seat Prices Soar by
$200,000 (Source: Latte Luxury)
Virgin Galactic has quietly bumped up the cost to fly to space on one
of its spaceships to eye-watering $850,000 per seat. And don’t ask when
you’ll actually get into space as the backlogged queue of paying
passengers is in the realms of 700. Also bear in mind, Virgin
Galactic’s most recent spaceflight was over two years ago, and the
first test flights for the new Delta Class aircraft, which will
accommodate up to six paying passengers (instead of four), will now not
launch until February 2027 at the earliest. (10/2)
Canberra Rattles the Tin to Try and
Get Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg Into Space in 2028
(Source: Startup Daily)
Aussie ministers Tim Ayres and Andrew Charlton wrote to the premiers in
August, chasing financial partners for Australia’s first official
astronaut mission, by 2026 Australian of the Year, Katherine
Bennell-Pegg, in early 2028. The letter says the European Space Agency,
where Bennell-Pegg trained, has invited Australia to participate, with
a commitment required by mid-October.
But Canberra’s pitch had mixed response according to the Oz. South
Australia, where she’s based, is keen. NSW has assumed its favourite
position – sitting on its hands and wallet. But the Northern
Territory’s Country Liberal Party lost it, with acting chief minister
Gerard Maley calling the idea “reckless” and “way out of touch”,
telling the government to “come back down to earth”. (10/2)
Kenyan Gov’t Issues Update on Proposed
Spaceport Project (Source: Nairobi Leo)
Kenya has provided an update on plans to develop a proposed spaceport,
with the Government moving ahead with a feasibility study. In a
statement on Thursday, Directorate of Public-Private Partnership
Director General Kefa Seda said the development is being pursued as
part of efforts to position Kenya to participate more actively in the
global space economy. Seda said the government had taken another step
towards advancing the project through the signing of a funding
agreement to support the feasibility study.
The feasibility study will examine the proposed spaceport's viability,
investment requirements and commercial prospects before the Government
proceeds with the selection of a private sector partner. Seda said
Kenya's geographic location and existing infrastructure along the coast
could support the development of commercial launch operations. (10/1)
‘Every State in the Country Has Taken
Interest’ in Proposed U.S. Space Academy, NASA Administrator Says
(Source: Bay News 9)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says there has been wide interest
from states seeking to become the home of President Donald Trump’s
proposed U.S. Space Academy. "I would say every state in the country
has taken interest in this. Everyone is very excited to have a Space
Academy in their backyard." (10/1)
As US Relations Fray, Canada Gets
Serious About Sovereign Launch, Now with Bigger Rockets (Source:
Ars Technica)
A year or two ago, a few Canadian launch companies were trying to
develop small rockets, but if we’re being frank, the industry was not
particularly notable. But then the Trump Administration started
threatening and instituting tariffs. There was talk of making Canada
the 51st state. And pretty much every Canadian I know began telling me
how enraged they were at their neighbors to the south. It’s hard to
blame them.
This has led the Canadian government to reassess all manner of areas
where it had previously been happy to rely largely on the US government
and American companies for goods and services. This included sovereign
access to space. Small-class rockets were being planned, but now the
Canadian Rocket Company has shifted to a larger one.
“From a technical perspective and an infrastructure perspective,
essentially 90 percent of everything you do on that light lift piece
gets thrown out the window, and it’s almost like a net new program,”
Hugh Kolias said. “And everyone said, if you’re not going to try to
commercialize light lift, then why even do it in the first place? And
that kind of hit us relatively hard.” So the company set its sights
higher: developing the R-2 rocket, a fairly standard medium-lift
vehicle that in renderings somewhat resembles SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
(10/1)
Venus’ Mysterious Haze is Actually
Cosmic Dust (Source: Ars Technica)
Venus is shrouded in a veil of mystery. The yellowish “lower haze” at
the bottom of its atmosphere was discovered by the Venera and Pioneer
Venus probes in the 1970s. These spacecraft were some of the first to
successfully send images of the planet back to Earth, but the haze they
saw went unexplained for decades. Now the mystery Venus was keeping has
been unveiled. What nobody knew then was that the haze is an
accumulation of particles from meteorites. (10/1)
Critics Malign Elon Musk's Return To
Trump Administration (Sources: Yahoo! News, Spectrum News)
Fear, mockery and confusion were among the reactions to Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to install Elon Musk as the co-leader of
a project to study the future of warfare. "Project Meridian" will be
led by the owner of X as well as Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer
Luckey and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA). Pentagon
technology chief Emil Michael will oversee them.
According to Hegseth, the project will focus on "discovering,
developing and fielding" the weapons systems of the future that U.S.
troops may need on battlefields ranging "from under the Earth to beyond
the moon." Musk's inclusion in another recent unofficial Trump
administration role drew much criticism. He infamously oversaw the
Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which conducted the
largest peacetime reduction of the federal workforce on record, even as
government spending continued to rise.
According to one critic: "Elon Musk is now in charge of the future of
warfare. That's a massive, massive, massive concern." Another concern
is Musk's potential to tilt election outcomes for the November 2026
midterms. Musk has committed between $100 million to $120 million to
boost Republican candidates and voter turnout, and is said to have
boasted of his under-the-radar (and potentially unethical) influence in
2024's elections. (10/1)
California Gets a New Eye in the Sky
to Track Planet-Warming Methane (Source: LA Times)
California got its second satellite tuned to spot a powerful climate
pollutant Thursday when it launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
Lompoc. Pasadena-based nonprofit Carbon Mapper, which partners with the
state, can now check twice as often for climate-heating methane plumes,
improving the emerging picture of this invisible gas. (10/1)
Chinese Rocket Firm, Disease Research
Lab Plan Space Pharmaceutical Payloads (Source: Xinhua)
China's commercial rocket company CAS Space announced that it joined
hands with the Guangzhou Laboratory to carry out collaborative research
and development on space pharmaceutical payloads, with a plan of a
suborbital flight validation by a reusable spacecraft in 2027. The
first group of payloads is planned to fly aboard the company's
Lihong-2, a reusable launch vehicle. It will conduct protein and
small-molecule drug crystallization experiments as well as early
technical validation of space pharmaceutical equipment, the company
said.
The laboratory is dedicated to studying respiratory diseases and their
prevention and control. Under the collaboration, the lab will raise
scientific questions around drug crystallization and handle
experimental design, sample management, ground control and result
analysis. According to Xu Qiang, modern medicine has substantial demand
for higher-quality structural data, more stable drug crystal forms,
disease models that more closely resemble the human body and more
efficient screening tools. The space environment may provide new ways
to address some of these challenges. (10/1)
Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement
2026 Awarded to CosmoAmautas (Source: EuroPlanet)
The 2026 Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement has been awarded to
CosmoAmautas, a Peruvian non-profit association that uses planetary
science and astronomy as a gateway to spark curiosity and bring
scientific opportunities to children and young students across Peru. Dr
Gabriela Calistro Rivera received the prize on behalf of CosmoAmautas
at the recent Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC2026) in The Hague and
gave a public lecture about the work of the association. The prize is
accompanied by a cash award of 1000 Euros. (10/1)
Space Exploration Should Learn From
Deep Sea Technology (Source: Space News)
When human astronauts reach the moon again and eventually reach Mars,
will treks by foot in a spacesuit be necessary? Prioritizing missions
with remote-operated and other vehicles may help reduce the risks and
potential injuries of moving in a spacesuit, according to Dennis
Meredith.
"Astronauts would be more productive if they didn’t have to spend time
donning, doffing, cleaning and servicing spacesuits," he wrote. "They
would experience less fatigue and a lower risk of injuries if they
spent their exploration time in a comfortable shirtsleeve environment.
Less energy expended would mean lower consumption of oxygen, water and
food." (10/2)
October 3, 2026
Oman Spaceport Witnesses a Successful
Test Launch of Azad Dreamer Rocket (Source: Times of Oman)
The "Etlaq" spaceport in Duqm successfully conducted a trial launch of the Azad Dreamer rocket as part of the Karman X1 space mission. The 4.3-metre-long rocket, weighing 26 kg, was launched from the spaceport and followed a stable upward trajectory, with flight data accurately transmitted to the mission control center. The rocket reached its designated target altitude within the test range.
The mission was not intended to reach space, but focused on testing the launch process, rocket performance during flight, and the technologies and systems used in the mission. Karman X1 marks the second successful launch conducted from the Duqm spaceport, following the successful Duqm-1 launch in December 2024. (10/3)
NASA Taps 16 Firms for $1.4B Enterprise Logistics Support Pact (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded 16 prime positions on a potential $1.4 billion blanket purchase agreement that brings most of the logistics services it buys from industry into a single consolidated mechanism, replacing 10 separate center-level contracts. Under the Enterprise Logistics Support Services (ELSS) agreements, awardees will compete for orders covering equipment and property management, transportation, disposal, product support, flight hardware support operations, equipment maintenance and repair, export control, move operations, and flight hardware and other material purchases.
The pact was awarded through OASIS+, the GSA's government-wide vehicle for professional services that aren't IT-centric, and NASA may use firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, labor-hour, or hybrid contract types. Work runs over an initial five-year base ordering period, followed by up to three option years and a possible six-month extension, with the base period open through Sep. 30, 2031.
The awardees are Akima Facilities Operations, Akima Global Logistics, Alutiiq Operations Services, ASR International, ASRC Federal Administrative Services, ASRC Federal Professional Services, IAP World Services, KBR Wyle Services, Leidos, LogiCore, Prime Response, S&K Applied Solutions, TechTrans International, Tetra Tech, TRAX International, and Yulista Support Services. Notably, seven of the 16 are subsidiaries of Alaska Native Corporations. (10/2)
Canadian Center for Space Isotopes launches in Toronto (Source: SpaceQ)
The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) has launched the Canadian Center for Space Isotopes in Toronto, a group that will study how Canada can become a leader in supplying the radioactive isotopes that power deep-space probes. The institute is a member-based not-for-profit that works on nuclear and clean energy. The center will run research, policy work and industry meetings through 2030, with a report on the opportunity to make Canada a leader in space isotopes due in early 2027. (10/2)
Berkowitz Out at DoD Space Policy Office (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Pentagon has quietly replaced Marc Berkowitz as space policy czar, with his former deputy Michael Gancio now serving as acting assistant secretary. Gancio has a background in intelligence, according to his official DoD biography, most recently serving as an advisor to Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR. The decision wasn’t formally announced, although two sources said he left the position on Wednesday.
Sources inside and outside of the Pentagon said that Berkowitz resigned. Government and industry sources have said that Berkowitz, who has had a long space-oriented career in both government and industry, had clashed with his boss, Elbridge Colby, on more than one occasion. “From what I have been told, Colby doesn’t care about space so it has been frustrating,” one industry consultant with Pentagon ties said. (10/2)
What Space Travel Teaches Us About Sleep and Circadian Rhythms (Source: The Conversation)
Research in chronobiology and sleep science has demonstrated that carefully guiding astronaut schedules around exercise, meals, tailored lighting and work scheduling can help offset some of the negative effects of sleep loss and circadian disruption. Artificial lighting can also be controlled to provide more appropriate environmental cues.
But there is a catch: giving astronauts time to sleep does not necessarily mean they will sleep. Astronauts have traditionally been given around eight and a half hours of sleep opportunity on each day of spaceflight. But research across different types of mission suggests they often obtain only about six to six and a half hours.
Repeated night after night, that gap becomes chronic sleep restriction. Research aboard the International Space Station has linked daily sleep patterns of six hours or less with measurable reductions in vigilant attention – the ability to notice and respond reliably to important information. In an environment where a missed signal could have serious consequences, sleep is not simply a matter of comfort – it is part of mission safety. (10/2)
Suborbital Space Tour Listed on China's Trip.com (Source: China Daily)
Chinese travel group Trip.com has listed a 5.1 million yuan ($760,000) suborbital space tourism package on its platform, marking a direct effort by Western commercial space operators to tap high-net-worth travelers in China. The six-day luxury itinerary, which was revealed in mid-September, is offered through HHtravel, Trip.com's high-end customized tour subsidiary, in partnership with spaceflight company Virgin Galactic, headquartered in the United States.
In the package, clients will undergo three days of preflight training at Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico. On the fifth day, passengers board Virgin Galactic's air-launched spacecraft for a 90-minute suborbital flight, experiencing several minutes of weightlessness and views of the curvature of the Earth. The package price covers preflight training, ground transport, luxury accommodation in the US, custom spacesuits and commemorative flight footage. (10/3)
NASA Directive Might Increase the Odds of Contaminating Mars (Source: Scientific American)
A new NASA directive seeks to loosen “planetary protection” rules meant to avoid the contamination other worlds with microbial life from Earth. The policy shift arrived via a message to NASA personnel that was obtained and shared yesterday by the independent watchdog sites NASA Watch and Astrobiology.com.
In it, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman writes that procedures for avoiding contamination “must reflect our current scientific knowledge” and argues that this knowledge has shifted since the current rules were established decades ago. The directive “ensures we can use our incredible data to lower costs on our missions,” says Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This process will also help increase commercial capabilities—getting more missions into space by streamlining space exploration.” (10/2)
SES and Sky Extend Direct-to-Home Satellite Capacity Agreement Across UK and Ireland (Source: SatNews)
On Wednesday, SES announced a multi-year extension of its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite capacity agreement with European media and connectivity provider Sky. The renewal extends the long-standing commercial relationship between the two entities into the next decade, ensuring continuous video transmission and broadcast distribution services across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. (10/2)
Over 150 'New Start' DoD Programs Face Delay Under a CR (Source: Breaking Defense)
The federal government rang in a new fiscal year on Thursday, and, as has been the norm for years, the government will now be operating under a continuing resolution (CR). And if there’s one thing military leaders like to remind everyone about, at every opportunity, it’s that a CR means the Pentagon cannot begin funding new programs, also known as “new starts,” at a time when the department is pursuing novel technologies.
Breaking Defense reached out to the Pentagon and the services to ask for details on new starts that will be impacted by the CR, but a list was not provided by press time. New starts are listed as such in the fiscal 2027 budget request, and a search under that phrase of both procurement and research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) budget documents turned up over 150 results.
“The Pentagon — the senior leadership, OSD [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] — keeps insisting they’re going to get $350 billion dollars in reconciliation. They will not, and they keep insisting they’re going to get more than $100 billion in a supplemental. I think that is very unlikely as long as the war continues,” says Sen. Chris Coons (D-CT). “And so there is likely to be somewhere between a $500 [billion] and $700 billion gap between what the Pentagon is planning on and continuing to insist on, and what they will actually get in appropriations.” (10/1)
HyImpulse Secures Scottish Launch License (Source: DPA)
A German rocket company has been granted a launch licence by UK regulators, as it plans to blast off from a spaceport in the Shetland Islands, off the coast of northern Scotland, early next year. HyImpulse, which builds commercial rockets, received its UK launch operator licence on Thursday from the Civil Aviation Authority. It is hoped HyImpulse will now be able to launch its SR75 suborbital vehicle in spring 2027. (10/1)
UAE Unveils Probe for its Most Ambitious Asteroid Mission (Source: Flight Global)
The United Arab Emirates has publicly revealed the probe for its MRB Explorer asteroid mission, describing the project as a significant turning point in the country’s effort to become a leading spacefaring nation. The unveiling marks a prominent step in the UAE’s expanding space ambitions. (10/2)
Satlyt Raises $8M Seed to Expand Its Virtual ODC Network (Source: Payload)
While investors pour billions of dollars into orbital-data-center (ODC) concepts that require new feats of engineering, Satlyt’s virtual ODC network is already flying above us—and growing rapidly. The startup—with joint headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and Sunnyvale, CA—unveiled a $8M seed round today to expand its team and its virtual ODC network. (10/1)
NASA Squeezed Treasury, Vibe Coded, and Broke the Mold in Bid to Save Swift (Source: Ars Technica)
An attempt to save NASA’s $500 million Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from dropping out of orbit fell short, but the behind-the-scenes machinations required just to make a rescue possible deserve recognition, government and commercial space officials said in a recounting of the mission. The rescue mission was developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, working under a $30 million contract awarded by NASA.
NASA and Katalyst officials are reviewing lessons learned from the mission to better prepare for the next time they need to rapidly call up a satellite rescue mission. First and foremost: Don’t wait until the last minute, said Shawn Domagal-Goldman. Katalyst quickly put out orders to suppliers for all the parts required to assemble the Link spacecraft. In some cases, Katalyst found its suppliers couldn’t deliver in time, so it decided to build parts itself. Engineers also had to decide what to test on the spacecraft before handing it over to the launch provider, Northrop Grumman.
NASA’s strategy was to tell Katalyst what to do, but not how to do it. “On paper, it was five requirements,” said Kieran Wilson, principal investigator for the Link mission at Katalyst. “In practice, it boiled down to do no harm and boost Swift. It was not specified how that was going to happen. That allowed us, in turn, to put engineering judgment ahead of exhaustive process, which allowed us to move much more quickly.” (10/1)
Norwegian Government Proposes Paying for Second Andøya Launch Pad (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Norwegian government plans to invest almost NOK 650 million (almost €60 million) to build a second orbital launch pad at Andøya Spaceport. The state will own the pad and lease it to Andøya Space, the commercial operator of the orbital launch facility. (10/1)
Skyrora Shifts Orbital Launch Timeline to 2030 (Source: Payload)
First-mover advantage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—at least, that’s the thought process for UK launch startup Skyrora. The company announced this week that it completed a 45-second hotfire test of a scaled-down version of the engine that will power the first stage of Skyrora’s orbital Skylark XL rocket. The test will inform the company’s development of the larger 70 kN engine, and Skyrora will use the data to make upgrades on the engine interface, firing operations, and tank design, according to COO Jack-James Marlow.
While Skyrora is working toward a potential second flight of its suborbital Skylark L2 vehicle next year, Marlow told Payload Skyrora is “tentatively aiming for 2030 for orbital launch.” Its a big jump from last year’s projection, when Skyrora told Payload it could optimistically attempt an orbital flight as early as Q4 2026. (10/2)
Google Launches Satellite Carrying AI Chips to Test Artificial Intelligence in Space (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Google has launched a satellite carrying several of the company’s AI chips, beginning an effort to determine whether advanced computing can operate in orbit. The mission will test the performance and practicality of running AI hardware in the space environment. (10/2)
Canada Rocket Company to Build $30 Million Methalox Engine Test Facility in Ontario (Source: NSF)
Canada Rocket Company plans to develop Canada’s first large-scale rocket engine test facility at London International Airport. The $30 million complex will support static-fire testing of the company’s methalox engines as it works toward a reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. (10/1)
Inside Isaacman’s Washington Plays (Source: Politico)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s latest moves to build political cachet in the GOP — while unusual — could benefit an agency that lacks a Cabinet-level voice. The administrator attended a high-profile luncheon this week at the White House with the country’s most notable tech executives. And new regulatory filings show he’s donated millions to Trump’s super PAC this summer, MAGA Inc. — $1 million in June and $2 million in August — plus another half-a-million earlier this year to the Senate GOP super PAC.
Those moves, while atypical for a sitting head of the space agency, could benefit NASA. The push comes as Isaacman seeks top-level buy-in for key space programs — including a moon landing and a lunar outpost. But the spending could spell trouble if Democrats retake a chamber next year. (10/2)
The "Etlaq" spaceport in Duqm successfully conducted a trial launch of the Azad Dreamer rocket as part of the Karman X1 space mission. The 4.3-metre-long rocket, weighing 26 kg, was launched from the spaceport and followed a stable upward trajectory, with flight data accurately transmitted to the mission control center. The rocket reached its designated target altitude within the test range.
The mission was not intended to reach space, but focused on testing the launch process, rocket performance during flight, and the technologies and systems used in the mission. Karman X1 marks the second successful launch conducted from the Duqm spaceport, following the successful Duqm-1 launch in December 2024. (10/3)
NASA Taps 16 Firms for $1.4B Enterprise Logistics Support Pact (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded 16 prime positions on a potential $1.4 billion blanket purchase agreement that brings most of the logistics services it buys from industry into a single consolidated mechanism, replacing 10 separate center-level contracts. Under the Enterprise Logistics Support Services (ELSS) agreements, awardees will compete for orders covering equipment and property management, transportation, disposal, product support, flight hardware support operations, equipment maintenance and repair, export control, move operations, and flight hardware and other material purchases.
The pact was awarded through OASIS+, the GSA's government-wide vehicle for professional services that aren't IT-centric, and NASA may use firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, labor-hour, or hybrid contract types. Work runs over an initial five-year base ordering period, followed by up to three option years and a possible six-month extension, with the base period open through Sep. 30, 2031.
The awardees are Akima Facilities Operations, Akima Global Logistics, Alutiiq Operations Services, ASR International, ASRC Federal Administrative Services, ASRC Federal Professional Services, IAP World Services, KBR Wyle Services, Leidos, LogiCore, Prime Response, S&K Applied Solutions, TechTrans International, Tetra Tech, TRAX International, and Yulista Support Services. Notably, seven of the 16 are subsidiaries of Alaska Native Corporations. (10/2)
Canadian Center for Space Isotopes launches in Toronto (Source: SpaceQ)
The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) has launched the Canadian Center for Space Isotopes in Toronto, a group that will study how Canada can become a leader in supplying the radioactive isotopes that power deep-space probes. The institute is a member-based not-for-profit that works on nuclear and clean energy. The center will run research, policy work and industry meetings through 2030, with a report on the opportunity to make Canada a leader in space isotopes due in early 2027. (10/2)
Berkowitz Out at DoD Space Policy Office (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Pentagon has quietly replaced Marc Berkowitz as space policy czar, with his former deputy Michael Gancio now serving as acting assistant secretary. Gancio has a background in intelligence, according to his official DoD biography, most recently serving as an advisor to Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR. The decision wasn’t formally announced, although two sources said he left the position on Wednesday.
Sources inside and outside of the Pentagon said that Berkowitz resigned. Government and industry sources have said that Berkowitz, who has had a long space-oriented career in both government and industry, had clashed with his boss, Elbridge Colby, on more than one occasion. “From what I have been told, Colby doesn’t care about space so it has been frustrating,” one industry consultant with Pentagon ties said. (10/2)
What Space Travel Teaches Us About Sleep and Circadian Rhythms (Source: The Conversation)
Research in chronobiology and sleep science has demonstrated that carefully guiding astronaut schedules around exercise, meals, tailored lighting and work scheduling can help offset some of the negative effects of sleep loss and circadian disruption. Artificial lighting can also be controlled to provide more appropriate environmental cues.
But there is a catch: giving astronauts time to sleep does not necessarily mean they will sleep. Astronauts have traditionally been given around eight and a half hours of sleep opportunity on each day of spaceflight. But research across different types of mission suggests they often obtain only about six to six and a half hours.
Repeated night after night, that gap becomes chronic sleep restriction. Research aboard the International Space Station has linked daily sleep patterns of six hours or less with measurable reductions in vigilant attention – the ability to notice and respond reliably to important information. In an environment where a missed signal could have serious consequences, sleep is not simply a matter of comfort – it is part of mission safety. (10/2)
Suborbital Space Tour Listed on China's Trip.com (Source: China Daily)
Chinese travel group Trip.com has listed a 5.1 million yuan ($760,000) suborbital space tourism package on its platform, marking a direct effort by Western commercial space operators to tap high-net-worth travelers in China. The six-day luxury itinerary, which was revealed in mid-September, is offered through HHtravel, Trip.com's high-end customized tour subsidiary, in partnership with spaceflight company Virgin Galactic, headquartered in the United States.
In the package, clients will undergo three days of preflight training at Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico. On the fifth day, passengers board Virgin Galactic's air-launched spacecraft for a 90-minute suborbital flight, experiencing several minutes of weightlessness and views of the curvature of the Earth. The package price covers preflight training, ground transport, luxury accommodation in the US, custom spacesuits and commemorative flight footage. (10/3)
NASA Directive Might Increase the Odds of Contaminating Mars (Source: Scientific American)
A new NASA directive seeks to loosen “planetary protection” rules meant to avoid the contamination other worlds with microbial life from Earth. The policy shift arrived via a message to NASA personnel that was obtained and shared yesterday by the independent watchdog sites NASA Watch and Astrobiology.com.
In it, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman writes that procedures for avoiding contamination “must reflect our current scientific knowledge” and argues that this knowledge has shifted since the current rules were established decades ago. The directive “ensures we can use our incredible data to lower costs on our missions,” says Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This process will also help increase commercial capabilities—getting more missions into space by streamlining space exploration.” (10/2)
SES and Sky Extend Direct-to-Home Satellite Capacity Agreement Across UK and Ireland (Source: SatNews)
On Wednesday, SES announced a multi-year extension of its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite capacity agreement with European media and connectivity provider Sky. The renewal extends the long-standing commercial relationship between the two entities into the next decade, ensuring continuous video transmission and broadcast distribution services across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. (10/2)
Over 150 'New Start' DoD Programs Face Delay Under a CR (Source: Breaking Defense)
The federal government rang in a new fiscal year on Thursday, and, as has been the norm for years, the government will now be operating under a continuing resolution (CR). And if there’s one thing military leaders like to remind everyone about, at every opportunity, it’s that a CR means the Pentagon cannot begin funding new programs, also known as “new starts,” at a time when the department is pursuing novel technologies.
Breaking Defense reached out to the Pentagon and the services to ask for details on new starts that will be impacted by the CR, but a list was not provided by press time. New starts are listed as such in the fiscal 2027 budget request, and a search under that phrase of both procurement and research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) budget documents turned up over 150 results.
“The Pentagon — the senior leadership, OSD [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] — keeps insisting they’re going to get $350 billion dollars in reconciliation. They will not, and they keep insisting they’re going to get more than $100 billion in a supplemental. I think that is very unlikely as long as the war continues,” says Sen. Chris Coons (D-CT). “And so there is likely to be somewhere between a $500 [billion] and $700 billion gap between what the Pentagon is planning on and continuing to insist on, and what they will actually get in appropriations.” (10/1)
HyImpulse Secures Scottish Launch License (Source: DPA)
A German rocket company has been granted a launch licence by UK regulators, as it plans to blast off from a spaceport in the Shetland Islands, off the coast of northern Scotland, early next year. HyImpulse, which builds commercial rockets, received its UK launch operator licence on Thursday from the Civil Aviation Authority. It is hoped HyImpulse will now be able to launch its SR75 suborbital vehicle in spring 2027. (10/1)
UAE Unveils Probe for its Most Ambitious Asteroid Mission (Source: Flight Global)
The United Arab Emirates has publicly revealed the probe for its MRB Explorer asteroid mission, describing the project as a significant turning point in the country’s effort to become a leading spacefaring nation. The unveiling marks a prominent step in the UAE’s expanding space ambitions. (10/2)
Satlyt Raises $8M Seed to Expand Its Virtual ODC Network (Source: Payload)
While investors pour billions of dollars into orbital-data-center (ODC) concepts that require new feats of engineering, Satlyt’s virtual ODC network is already flying above us—and growing rapidly. The startup—with joint headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and Sunnyvale, CA—unveiled a $8M seed round today to expand its team and its virtual ODC network. (10/1)
NASA Squeezed Treasury, Vibe Coded, and Broke the Mold in Bid to Save Swift (Source: Ars Technica)
An attempt to save NASA’s $500 million Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from dropping out of orbit fell short, but the behind-the-scenes machinations required just to make a rescue possible deserve recognition, government and commercial space officials said in a recounting of the mission. The rescue mission was developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, working under a $30 million contract awarded by NASA.
NASA and Katalyst officials are reviewing lessons learned from the mission to better prepare for the next time they need to rapidly call up a satellite rescue mission. First and foremost: Don’t wait until the last minute, said Shawn Domagal-Goldman. Katalyst quickly put out orders to suppliers for all the parts required to assemble the Link spacecraft. In some cases, Katalyst found its suppliers couldn’t deliver in time, so it decided to build parts itself. Engineers also had to decide what to test on the spacecraft before handing it over to the launch provider, Northrop Grumman.
NASA’s strategy was to tell Katalyst what to do, but not how to do it. “On paper, it was five requirements,” said Kieran Wilson, principal investigator for the Link mission at Katalyst. “In practice, it boiled down to do no harm and boost Swift. It was not specified how that was going to happen. That allowed us, in turn, to put engineering judgment ahead of exhaustive process, which allowed us to move much more quickly.” (10/1)
Norwegian Government Proposes Paying for Second Andøya Launch Pad (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Norwegian government plans to invest almost NOK 650 million (almost €60 million) to build a second orbital launch pad at Andøya Spaceport. The state will own the pad and lease it to Andøya Space, the commercial operator of the orbital launch facility. (10/1)
Skyrora Shifts Orbital Launch Timeline to 2030 (Source: Payload)
First-mover advantage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—at least, that’s the thought process for UK launch startup Skyrora. The company announced this week that it completed a 45-second hotfire test of a scaled-down version of the engine that will power the first stage of Skyrora’s orbital Skylark XL rocket. The test will inform the company’s development of the larger 70 kN engine, and Skyrora will use the data to make upgrades on the engine interface, firing operations, and tank design, according to COO Jack-James Marlow.
While Skyrora is working toward a potential second flight of its suborbital Skylark L2 vehicle next year, Marlow told Payload Skyrora is “tentatively aiming for 2030 for orbital launch.” Its a big jump from last year’s projection, when Skyrora told Payload it could optimistically attempt an orbital flight as early as Q4 2026. (10/2)
Google Launches Satellite Carrying AI Chips to Test Artificial Intelligence in Space (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Google has launched a satellite carrying several of the company’s AI chips, beginning an effort to determine whether advanced computing can operate in orbit. The mission will test the performance and practicality of running AI hardware in the space environment. (10/2)
Canada Rocket Company to Build $30 Million Methalox Engine Test Facility in Ontario (Source: NSF)
Canada Rocket Company plans to develop Canada’s first large-scale rocket engine test facility at London International Airport. The $30 million complex will support static-fire testing of the company’s methalox engines as it works toward a reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. (10/1)
Inside Isaacman’s Washington Plays (Source: Politico)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s latest moves to build political cachet in the GOP — while unusual — could benefit an agency that lacks a Cabinet-level voice. The administrator attended a high-profile luncheon this week at the White House with the country’s most notable tech executives. And new regulatory filings show he’s donated millions to Trump’s super PAC this summer, MAGA Inc. — $1 million in June and $2 million in August — plus another half-a-million earlier this year to the Senate GOP super PAC.
Those moves, while atypical for a sitting head of the space agency, could benefit NASA. The push comes as Isaacman seeks top-level buy-in for key space programs — including a moon landing and a lunar outpost. But the spending could spell trouble if Democrats retake a chamber next year. (10/2)
October 2, 2026
SpaceX Launches ISS Crew on Thursday
Express Flight From Florida (Source: Space News)
A new crew is on the ISS after an express flight there Thursday. A Falcon 9 lifted off Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, placing a Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit on the Crew-13 mission for NASA. The Dragon docked with the ISS less than eight hours later, at 7:05 p.m. Eastern. That is the shortest transit time to the ISS for an American spacecraft. The mission was scheduled to launch in mid-September but was delayed by an oxidizer leak on the Crew Dragon that required surgical-like repairs to replace a valve. Crew-13 delivered to the ISS two NASA astronauts, one Roscosmos cosmonaut, and a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, the first from that agency to go there since 2019. (10/2)
Five Falcon Boosters Launched in Triple-Header Thursday (Sources: Space News, Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX's second launch of the day Thursday was a Falcon 9 rideshare mission. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:32 p.m. Eastern on the Transporter-18 mission. There were 130 payloads on the flight, SpaceX said, a total that includes hosted payloads and satellites that will be deployed later from orbital transfer vehicles. Demand for rideshare missions like the Transporter series remains high even as SpaceX moves to end such flights, as well as commercial Falcon 9 missions in general, in the next few years.
SpaceX completed its launch tripleheader Thursday with a classified Falcon Heavy launch. The Falcon Heavy lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:54 p.m. Eastern. The rocket was flying its first mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, designated NROL-97, but the NRO did not disclose details about the payload. The launch used the same side boosters as the previous Falcon Heavy launch, of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a little more than a month ago. (10/3)
Iceye and Nokia Team on Broadband Constellations (Source: Space News)
Iceye and Nokia are teaming up to develop sovereign broadband constellations. The two Finnish companies said Thursday they would work together to offer government customers a complete low Earth orbit system that would also include the ruggedized user terminals needed to support missions such as defense, border security, emergency services and disaster response. Iceye brings satellite expertise from its work on radar-imaging spacecraft while Nokia aims to leverage the terrestrial tactical networking technologies it has doubled down on after exiting the consumer handset market. The companies plan to launch the first broadband satellites in 2028 but did not comment on potential customers and spectrum arrangements. (10/2)
Space Force Retires DSP Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Space Force has retired a Cold War-era missile-warning satellite program after a final exercise. The service said Thursday that the final two Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites took part in U.S. Space Command's Apollo Maneuvers exercise in September, where crews repositioned the aging spacecraft before sending them to supersynchronous disposal orbits. During the exercise, crews from the 2nd Space Warning Squadron demonstrated what the service described as "dynamic on-orbit maneuvers" with two DSP satellites before their retirement. The timing offered Space Command a chance to use satellites that were already headed for disposal. The Pentagon launched 23 DSP satellites between 1970 and 2007, with the final two spacecraft launched in 2004 and 2007. (10/2)
Europe Plans $27 Billion Investment in Military Satellite Program (Source: Space News)
European governments are preparing to invest up to 24 billion euros ($27 billion) on a joint military satellite project called SPACE. The Council of the European Union formally approved the SPACE project Monday as one of the first five European Defense Projects of Common Interest under the European Defense Industry Program. SPACE will involve participation from 20 countries, including 18 EU member states, Norway and Ukraine. The project covers space-based early warning; satellite communications; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; positioning, navigation and timing; navigation warfare and responsive space systems. Separately, 15 EU nations agreed this week on an initiative to jointly access and share data used to track and characterize objects in orbit. (10/2)
L3Harris to Provide Satellite-to-Aircraft Comms Under $462 Million Space Force Contract (Source: Space News)
The Space Force has finalized a contract with L3Harris to provide commercial satellite communications aboard executive aircraft used by senior U.S. government and military leaders. The $461.9 million contract, announced Wednesday, is substantially larger than a preliminary $77.1 million agreement awarded to L3Harris in March. It covers satellite connectivity for the executive airlift fleet through October 2028. L3Harris will manage connectivity across commercial satellite networks operating in different orbits and frequency bands, giving the aircraft access to multiple sources of satellite communications. (10/2)
Satisfaction After Starship Orbital Test (Source: Space News)
Both SpaceX and outside analysts appear largely satisfied with the latest Starship test flight. The Flight 14 mission on Monday was the first Starship to reach orbit, although the vehicle suffered some engine failures and returned to Earth after about three hours, rather than the 10-hour mission originally planned. SpaceX executives said this week the flight went "extremely well" but did not provide specifics about the schedule and plans for the next flight, which could include the first attempt to recover the Starship upper stage back at Starbase. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said earlier this week that he expects Starship to be flying once or twice a week next year, although in an earnings call in August he promised daily Starship missions. (10/2)
China Needs 31 More Launches to Meet 100-Launch 2026 Goal (Source: Space News)
China has plans for a busy fourth quarter of launches. With a goal of more than 100 launches in 2026, China would need to conduct at least 31 in the final three months of the year to achieve that milestone. Among the major missions planned in the fourth quarter is the next crewed mission to the Tiangong station, Shenzhou-24, in November. Possible debut launches include Orienspace's Gravity-2, iSpace's Hyperbola-3 with a first stage recovery attempt, and Zhihang-1 from Zenk Space, which earlier aimed for a launch in June. Numerous launches for the Guowang and Qianfan constellations are expected as well. (10/2)
Overview Energy and Virtus Solis Advance Space-Based Solar Power (Source: Space News)
Two recent contracts signal a resurgence of interest in space-based solar power. Overview Energy, a company that plans to collect solar energy and beam it to Earth using near-infrared lasers, said it won a contract from the Pentagon's Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund to develop a beacon for ground stations to guide those laser transmissions. Another startup, Virtus Solis, said it signed an agreement with a data-center startup to sell it 100 megawatts of power from its future space solar power systems. Officials from both the space and energy industries said the growing demand for power from data centers, along with technological advances in space solar power, makes the concept more feasible. (10/2)
UK's Foundational Gains $11 Million for Satellite Laser Ranging (Source: Space News)
A British startup has plans to commercialize a decades-old technology for tracking satellites. Foundational emerged from stealth Thursday with $11 million in funding to develop satellite laser ranging (SLR) technologies for commercial applications. SLR, which uses lasers from the ground to precisely measure satellite positions in orbit, has been used since the 1960s but has largely been limited to government programs given its high cost. Foundational is planning a network of autonomous, low-cost SLR stations to make the service commercially viable. (10/2)
Thruster Fails on Japan's Hayabusa2 (Source: Jiji Press)
An electric thruster on Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has malfunctioned. The thruster, the only one of four on the spacecraft that was still working, broke down in August, and attempts to restore it have failed. The Japanese space agency JAXA plans to use subsystems from the other three thrusters, which were used earlier in the mission and have since degraded, for the thruster that has malfunctioned in the hopes of restoring it. Hayabusa2 is in an extended mission since returning asteroid samples to Earth in 2020, and needs to get the thruster restored so it can continue to maneuver towards another asteroid, 1998 KY26, in 2031. (10/2)
Portugal's Omnidea Acquires Orbex’s UK Manufacturing Assets and IP (Source: Omnidea)
European space technology group Omnidea has acquired the UK-based manufacturing assets and intellectual property of Orbex. Omnidea will establish its UK operations at Orbex’s former manufacturing facility in Forres, Scotland. An initial team of ex-Orbex employees will join the business, with Omnidea planning to recruit further as the operation develops.
Omnidea was already working alongside Orbex as a partner in the European Space Agency’s European Launcher Challenge (ELC) and has been developing its own suborbital launcher program with ESA for the past four years. The Scottish operation will become Omnidea’s center for structures development and fabrication and a hub for flight and ground-system electronics, complementing the Group’s existing expertise in propulsion, fluid systems and other critical space technologies. (10/1)
FAA Order on Airspace Safety Management and Space Operations (Source: FAA)
The FAA issued an order that establishes the safety management policy and requirements for the entire agency to create a unified Safety Management System and improve its ability to proactively identify hazards and manage risk in the National Airspace System (NAS). This includes space transport launch and reentry operations that may affect aircraft, air traffic operations, aviation users, aviation infrastructure, or FAA-provided NAS services.
The order applies to FAA-licensed commercial space operations and to those authorized by NASA, DoD, and other federal agencies. The order also requires the FAA to continue its development and implementation of new procedures and technologies to facilitate integration of increasing numbers of space operations into the NAS. The improvements will increase safety and efficiency and will be completed within the required one-year transition period. (10/1)
FAA Advances Licensing of Relativity Ops at Cape Canaveral Spaceport with Maximum Cadence of 24 Launches Per Year (Source: FAA)
The FAA is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) to support the issuance of a vehicle operator license to Relativity Space, to conduct Terran R launch operations at Launch Complex 16 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The Space Force was the lead agency in the preparation of the 2024 Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Terran R Space Launch Program at the spaceport.
The Proposed Action modifies launch and testing capabilities within Relativity’s existing property boundary following the retirement of the Terran 1 Program. The SEA supports FAA’s issuance of a vehicle operator license allowing Relativity to conduct Terran R operations at CCSFS SLC-16 and associated airspace closures. If Relativity submits a license application to the FAA proposing operational changes that fall outside of the scope of the SEA, additional environmental review would be required prior to FAA issuing a license or modification for those activities. (9/30)
A new crew is on the ISS after an express flight there Thursday. A Falcon 9 lifted off Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, placing a Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit on the Crew-13 mission for NASA. The Dragon docked with the ISS less than eight hours later, at 7:05 p.m. Eastern. That is the shortest transit time to the ISS for an American spacecraft. The mission was scheduled to launch in mid-September but was delayed by an oxidizer leak on the Crew Dragon that required surgical-like repairs to replace a valve. Crew-13 delivered to the ISS two NASA astronauts, one Roscosmos cosmonaut, and a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, the first from that agency to go there since 2019. (10/2)
Five Falcon Boosters Launched in Triple-Header Thursday (Sources: Space News, Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX's second launch of the day Thursday was a Falcon 9 rideshare mission. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:32 p.m. Eastern on the Transporter-18 mission. There were 130 payloads on the flight, SpaceX said, a total that includes hosted payloads and satellites that will be deployed later from orbital transfer vehicles. Demand for rideshare missions like the Transporter series remains high even as SpaceX moves to end such flights, as well as commercial Falcon 9 missions in general, in the next few years.
SpaceX completed its launch tripleheader Thursday with a classified Falcon Heavy launch. The Falcon Heavy lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:54 p.m. Eastern. The rocket was flying its first mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, designated NROL-97, but the NRO did not disclose details about the payload. The launch used the same side boosters as the previous Falcon Heavy launch, of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a little more than a month ago. (10/3)
Iceye and Nokia Team on Broadband Constellations (Source: Space News)
Iceye and Nokia are teaming up to develop sovereign broadband constellations. The two Finnish companies said Thursday they would work together to offer government customers a complete low Earth orbit system that would also include the ruggedized user terminals needed to support missions such as defense, border security, emergency services and disaster response. Iceye brings satellite expertise from its work on radar-imaging spacecraft while Nokia aims to leverage the terrestrial tactical networking technologies it has doubled down on after exiting the consumer handset market. The companies plan to launch the first broadband satellites in 2028 but did not comment on potential customers and spectrum arrangements. (10/2)
Space Force Retires DSP Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Space Force has retired a Cold War-era missile-warning satellite program after a final exercise. The service said Thursday that the final two Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites took part in U.S. Space Command's Apollo Maneuvers exercise in September, where crews repositioned the aging spacecraft before sending them to supersynchronous disposal orbits. During the exercise, crews from the 2nd Space Warning Squadron demonstrated what the service described as "dynamic on-orbit maneuvers" with two DSP satellites before their retirement. The timing offered Space Command a chance to use satellites that were already headed for disposal. The Pentagon launched 23 DSP satellites between 1970 and 2007, with the final two spacecraft launched in 2004 and 2007. (10/2)
Europe Plans $27 Billion Investment in Military Satellite Program (Source: Space News)
European governments are preparing to invest up to 24 billion euros ($27 billion) on a joint military satellite project called SPACE. The Council of the European Union formally approved the SPACE project Monday as one of the first five European Defense Projects of Common Interest under the European Defense Industry Program. SPACE will involve participation from 20 countries, including 18 EU member states, Norway and Ukraine. The project covers space-based early warning; satellite communications; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; positioning, navigation and timing; navigation warfare and responsive space systems. Separately, 15 EU nations agreed this week on an initiative to jointly access and share data used to track and characterize objects in orbit. (10/2)
L3Harris to Provide Satellite-to-Aircraft Comms Under $462 Million Space Force Contract (Source: Space News)
The Space Force has finalized a contract with L3Harris to provide commercial satellite communications aboard executive aircraft used by senior U.S. government and military leaders. The $461.9 million contract, announced Wednesday, is substantially larger than a preliminary $77.1 million agreement awarded to L3Harris in March. It covers satellite connectivity for the executive airlift fleet through October 2028. L3Harris will manage connectivity across commercial satellite networks operating in different orbits and frequency bands, giving the aircraft access to multiple sources of satellite communications. (10/2)
Satisfaction After Starship Orbital Test (Source: Space News)
Both SpaceX and outside analysts appear largely satisfied with the latest Starship test flight. The Flight 14 mission on Monday was the first Starship to reach orbit, although the vehicle suffered some engine failures and returned to Earth after about three hours, rather than the 10-hour mission originally planned. SpaceX executives said this week the flight went "extremely well" but did not provide specifics about the schedule and plans for the next flight, which could include the first attempt to recover the Starship upper stage back at Starbase. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said earlier this week that he expects Starship to be flying once or twice a week next year, although in an earnings call in August he promised daily Starship missions. (10/2)
China Needs 31 More Launches to Meet 100-Launch 2026 Goal (Source: Space News)
China has plans for a busy fourth quarter of launches. With a goal of more than 100 launches in 2026, China would need to conduct at least 31 in the final three months of the year to achieve that milestone. Among the major missions planned in the fourth quarter is the next crewed mission to the Tiangong station, Shenzhou-24, in November. Possible debut launches include Orienspace's Gravity-2, iSpace's Hyperbola-3 with a first stage recovery attempt, and Zhihang-1 from Zenk Space, which earlier aimed for a launch in June. Numerous launches for the Guowang and Qianfan constellations are expected as well. (10/2)
Overview Energy and Virtus Solis Advance Space-Based Solar Power (Source: Space News)
Two recent contracts signal a resurgence of interest in space-based solar power. Overview Energy, a company that plans to collect solar energy and beam it to Earth using near-infrared lasers, said it won a contract from the Pentagon's Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund to develop a beacon for ground stations to guide those laser transmissions. Another startup, Virtus Solis, said it signed an agreement with a data-center startup to sell it 100 megawatts of power from its future space solar power systems. Officials from both the space and energy industries said the growing demand for power from data centers, along with technological advances in space solar power, makes the concept more feasible. (10/2)
UK's Foundational Gains $11 Million for Satellite Laser Ranging (Source: Space News)
A British startup has plans to commercialize a decades-old technology for tracking satellites. Foundational emerged from stealth Thursday with $11 million in funding to develop satellite laser ranging (SLR) technologies for commercial applications. SLR, which uses lasers from the ground to precisely measure satellite positions in orbit, has been used since the 1960s but has largely been limited to government programs given its high cost. Foundational is planning a network of autonomous, low-cost SLR stations to make the service commercially viable. (10/2)
Thruster Fails on Japan's Hayabusa2 (Source: Jiji Press)
An electric thruster on Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has malfunctioned. The thruster, the only one of four on the spacecraft that was still working, broke down in August, and attempts to restore it have failed. The Japanese space agency JAXA plans to use subsystems from the other three thrusters, which were used earlier in the mission and have since degraded, for the thruster that has malfunctioned in the hopes of restoring it. Hayabusa2 is in an extended mission since returning asteroid samples to Earth in 2020, and needs to get the thruster restored so it can continue to maneuver towards another asteroid, 1998 KY26, in 2031. (10/2)
Portugal's Omnidea Acquires Orbex’s UK Manufacturing Assets and IP (Source: Omnidea)
European space technology group Omnidea has acquired the UK-based manufacturing assets and intellectual property of Orbex. Omnidea will establish its UK operations at Orbex’s former manufacturing facility in Forres, Scotland. An initial team of ex-Orbex employees will join the business, with Omnidea planning to recruit further as the operation develops.
Omnidea was already working alongside Orbex as a partner in the European Space Agency’s European Launcher Challenge (ELC) and has been developing its own suborbital launcher program with ESA for the past four years. The Scottish operation will become Omnidea’s center for structures development and fabrication and a hub for flight and ground-system electronics, complementing the Group’s existing expertise in propulsion, fluid systems and other critical space technologies. (10/1)
FAA Order on Airspace Safety Management and Space Operations (Source: FAA)
The FAA issued an order that establishes the safety management policy and requirements for the entire agency to create a unified Safety Management System and improve its ability to proactively identify hazards and manage risk in the National Airspace System (NAS). This includes space transport launch and reentry operations that may affect aircraft, air traffic operations, aviation users, aviation infrastructure, or FAA-provided NAS services.
The order applies to FAA-licensed commercial space operations and to those authorized by NASA, DoD, and other federal agencies. The order also requires the FAA to continue its development and implementation of new procedures and technologies to facilitate integration of increasing numbers of space operations into the NAS. The improvements will increase safety and efficiency and will be completed within the required one-year transition period. (10/1)
FAA Advances Licensing of Relativity Ops at Cape Canaveral Spaceport with Maximum Cadence of 24 Launches Per Year (Source: FAA)
The FAA is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) to support the issuance of a vehicle operator license to Relativity Space, to conduct Terran R launch operations at Launch Complex 16 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The Space Force was the lead agency in the preparation of the 2024 Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Terran R Space Launch Program at the spaceport.
The Proposed Action modifies launch and testing capabilities within Relativity’s existing property boundary following the retirement of the Terran 1 Program. The SEA supports FAA’s issuance of a vehicle operator license allowing Relativity to conduct Terran R operations at CCSFS SLC-16 and associated airspace closures. If Relativity submits a license application to the FAA proposing operational changes that fall outside of the scope of the SEA, additional environmental review would be required prior to FAA issuing a license or modification for those activities. (9/30)
October 1, 2026
Data Deluge Prompts Space Force Need
for Laser Comms (Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine)
The US Space Force must adopt optical communications technology to avoid data bottlenecks as it launches more satellites, according to a report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The report says the current method of using radio frequencies is insufficient for the volume of data generated by modern sensors. (9/30)
DIU, Space Force to Develop Monitoring Satellites (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Defense Innovation Unit and the US Space Force have partnered to accelerate the development of commercial satellites for on-orbit monitoring. The collaboration integrates DIU's Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance project with the Space Force's RG-XX program, which aims to replace Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites. Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly have been selected to develop prototypes by 2028, utilizing commercial technologies to enhance resolution and mobility. (9/29)
UCF Business Incubation Program Named Florida’s Top Incubator (Source: Team Orlando)
After helping generate thousands of jobs, significant investment in companies and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact in Central Florida, the UCF Business Incubation Program has earned national recognition as one of the country’s top business incubators. Time released its inaugural listing of America’s Best Incubators & Accelerators 2026, spotlighting programs that assist early-stage companies to grow, scale and create lasting economic impact. (8/19)
Stratolaunch Expands Hypersonic Flight Test Infrastructure with Acquisition of Boeing 777 Carrier Aircraft (Source: Stratolaunch)
Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER, expanding Stratolaunch’s fleet of carrier aircraft supporting the company’s Talon-A air-launched hypersonic flight test platforms. This expands Stratolaunch’s fleet of carrier aircraft beyond the Spirit of Mojave and Roc. With three carrier aircraft, Stratolaunch intends to maintain continuous launch readiness, boosting overall flight capacity by 35%. (9/30)
Golden Dome Question Remain After Budget Brief (Source: Space News)
Congressional budget analysts have finally been briefed on the Golden Dome missile defense system, but are remaining quiet about its cost. At a Senate hearing Tuesday, David Mosher, the Congressional Budget Office's director of national security analysis, said his office had been briefed last week on an architecture being developed under Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, the officer leading Golden Dome.
He declined to discuss details of the briefing in the open hearing, but the office has neither withdrawn nor publicly revised its $1.2 trillion 20-year cost estimate it released several months ago. The Pentagon has put the cost of Golden Dome at about $185 billion over the coming decade. Senators at the hearing raised questions about what coverage Golden Dome will provide, some noting that the name suggested nationwide coverage while the system will likely initially offer only a limited-area defense.
Editor's Note: Given the current $40 trillion national debt, I expect the next Congress to look hard at ways to shrink the historically large $1.5 trillion DoD budget. Golden Dome is an easy target. (10/1)
DoD Plans Autonomous Warfare Command (Source: CNN)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new DoD Autonomous Warfare Command, which will focus on AI robotics and autonomous weapons, will be led by a four-star general, a sign that it will have a key role in future military operations. He cited lessons learned from the war in Ukraine as motivation for the new command and said that a complementary effort known as Project Agincourt will work to clear the way for the new command and overhaul how the military acquires, tests, and fields drones and other similar weapons. (9/30)
'Clowns Out, Cowboys In,' Says Hegseth as a Fifth of Generals and Admirals are Fired (Source: BBC)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed the firing of 20% of top military leadership, while stressing a "warrior ethos". The announcement adds to an earlier round of personnel cuts in 2025, when Hegseth assembled military leaders at Quantico and criticized the department as too "woke". He also slammed leaders, saying "fat generals and admirals" is "a bad look".
"We are no longer the woke department or the weak department," Hegseth said. "The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in with testosterone testing on top. Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength," he said. There are over 800 active-duty generals and admirals across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, according to the latest department tally. (9/30)
FCC Votes to Limit Environmental Reviews for Space Things (Source: Space News)
FCC commissioners voted Wednesday to exclude space activities from environmental reviews. The FCC ruled 2-1 that licensing satellites does not constitute a "major federal action" that would trigger reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. The decision codified the FCC's longstanding practice of excluding constellations from these environmental reviews. The commission also voted to make more than 1,000 megahertz of additional spectrum available for satellite services in the 12.7 and 42 gigahertz bands. (10/1)
Rocket Lab Signs for 20 More Synspective Launches (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab has signed its biggest commercial launch contract to date with a long-time customer. Rocket Lab said Wednesday it signed a contract with Synspective, a Japanese company operating a constellation of radar-imaging satellites, for 20 Electron launches from 2028 through 2031. Each launch will carry a single StriX satellite. Rocket Lab has already launched 13 StriX satellites with contracts for 14 more before this latest deal. Rocket Lab said it now has more than 100 launches under contract with various government and commercial customers. (10/1)
Honda and Redwire Team on Space Station Robotic Arm System (Source: Space News)
Honda and Redwire are partnering on a robotic arm system for future commercial space stations. Honda announced Thursday that the companies will explore combining Honda's multi-fingered robotic hand with Redwire's Staark robotic arm to assist space station research and experiments.
Honda has developed robotics technologies for decades to support automation of complex manufacturing and assembly tasks, including a multi-fingered robotic hand incorporating force and tactile sensing throughout the fingertips and palm. The companies said they plan to discuss potential applications for those robotic systems with space station developers and others at the International Astronautical Congress next week. (10/1)
Viridian Space Studying VLEO Satellite "Control Surfaces" with University of Washington (Source: Space News)
Viridian Space will work with the University of Washington to study development of control surfaces for satellites in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The company announced Wednesday a $225,000 NASA Small Business Technology Transfer contract to study how spacecraft can use the tenuous atmosphere in VLEO to aid in maneuvering, rather than treat it solely as a source of drag. Viridian was established in 2021 to develop air-breathing electric propulsion systems that ingest atmosphere at an altitude between 200 and 300 kilometers to feed a plasma thruster, and earlier this year signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory to support that work. (10/1)
Firefly to Launch Starcloud Data Center Payload on Lunar Mission (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace will carry an orbital data center payload from Starcloud on a future lunar mission. The companies announced Wednesday that Starcloud will fly a computing payload called SC-1L on a Firefly Elytra orbital spacecraft on its third lunar landing mission in 2028. SC-1L will test the ability to carry out AI applications in lunar orbit, ingesting data from a camera system and processing it. The demonstration will test technologies that could support future orbital data center spacecraft operating around the moon. (10/1)
NASA Picks Modulate Space for $38 Million Lunar 5G Network Plans (Source: NASA)
NASA awarded a contract to develop technologies for a 5G network at its future lunar base. The $38 million contract with Modulate Space Corporation will test technologies for a "5G Network-in-a-Box" that will also include Wi-Fi to support communications between elements of a lunar base. The agency said that the work will give it insight into the system architecture and operational performance while providing the flexibility needed to evolve the technology for future lunar surface communications. (10/1)
NASA, International Partners Advance Work on Space Crops (Source: NASA)
NASA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and the German Aerospace Center signed a joint statement of intent to begin coordinated, preparatory work toward an Earth-based demonstrator to learn how to grow crops on the Moon, which will be essential to helping astronauts go farther and stay longer in space.
The Lunar Agriculture Module-Ground Test Demonstrator aims to develop the technologies needed to grow space crops and study how they perform under atmospheres and controlled environments similar to those expected during missions at Moon Base. Through Moon Base, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure to support an enduring human presence near the Moon's South Pole, advancing science and technology while preparing for future human missions to Mars. (9/30)
Quantum Space Executes Launch Processing Agreement with All Points Logistics for Prime Mission (Source: Quantum Space)
Quantum Space, LLC (the “Company” or “Quantum Space”), a company developing the next generation of advanced maneuverable spacecraft for national security and commercial missions, today announced that it has executed a new spacecraft processing work order with All Points Logistics for the 2027 launch campaign for Quantum Space’s Prime mission. (9/30)
Blue Origin’s First Outside Funding Round is ‘Oversubscribed’ and Not Closed Yet, CEO Says (Source: CNBC)
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the company’s first-ever outside capital raise is not closed yet and is drawing heavy investor interest, describing the funding round as “oversubscribed.” Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company had already raised $10 billion at a valuation of $140 billion. Jeff Bezos chipped in $2 billion in the current raise and has invested $30 billion since the company’s founding in 2000. (9/30)
FCC Exempts Space Activities From Some Environmental Rules and Opens 1,000 MHz of Spectrum (Source: Space News)
The FCC advanced its deregulation agenda with two decisions: exempting certain space activities from federal environmental regulations and making 1,000 megahertz of spectrum available. The actions could reduce regulatory requirements for affected space activities while expanding access to communications capacity. (9/30)
Ukraine Urges U.S. Sanctions on Entities Supporting Russia’s Starlink Rival (Source: Reuters)
Ukraine is asking Washington to sanction several Russian entities it says are helping develop Rassvet, a domestic satellite network intended as an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink. The appeal underscores the network’s strategic significance and Kyiv’s effort to constrain Russia’s access to space-based communications capabilities. (9/30)
Rising Launch Cadence Increases Risk of Fatal Space-Debris Reentries (Source: Space.com)
Experts warn that continued growth in rocket launch frequency could increase the likelihood of uncontrolled space-debris reentries and, eventually, a fatality on the ground. The trend underscores the safety consequences of expanding launch activity and the need to manage debris generated by increasingly crowded orbital operations. (9/30)
What's Up with Russia's Planned New Crew Capsule? (Source: Ars Technica)
In what seems like an alternate universe in hindsight, Russia and ESA began discussing collaboration on next-generation crewed spacecraft two decades ago. Under the agreement, Europe would have provided a service module to power a crew capsule carrying up to six passengers. Europe ultimately decided not to pursue a crewed spacecraft project at the time, and Russia’s Roscosmos chose to move ahead with a crewed spacecraft on its own.
Beyond the name changes and a flood of renderings, after nearly 20 years of work, then, is anything actually happening with the Eagle spacecraft? For starters, the relatively new chief executive of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, appears to have jettisoned the “Eagle” name of the spacecraft in favor of PTK NP. Bakanov said tests of the spacecraft’s parachute system will begin this fall. Also planned are tests in emergency rescue modes during an emergency at the launch pad, possibly including a flight test, later this year.
It’s not clear from the report whether these tests will involve real flight hardware, boilerplate vehicles, or mockups. Vladimir Putin spoke confidently about the “Eagle” spacecraft and the resumption of Russia’s lunar program. Clearly, they have not happened. (9/30)
Z-Trak Space Raises Funding for Reusable Fission-A Rocket, Targets Late-2027 Debut (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch startup Z-Trak Space has secured a new funding round to advance its Fission-A small reusable rocket, which uses electric-pump propulsion. The company is targeting a first flight in late 2027, adding another entrant to China’s developing commercial launch sector.
CAS Space Targets Early 2027 Debut of Reusable Lihong-2 Suborbital Rocket with Pharmaceutical Payloads (Source: Space News)
Chinese commercial launch provider CAS Space is targeting early 2027 for the first flight of its reusable Lihong-2 suborbital rocket. The mission is planned to carry pharmaceutical payloads, linking the company’s vehicle development to emerging commercial demand for suborbital research and in-space processing. (9/30)
Look Up Proposes Space Radar Network at French Territories (Source: Look Up)
Look Up is presenting plans for a radar network across France’s overseas territories, with six new space surveillance radars set to be deployed. These investments will support the deployment of Look Up’s high-precision SORASYS radars, designed to detect and track satellites and debris at altitudes of up to 2,000 km, day and night and in all weather conditions. Look Up aims to deploy a network of seven radars by 2030, capable of monitoring all traffic in low Earth orbit as early as 2028. (9/30)
Florida's Lonestar Space Teams with Ecuador Space Society for Space-Based Digital Resilience (Source: Lonestar Space)
Lonestar Space and Ecuador Space Society are joining forces to advance space-based digital resilience in Ecuador. An MOU with the Ecuador Space Society (ESS) will explore how Lonestar’s StarVault network can support Ecuador’s national priorities — from government continuity and critical infrastructure to scientific research, digital heritage, and the protection of data and AI systems. Together, Lonestar and ESS will engage Ecuadorian public institutions, industry, and academia, to identify priority use cases and develop potential government pilot programs. (9/29)
Making Them Feel Good About Themselves (Source: SPACErePORT)
In the before-times of the Obama administration, NASA was heavily criticized by Republicans in Congress for the agency's outreach to Muslim nations as part of its efforts to expand international relationships. In a fateful 2010 media interview, Administrator Michael Bolden discussed this outreach, citing the Muslim world's "historic contribution to science, math, and engineering." He was immediately criticized by Republican members for trying to make Muslims "feel good about themselves," and by his predecessor, Michael Griffin, who called it a "perversion of NASA's purpose."
Contrast that 2010 knee-jerk political response with the current administration's accelerated recruitment of Artemis Accords signatories, which now includes 13 nations where Islam is the largest religion, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Turkey, Bangladesh, Senegal, Albania, the Republic of Djibouti, Malaysia, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. Important note: Multiple signatories to the Artemis Accords are at the same time signed-up to the China/Russia International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) partnership.
Populations worldwide aspire to participate in space exploration, and spacefaring leaders like the US, China, Europe, and Russia have effectively used space-related collaboration as a diplomatic tool for trade and global alliance-building. During its first term, the Trump administration shunned alliances with third-world countries, while China successfully used space cooperation in its aggressive pursuit of long-term global economic partnerships. Now we're once again playing catch-up. (9/30)
DIU, Space Force Team Up to Kick-Start Buys of Commercial Sats for Monitoring GEO (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Space Force have joined forces to more rapidly develop and field next-generation, commercially developed satellites to monitor geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), according to the service. Under the joint effort, DIU’s Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance (GHOST-R) project is now going to serve as a feeder for the Space Force’s nascent RG-XX program to replace the venerable Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites.
According to a Sep. 18 Space Systems Command (SSC) announcement, by “collaborating” with DIU the Space Force is “leveraging rapid prototyping” for RG-XX. Two companies have been chosen to develop and fly those prototypes by 2028, the release said: Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly. (9/29)
Starlab, Elethron Partner for Autonomous In-Space Semiconductor Processing (Source: SatNews)
Addressing the growing demand for high-performance semiconductor components, Elethron has secured a payload reservation aboard the commercial space station Starlab to test and refine advanced substrate manufacturing in microgravity. Under the agreement, Elethron will deploy its ĀTAR platform—an autonomous, modular in-space materials-processing laboratory—to Starlab for a six-month pilot program. Operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) eliminates gravity-driven convection and buoyancy, allowing materials to form with fewer crystal defects and improved compositional uniformity. (9/29)
Starship Spurring a Crisis (Source: CNN)
As Starship flights ramp up, SpaceX has made clear that the company will phase out the use of two of its most iconic creations: the Dragon spacecraft, which ferries astronauts and cargo to and from the ISS, and the Falcon 9 rocket, which for a decade has dominated the global launch market. These vehicles not only revolutionized the space industry in their own way, they’re also still very much essential to ongoing work in Earth orbit, without clear backup options in place.
The prospect of this loss is already spurring panic among some satellite operators, said Caleb Henry, director of research at analytics firm Quilty Space. “For small satellite operators, which tend to be more entrepreneurial, this crisis has been percolating for about six months at least,” Henry said. “In order to raise money, startups need to show they have a viable path to orbit. They have to move quickly.” (9/30)
Sugar From Space Became One of the Backbones of Life on Earth (Source: The Conversation)
Is there life elsewhere, or is Earth unique in the universe? This is one of humanity’s great unanswered questions. One way to approach this mystery is to investigate how life began here on Earth. Our research explores the conditions where a mixture of molecules somehow transformed from chemistry into biology.
In a new study published in Scientific Reports, we shed new light on one possible step in this process: how a fragile sugar from outer space may have helped create the conditions for its own survival on Earth, where it eventually became the backbone of one of life’s most important molecules. (9/29)
A Cold War Spy Satellite Named After Farrah Fawcett Just Blew Apart in Orbit (Source: Gizmodo)
An American spy satellite unexpectedly shattered into pieces, creating a cloud of debris in low-Earth orbit. The U.S. Space Force’s satellite tracking system confirmed the satellite, officially designated as USA-32, broke apart on September 13 at 5:13 p.m. ET. It was labeled as a fragmentation event, which means the satellite suddenly exploded into smaller pieces, but the cause of its unplanned breakup has yet to be identified. (9/30)
Starship Engine Issues Could Impact NASA's Moon Mission Objectives (Source: Reuters)
The Starship engine failure that nearly foiled the orbital debut of SpaceX's next-generation spacecraft on its 14th uncrewed test flight may complicate NASA's ability to meet its time frame for astronaut missions to the moon. Starship is one of two vehicles vying to become the first craft that NASA will use as early as 2028 to land humans on the Moon. Determining what caused the engine glitch remains critical to SpaceX's bottom line. But the stakes are potentially higher for NASA, as a Starship moon-landing vehicle would rely on the same engine system.
"Any engine fix that holds up the next flights, including the planned attempt to catch the ship with the launch tower's arms (after re-entry), eats into that schedule," Dean Sladen said. "The real pressure is the moon. NASA needs Starship for Artemis III," an Earth-orbit test mission targeted as soon as next summer as a rehearsal flight for the program's actual first crewed lunar landing, Sladen said. (9/29)
The US Space Force must adopt optical communications technology to avoid data bottlenecks as it launches more satellites, according to a report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The report says the current method of using radio frequencies is insufficient for the volume of data generated by modern sensors. (9/30)
DIU, Space Force to Develop Monitoring Satellites (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Defense Innovation Unit and the US Space Force have partnered to accelerate the development of commercial satellites for on-orbit monitoring. The collaboration integrates DIU's Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance project with the Space Force's RG-XX program, which aims to replace Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites. Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly have been selected to develop prototypes by 2028, utilizing commercial technologies to enhance resolution and mobility. (9/29)
UCF Business Incubation Program Named Florida’s Top Incubator (Source: Team Orlando)
After helping generate thousands of jobs, significant investment in companies and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact in Central Florida, the UCF Business Incubation Program has earned national recognition as one of the country’s top business incubators. Time released its inaugural listing of America’s Best Incubators & Accelerators 2026, spotlighting programs that assist early-stage companies to grow, scale and create lasting economic impact. (8/19)
Stratolaunch Expands Hypersonic Flight Test Infrastructure with Acquisition of Boeing 777 Carrier Aircraft (Source: Stratolaunch)
Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER, expanding Stratolaunch’s fleet of carrier aircraft supporting the company’s Talon-A air-launched hypersonic flight test platforms. This expands Stratolaunch’s fleet of carrier aircraft beyond the Spirit of Mojave and Roc. With three carrier aircraft, Stratolaunch intends to maintain continuous launch readiness, boosting overall flight capacity by 35%. (9/30)
Golden Dome Question Remain After Budget Brief (Source: Space News)
Congressional budget analysts have finally been briefed on the Golden Dome missile defense system, but are remaining quiet about its cost. At a Senate hearing Tuesday, David Mosher, the Congressional Budget Office's director of national security analysis, said his office had been briefed last week on an architecture being developed under Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, the officer leading Golden Dome.
He declined to discuss details of the briefing in the open hearing, but the office has neither withdrawn nor publicly revised its $1.2 trillion 20-year cost estimate it released several months ago. The Pentagon has put the cost of Golden Dome at about $185 billion over the coming decade. Senators at the hearing raised questions about what coverage Golden Dome will provide, some noting that the name suggested nationwide coverage while the system will likely initially offer only a limited-area defense.
Editor's Note: Given the current $40 trillion national debt, I expect the next Congress to look hard at ways to shrink the historically large $1.5 trillion DoD budget. Golden Dome is an easy target. (10/1)
DoD Plans Autonomous Warfare Command (Source: CNN)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new DoD Autonomous Warfare Command, which will focus on AI robotics and autonomous weapons, will be led by a four-star general, a sign that it will have a key role in future military operations. He cited lessons learned from the war in Ukraine as motivation for the new command and said that a complementary effort known as Project Agincourt will work to clear the way for the new command and overhaul how the military acquires, tests, and fields drones and other similar weapons. (9/30)
'Clowns Out, Cowboys In,' Says Hegseth as a Fifth of Generals and Admirals are Fired (Source: BBC)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed the firing of 20% of top military leadership, while stressing a "warrior ethos". The announcement adds to an earlier round of personnel cuts in 2025, when Hegseth assembled military leaders at Quantico and criticized the department as too "woke". He also slammed leaders, saying "fat generals and admirals" is "a bad look".
"We are no longer the woke department or the weak department," Hegseth said. "The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in with testosterone testing on top. Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength," he said. There are over 800 active-duty generals and admirals across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, according to the latest department tally. (9/30)
FCC Votes to Limit Environmental Reviews for Space Things (Source: Space News)
FCC commissioners voted Wednesday to exclude space activities from environmental reviews. The FCC ruled 2-1 that licensing satellites does not constitute a "major federal action" that would trigger reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. The decision codified the FCC's longstanding practice of excluding constellations from these environmental reviews. The commission also voted to make more than 1,000 megahertz of additional spectrum available for satellite services in the 12.7 and 42 gigahertz bands. (10/1)
Rocket Lab Signs for 20 More Synspective Launches (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab has signed its biggest commercial launch contract to date with a long-time customer. Rocket Lab said Wednesday it signed a contract with Synspective, a Japanese company operating a constellation of radar-imaging satellites, for 20 Electron launches from 2028 through 2031. Each launch will carry a single StriX satellite. Rocket Lab has already launched 13 StriX satellites with contracts for 14 more before this latest deal. Rocket Lab said it now has more than 100 launches under contract with various government and commercial customers. (10/1)
Honda and Redwire Team on Space Station Robotic Arm System (Source: Space News)
Honda and Redwire are partnering on a robotic arm system for future commercial space stations. Honda announced Thursday that the companies will explore combining Honda's multi-fingered robotic hand with Redwire's Staark robotic arm to assist space station research and experiments.
Honda has developed robotics technologies for decades to support automation of complex manufacturing and assembly tasks, including a multi-fingered robotic hand incorporating force and tactile sensing throughout the fingertips and palm. The companies said they plan to discuss potential applications for those robotic systems with space station developers and others at the International Astronautical Congress next week. (10/1)
Viridian Space Studying VLEO Satellite "Control Surfaces" with University of Washington (Source: Space News)
Viridian Space will work with the University of Washington to study development of control surfaces for satellites in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The company announced Wednesday a $225,000 NASA Small Business Technology Transfer contract to study how spacecraft can use the tenuous atmosphere in VLEO to aid in maneuvering, rather than treat it solely as a source of drag. Viridian was established in 2021 to develop air-breathing electric propulsion systems that ingest atmosphere at an altitude between 200 and 300 kilometers to feed a plasma thruster, and earlier this year signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory to support that work. (10/1)
Firefly to Launch Starcloud Data Center Payload on Lunar Mission (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace will carry an orbital data center payload from Starcloud on a future lunar mission. The companies announced Wednesday that Starcloud will fly a computing payload called SC-1L on a Firefly Elytra orbital spacecraft on its third lunar landing mission in 2028. SC-1L will test the ability to carry out AI applications in lunar orbit, ingesting data from a camera system and processing it. The demonstration will test technologies that could support future orbital data center spacecraft operating around the moon. (10/1)
NASA Picks Modulate Space for $38 Million Lunar 5G Network Plans (Source: NASA)
NASA awarded a contract to develop technologies for a 5G network at its future lunar base. The $38 million contract with Modulate Space Corporation will test technologies for a "5G Network-in-a-Box" that will also include Wi-Fi to support communications between elements of a lunar base. The agency said that the work will give it insight into the system architecture and operational performance while providing the flexibility needed to evolve the technology for future lunar surface communications. (10/1)
NASA, International Partners Advance Work on Space Crops (Source: NASA)
NASA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and the German Aerospace Center signed a joint statement of intent to begin coordinated, preparatory work toward an Earth-based demonstrator to learn how to grow crops on the Moon, which will be essential to helping astronauts go farther and stay longer in space.
The Lunar Agriculture Module-Ground Test Demonstrator aims to develop the technologies needed to grow space crops and study how they perform under atmospheres and controlled environments similar to those expected during missions at Moon Base. Through Moon Base, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure to support an enduring human presence near the Moon's South Pole, advancing science and technology while preparing for future human missions to Mars. (9/30)
Quantum Space Executes Launch Processing Agreement with All Points Logistics for Prime Mission (Source: Quantum Space)
Quantum Space, LLC (the “Company” or “Quantum Space”), a company developing the next generation of advanced maneuverable spacecraft for national security and commercial missions, today announced that it has executed a new spacecraft processing work order with All Points Logistics for the 2027 launch campaign for Quantum Space’s Prime mission. (9/30)
Blue Origin’s First Outside Funding Round is ‘Oversubscribed’ and Not Closed Yet, CEO Says (Source: CNBC)
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the company’s first-ever outside capital raise is not closed yet and is drawing heavy investor interest, describing the funding round as “oversubscribed.” Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company had already raised $10 billion at a valuation of $140 billion. Jeff Bezos chipped in $2 billion in the current raise and has invested $30 billion since the company’s founding in 2000. (9/30)
FCC Exempts Space Activities From Some Environmental Rules and Opens 1,000 MHz of Spectrum (Source: Space News)
The FCC advanced its deregulation agenda with two decisions: exempting certain space activities from federal environmental regulations and making 1,000 megahertz of spectrum available. The actions could reduce regulatory requirements for affected space activities while expanding access to communications capacity. (9/30)
Ukraine Urges U.S. Sanctions on Entities Supporting Russia’s Starlink Rival (Source: Reuters)
Ukraine is asking Washington to sanction several Russian entities it says are helping develop Rassvet, a domestic satellite network intended as an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink. The appeal underscores the network’s strategic significance and Kyiv’s effort to constrain Russia’s access to space-based communications capabilities. (9/30)
Rising Launch Cadence Increases Risk of Fatal Space-Debris Reentries (Source: Space.com)
Experts warn that continued growth in rocket launch frequency could increase the likelihood of uncontrolled space-debris reentries and, eventually, a fatality on the ground. The trend underscores the safety consequences of expanding launch activity and the need to manage debris generated by increasingly crowded orbital operations. (9/30)
What's Up with Russia's Planned New Crew Capsule? (Source: Ars Technica)
In what seems like an alternate universe in hindsight, Russia and ESA began discussing collaboration on next-generation crewed spacecraft two decades ago. Under the agreement, Europe would have provided a service module to power a crew capsule carrying up to six passengers. Europe ultimately decided not to pursue a crewed spacecraft project at the time, and Russia’s Roscosmos chose to move ahead with a crewed spacecraft on its own.
Beyond the name changes and a flood of renderings, after nearly 20 years of work, then, is anything actually happening with the Eagle spacecraft? For starters, the relatively new chief executive of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, appears to have jettisoned the “Eagle” name of the spacecraft in favor of PTK NP. Bakanov said tests of the spacecraft’s parachute system will begin this fall. Also planned are tests in emergency rescue modes during an emergency at the launch pad, possibly including a flight test, later this year.
It’s not clear from the report whether these tests will involve real flight hardware, boilerplate vehicles, or mockups. Vladimir Putin spoke confidently about the “Eagle” spacecraft and the resumption of Russia’s lunar program. Clearly, they have not happened. (9/30)
Z-Trak Space Raises Funding for Reusable Fission-A Rocket, Targets Late-2027 Debut (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch startup Z-Trak Space has secured a new funding round to advance its Fission-A small reusable rocket, which uses electric-pump propulsion. The company is targeting a first flight in late 2027, adding another entrant to China’s developing commercial launch sector.
CAS Space Targets Early 2027 Debut of Reusable Lihong-2 Suborbital Rocket with Pharmaceutical Payloads (Source: Space News)
Chinese commercial launch provider CAS Space is targeting early 2027 for the first flight of its reusable Lihong-2 suborbital rocket. The mission is planned to carry pharmaceutical payloads, linking the company’s vehicle development to emerging commercial demand for suborbital research and in-space processing. (9/30)
Look Up Proposes Space Radar Network at French Territories (Source: Look Up)
Look Up is presenting plans for a radar network across France’s overseas territories, with six new space surveillance radars set to be deployed. These investments will support the deployment of Look Up’s high-precision SORASYS radars, designed to detect and track satellites and debris at altitudes of up to 2,000 km, day and night and in all weather conditions. Look Up aims to deploy a network of seven radars by 2030, capable of monitoring all traffic in low Earth orbit as early as 2028. (9/30)
Florida's Lonestar Space Teams with Ecuador Space Society for Space-Based Digital Resilience (Source: Lonestar Space)
Lonestar Space and Ecuador Space Society are joining forces to advance space-based digital resilience in Ecuador. An MOU with the Ecuador Space Society (ESS) will explore how Lonestar’s StarVault network can support Ecuador’s national priorities — from government continuity and critical infrastructure to scientific research, digital heritage, and the protection of data and AI systems. Together, Lonestar and ESS will engage Ecuadorian public institutions, industry, and academia, to identify priority use cases and develop potential government pilot programs. (9/29)
Making Them Feel Good About Themselves (Source: SPACErePORT)
In the before-times of the Obama administration, NASA was heavily criticized by Republicans in Congress for the agency's outreach to Muslim nations as part of its efforts to expand international relationships. In a fateful 2010 media interview, Administrator Michael Bolden discussed this outreach, citing the Muslim world's "historic contribution to science, math, and engineering." He was immediately criticized by Republican members for trying to make Muslims "feel good about themselves," and by his predecessor, Michael Griffin, who called it a "perversion of NASA's purpose."
Contrast that 2010 knee-jerk political response with the current administration's accelerated recruitment of Artemis Accords signatories, which now includes 13 nations where Islam is the largest religion, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Turkey, Bangladesh, Senegal, Albania, the Republic of Djibouti, Malaysia, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. Important note: Multiple signatories to the Artemis Accords are at the same time signed-up to the China/Russia International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) partnership.
Populations worldwide aspire to participate in space exploration, and spacefaring leaders like the US, China, Europe, and Russia have effectively used space-related collaboration as a diplomatic tool for trade and global alliance-building. During its first term, the Trump administration shunned alliances with third-world countries, while China successfully used space cooperation in its aggressive pursuit of long-term global economic partnerships. Now we're once again playing catch-up. (9/30)
DIU, Space Force Team Up to Kick-Start Buys of Commercial Sats for Monitoring GEO (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Space Force have joined forces to more rapidly develop and field next-generation, commercially developed satellites to monitor geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), according to the service. Under the joint effort, DIU’s Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance (GHOST-R) project is now going to serve as a feeder for the Space Force’s nascent RG-XX program to replace the venerable Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites.
According to a Sep. 18 Space Systems Command (SSC) announcement, by “collaborating” with DIU the Space Force is “leveraging rapid prototyping” for RG-XX. Two companies have been chosen to develop and fly those prototypes by 2028, the release said: Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly. (9/29)
Starlab, Elethron Partner for Autonomous In-Space Semiconductor Processing (Source: SatNews)
Addressing the growing demand for high-performance semiconductor components, Elethron has secured a payload reservation aboard the commercial space station Starlab to test and refine advanced substrate manufacturing in microgravity. Under the agreement, Elethron will deploy its ĀTAR platform—an autonomous, modular in-space materials-processing laboratory—to Starlab for a six-month pilot program. Operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) eliminates gravity-driven convection and buoyancy, allowing materials to form with fewer crystal defects and improved compositional uniformity. (9/29)
Starship Spurring a Crisis (Source: CNN)
As Starship flights ramp up, SpaceX has made clear that the company will phase out the use of two of its most iconic creations: the Dragon spacecraft, which ferries astronauts and cargo to and from the ISS, and the Falcon 9 rocket, which for a decade has dominated the global launch market. These vehicles not only revolutionized the space industry in their own way, they’re also still very much essential to ongoing work in Earth orbit, without clear backup options in place.
The prospect of this loss is already spurring panic among some satellite operators, said Caleb Henry, director of research at analytics firm Quilty Space. “For small satellite operators, which tend to be more entrepreneurial, this crisis has been percolating for about six months at least,” Henry said. “In order to raise money, startups need to show they have a viable path to orbit. They have to move quickly.” (9/30)
Sugar From Space Became One of the Backbones of Life on Earth (Source: The Conversation)
Is there life elsewhere, or is Earth unique in the universe? This is one of humanity’s great unanswered questions. One way to approach this mystery is to investigate how life began here on Earth. Our research explores the conditions where a mixture of molecules somehow transformed from chemistry into biology.
In a new study published in Scientific Reports, we shed new light on one possible step in this process: how a fragile sugar from outer space may have helped create the conditions for its own survival on Earth, where it eventually became the backbone of one of life’s most important molecules. (9/29)
A Cold War Spy Satellite Named After Farrah Fawcett Just Blew Apart in Orbit (Source: Gizmodo)
An American spy satellite unexpectedly shattered into pieces, creating a cloud of debris in low-Earth orbit. The U.S. Space Force’s satellite tracking system confirmed the satellite, officially designated as USA-32, broke apart on September 13 at 5:13 p.m. ET. It was labeled as a fragmentation event, which means the satellite suddenly exploded into smaller pieces, but the cause of its unplanned breakup has yet to be identified. (9/30)
Starship Engine Issues Could Impact NASA's Moon Mission Objectives (Source: Reuters)
The Starship engine failure that nearly foiled the orbital debut of SpaceX's next-generation spacecraft on its 14th uncrewed test flight may complicate NASA's ability to meet its time frame for astronaut missions to the moon. Starship is one of two vehicles vying to become the first craft that NASA will use as early as 2028 to land humans on the Moon. Determining what caused the engine glitch remains critical to SpaceX's bottom line. But the stakes are potentially higher for NASA, as a Starship moon-landing vehicle would rely on the same engine system.
"Any engine fix that holds up the next flights, including the planned attempt to catch the ship with the launch tower's arms (after re-entry), eats into that schedule," Dean Sladen said. "The real pressure is the moon. NASA needs Starship for Artemis III," an Earth-orbit test mission targeted as soon as next summer as a rehearsal flight for the program's actual first crewed lunar landing, Sladen said. (9/29)
September 30, 2026
Miller Could Command Space Command
(Source: Space News)
Space Force Lt. Gen. David Miller Jr. is expected to be nominated to become the next commander of U.S. Space Command. President Donald Trump has officially nominated Miller for promotion to general, according to a congressional nomination notice posted Tuesday. The notice establishes that Miller has been nominated for the four-star rank required for the Space Command position but does not identify his next assignment. Miller serves as the Space Force's deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements. (9/30)
Space Network Gains $150 Million in Pre-Orders for Broadband Constellation (Source: Space News)
Space Network has secured $150 million in pre-orders for its satellite broadband system. The company recently announced a $100 million deal with Vietnamese technology startup DETI Technology and a $50 million pre-order from HQ Company, a renewable energy infrastructure developer in the Philippines. In addition to leading wholesale sales in their respective countries, HQ and DETI plan to secure the local Ka-band spectrum rights that Space Network would use to provide broadband there from a global constellation of 230 satellites by 2029.
Space Network was set up as the neutral infrastructure layer for Spacecoin, a project using blockchain to facilitate payments between independently owned satellites and other parts of the network. The company operates four cubesats in LEO to demonstrate technology for the network, ordered from Bulgaria's EnduroSat and Near Space Launch of Indiana. (9/30)
Space Force Delays Plan for Maneuverable Satellite Comms (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is pushing back a planned procurement of commercial communications services from maneuverable satellites in GEO. The Space Systems Command's Commercial Satellite Communications Office, or CSCO, now expects to seek proposals in October for the Maneuverable Geosynchronous Orbit satellite-services program, known as MGEO, and make an award in April 2027.
This is the latest delay for a program that once planned to make awards in July 2025. MGEO is intended to tap into the smaller geostationary satellite marketplace, using spacecraft with greater ability to reposition themselves in GEO. The Space Force also is tapping the small GEO market under the Protected Tactical Satcom-Global program, or PTS-G, program, with awards in June to Viasat and Intelsat. (9/30)
Avio Breaks Ground in Virginia for Rocket Motor Production (Source: Space News)
Avio's U.S. subsidiary broke ground on a factory that will produce solid rocket motors for missiles. Avio USA is building a 900,000-square-foot facility in Hurt, Virginia, that is expected to be capable of producing thousands of solid rocket motors annually for U.S. tactical missile program. The company wants the Virginia operation to function as a merchant supplier, selling motors to multiple defense contractors rather than dedicating the factory to a single missile program. The facility is scheduled for completion in late 2028 with the first motors produced there in early 2029. (9/30)
Parsons to Oversee Development of Space Command HQ in Huntsville (Source: Space News)
Parsons won an $85 million contract to oversee construction of U.S. Space Command's new headquarters building. The company said Tuesday it was selected to serve as the government's "owner's advisor" for the new Command and Control Facility at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. The 75-month agreement puts Parsons in a central management role as the government designs and builds what is expected to be a roughly $2 billion headquarters complex.
The Space Command headquarters is expected to encompass about 950,000 square feet and support as many as 1,800 personnel. The project is also an early test of a new Pentagon approach intended to speed up military construction, which can take a decade or longer for large and complicated facilities. (9/30)
China's CAS Space Plans Suborbital Lihong-2 Launch in 2027 (Source: Space News)
Chinese commercial launch firm CAS Space is targeting a first flight of the Lihong-2 suborbital rocket in early 2027. The launch would carry pharmaceutical payloads under an agreement with Guangzhou Laboratory. CAS Space had planned a late 2026 launch of the rocket earlier this year. Lihong-2 is designed to go above an altitude of 100 kilometers, providing a microgravity environment for more than 180 seconds and carry up to 3,000 kilograms of payload. The rocket's booster would make a powered vertical landing while a capsule carrying the payload lands under parachutes. (9/30)
Chinese Launchers Developing Electric Pumps for Rocket Engines (Source: Space News)
Several Chinese startups are working on rocket engines with electric pumps. At least four companies in China are working on engines with electric pumps, which eliminate complex turbomachinery. The engines are in various stages of development and testing, each producing several tons of thrust. Rocket Lab uses an electric-pump architecture for the Rutherford engine that powers its Electron rocket, although the company has moved to more traditional designs for the larger Archimedes engine powering Neutron. The apparent trend comes following clear signals from China's central government that commercial space is of strategic importance and a potential economic driver, even as the country's launch sector becomes crowded. (9/30)
Astro Digital Plans SPAC Merger with Proem (Source: Space News)
Astro Digital plans to go public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger. The company said Monday it agreed to merge with Proem Acquisition Corp I in a transaction carrying a proposed enterprise value of about $587 million. The merger could provide up to $180 million in gross proceeds from Proem’s trust account and private financing led by Proem Asset Management and Leon Capital Group.
The companies expect to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder approval and other conditions. Denver-based Astro Digital has delivered nearly 40 satellites to customers including NASA, the Defense Department, Boeing and Sony. The company expects the funding would help Astro Digital add production capacity and expand its sales operation. (9/30)
Lithuania's Blackswan Space Raises $2.9 Million for Rendezvous Satellite (Source: Space News)
Lithuania's Blackswan Space has raised around $2.9 million to develop a rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) payload. The company has created RPO Kit, a spacecraft subsystem comprising sensors and the software needed to guide maneuvers near another object in orbit, follows five years of vision-based navigation technology development. Orbit Fab plans to use the system for an in-space refueling demo mission in 2028. Blackswan plans to test a scaled-down version in space for the first time in late 2027, using an internally funded chaser and target spacecraft in low Earth orbit. (9/30)
Stoke Space to Launch AstroForge Autonomous Spacecraft in 2027 (Source: Space News)
Asteroid mining company AstroForge plans to test a fully autonomous spacecraft on a mission next year. The company's Autonomy-1 spacecraft will launch on the first flight of Stoke Space's Nova Pathfinder rocket early next year. Autonomy-1 will be equipped with Solo, an artificial intelligence model AstroForge has developed that will be able to handle all operations on the spacecraft, including detecting and resolving any anomalies, without any intervention from the ground.
AstroForge said it pursued Solo after challenges communicating with its first spacecraft, Odin, launched last year. Having the spacecraft be fully autonomous reduces operations cost and complexity. Solo will also run in a "shadow" mode on DeepSpace-2, an asteroid prospecting mission launching next year, but will not handle spacecraft operations. (9/30)
New Zealand Could Get Second Spaceport (Source: Radio New Zealand)
A study has concluded a second New Zealand spaceport is viable. The study, prepared by French spaceport developer SpacedreamS, examined a site south of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand that is home to the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre. The site currently has a runway for aircraft flight testing, but the study found it could also support launches. Tāwhaki and SpacedreamS said they are discussing spaceport development with government officials and investors, but did not disclose a cost for developing a launch site there or schedule, or who might be interested in using it. (9/30)
Collins to Grow Iowa Aerospace Component Facility (Source: Charlotte Observer)
Collins Aerospace will expand its aerospace engine parts facility in West Des Moines, Iowa, to increase manufacturing capacity. Construction is set to begin soon, with completion expected by mid-2027. This follows a previous expansion in 2023. (9/29)
GE Aerospace Commits $500K to Ohio Workforce Training (Source: Dayton Daily News)
GE Aerospace and the GE Aerospace Foundation are investing nearly $500,000 in workforce development in southwest Ohio, with Sinclair Community College receiving $300,000 to train welders and technicians, the Hobart Welding Institute receiving $130,000, and the Talent Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati receiving $30,000. The initiative, part of the Lifting Futures program, aims to train 10,000 workers. (9/30)
Some Barriers to Starship Rapid Reusability (Source: SPACErePORT)
SpaceX is far beyond its competitors in operating a high-cadence launch system, but some barriers remain for achieving the rapid turnaround promised for Starship Super-Heavy missions. After a qualified success for September's Flight 14 orbital Starship event, Flights 15 and 16 are both planned in October with an unprecedented 11-day gap between flights. But SpaceX is aiming for an hour between flights...potentially of the same vehicles.
One key capability seems already within reach: SpaceX reportedly loaded 12 million pounds of liquid oxygen and liquid methane in roughly 30 minutes, an impressive engineering milestone. Other barriers include: 1) Launch Pad Refurbishment - Today's missions require active post launch/landing inspection, structural cooling, and minor repairs between events. The goal is zero-touch refurbishment with ultra-robust survivability. 2) Booster & Ship Catching - The current system is still in operational testing, but must mature to allow immediate restacking.
3) Thermal Protection Maturation - The current system of heat-shield tiles requires inspection and time-consuming replacement between flights. The goal is to use a more robust material that can confidently survive multiple launches and reentries. 4) Regulatory & Range Capacity - Airspace closures and launch licensing traditionally take weeks per flight. Continuous "airline-like" range clearance is required to prevent grounding flights due to commercial air traffic. (9/30)
Star Catcher, Google and Blackwing Space Bring New Orbital Technologies to Transporter-18 Mission (Source: Spacewatch Global)
SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission will carry 130 payloads to orbit, including Star Catcher’s Protostar orbital power demonstrator, Google’s Project Suncatcher AI-computing test and Blackwing Space’s Baby Bird nanosatellite. The diverse manifest highlights how a single rideshare mission is becoming a platform for testing new approaches to power, computing, Earth observation and commercial space infrastructure. (9/29)
Blackswan Space Raises $2.9 Million for Satellite Rendezvous Payload Ahead of 2028 Refueling Demo (Source: Space News)
Lithuania’s Blackswan Space has raised approximately $2.9 million in seed funding to develop a rendezvous and proximity operations payload. Orbit Fab plans to use the technology in what it describes as Europe’s first in-space satellite refueling demonstration, targeted for 2028. (9/30)
Astranis Secures $468 Million EXIM Loan to Expand Satellite Production (Source: Axios)
Astranis has secured a $468 million loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to expand satellite production, according to an exclusive report. EXIM Chairman John Jovanovic framed the financing as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S. leadership in space. (9/30)
Varda Raises $251 Million at $1.6 Billion Valuation (Source: Space News)
Varda has raised $251 million in a Series D financing led by Lux Capital and Natural Capital, valuing the in-space manufacturing company at $1.6 billion. The funding reinforces investor backing for Varda’s commercial space business as it advances its growth strategy. (9/30)
Sophia Space and Redwire Partner to Develop Scalable Orbital Data Center Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
Sophia Space and Redwire have agreed to collaborate on the development and deployment of scalable, space-based computing infrastructure. The partnership targets orbital data centers, signaling continued commercial interest in moving data processing and related infrastructure into space. (9/30)
Space Force Mission Delta 2 Develops Advanced SDA Software to Prioritize Rapid Satellite Tracking (Source: SatNews)
On Sep. 29, 2026, details presented during the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference revealed that the U.S. Space Force’s Mission Delta 2 is building software systems to accelerate satellite tracking across all orbital regimes. The initiative marks an operational pivot within Space Domain Awareness (SDA), prioritizing high decision velocity and rapid contact updates over waiting for fully refined, highly precise orbital telemetry. (9/29)
Australia's Orbit 2 Orbit Advances Plans for Cargo Service Network in Space (Source: Business News Australia)
Backed by a $1.4 million seed round earlier this year, a Gold Coast startup pioneering logistics services for the space industry is advancing plans to establish an international delivery standard similar to land-based shipping containers to move cargo between space stations and satellites. Orbit 2 Orbit, which has been dubbed the FedEx of space, says it aims to make it easier for regular freight movement between orbital platforms. (9/29)
Blue Origin CEO: 'We Have a Path to Launch This Year' Amid Pad Rebuilding Effort (Source: Bradenton Herald)
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp still believes his company's massive, full-steam-ahead infrastructure rebuilding effort after the May 28 New Glenn rocket explosion may let Blue Origin return to flight by the end of 2026. "Space is hard. And our job is to make it look easy," Limp said Monday at Blue Origin's growing Rocket Park manufacturing campus at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. "And so, we have hundreds of people out at the pad rebuilding the pad, getting it ready to launch again," Limp said. "We still think we have a path to launch this year," he said. (9/28)
Astronauts Launching on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Will Support Variety of ISS National Lab-Sponsored Research (Source: CASIS)
Four new crew members are preparing to launch to the ISS on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission. During their six-month expedition, NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov will support hundreds of scientific investigations, including numerous ISS National Lab-sponsored projects that seek to benefit life on Earth and enable a robust low Earth orbit (LEO) economy. (9/29)
Starship Has Finally Gone Orbital. Now Comes the Hard Part (Source: Gizmodo)
This test mission, Flight 14, was supposed to last 10 hours, with Starship completing roughly six trips around the planet. The vehicle did manage to deploy all 26 of the Starlink V3 satellites it carried to space, marking the first operational deployment of these larger, upgraded satellites. But “out of an abundance of caution given the engine issue experienced during ascent,” flight controllers decided to end the mission early. Starship splashed down in the northern Pacific after less than three hours in orbit.
Now, SpaceX has work to do. The company needs to prove it can do this repeatedly without any anomalies. Starship has flown with upgraded Raptor 3 engines three times now, and they have malfunctioned every time. Getting to the bottom of these issues will be critical if SpaceX hopes to deliver on its promises to NASA and to achieve commercial viability. NASA plans to launch Artemis 3 in 2027, sending test versions of NASA’s two commercial Moon landers—SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 lander—to LEO. Only one lander will earn the chance to return NASA astronauts to the Moon.
Whether the engine failure that occurred during Flight 14 was “a one-off failure of a single part” or a symptom of a larger design problem will determine the pace of Starship’s continued development. “Any engine fix that holds up the next flights, including the planned attempt to catch the ship with the launch tower’s arms [after re-entry], eats into that schedule,” Dean Sladen said. (9/29)
Dawn Aerospace Expands into Germany to Support €35 Billion Sovereign Space Defense Initiatives (Source: Dawn Aerospace)
Dawn Aerospace announced its expansion into Germany with work underway to establish Dawn Aerospace Deutschland GmbH. This move will support a localized supply of flight-proven space propulsion as well as the development of space transportation capabilities to support Germany’s rapidly growing defense and national security space sectors. This builds on top of Dawn’s current collaboration with German partners such as Zentrum für Telematik.
The expansion aligns with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius’s recent commitment to invest €35 billion in space-related defence projects by 2030. Achieving this rapid orbital deployment requires a resilient, sovereign military space architecture backed by reliable, high-volume production of critical components like propulsion. (9/29)
ESA Awards Study Contracts for Space Station (Source: Douglas Messier)
The European Space Agency has selected consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to conduct a pair of Pre-Phase A studies on the development of a European-led space station that would fly after the ISS is retired in 2030. The studies will examine the development of a modular space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) in cooperation with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other partners. ESA did not disclose the value of the contracts or the other members of the consortia. (9/29)
Call for Proposals - Space Florida & UK Space Agency - Space Innovation Partnership (Source: Gov.UK)
The goal of the Space Florida – UK Space Agency Space Innovation Partnership is to promote joint R&D collaboration among companies in Florida and the UK. Proposals are welcome on any area of the space sector, but areas are of particular interest include: In-orbit servicing and manufacturing; Space transportation; Satellite systems; In-space research; and Advanced exploration technologies. The program aims to stimulate collaborative innovation between UK and Florida space organizations, accelerating the development and commercialization of cutting-edge space technologies.
The call will support projects that have strong market potential, strengthen bilateral relationships, and help organizations access opportunities within respective space ecosystems. UK companies will be funded by the UK Space Agency, and Florida companies will be funded by Space Florida. Funding available totals £150,000 from the UK Space Agency and $200,000 from Space Florida. Up to two projects are expected to be funded, each with a total value of £150,000/$200,000, including contributions of up to £75,000 (UKSA) and $100,000 (SF). Click here. (9/29)
NASA Says Satellite Battery-Passivation Practices Are Inconsistent and Insufficient To Prevent Orbital Debris (Source: Space Intel Report)
A NASA workshop with satellite manufacturers and operators found that commercial practices for passivating spacecraft batteries—intended to prevent explosions after mission end—often fall short of NASA recommendations. The findings raise concerns as commercial satellite buses become increasingly common across government and civil space programs. (9/29)
CNES Publishes Call for New Rocket Launch Tracking Turrets for French Guiana (Source: European Spaceflight)
France’s CNES has published a call for proposals to replace ageing launch-tracking equipment at the Guiana Space Centre with three automated optical tracking turrets. The upgrade is intended to modernize optical monitoring capabilities supporting rocket launches from Europe’s primary spaceport. (9/29)
Electric-Pump Propulsion Emerges as a New Front in China’s Commercial Launch Sector (Source: Space News)
A new group of Chinese commercial launch companies is pursuing electric-pump-fed liquid engines, signaling an emerging propulsion trend in the country’s private space sector. The effort could broaden the technology base available to Chinese launch providers as they develop competing commercial space transportation systems. (9/29)
Artemis Accords Principals to Discuss Lunar Debris and Emerging Space Assistance in Turkey (Source: Payload)
NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson and Peruvian Space Agency director Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen will lead the Artemis Accords Principals’ Meeting in Turkey. The discussions will address lunar debris and emerging space assistance, highlighting practical coordination challenges as participating nations expand lunar activity. (9/29)
Space Force Lt. Gen. David Miller Jr. is expected to be nominated to become the next commander of U.S. Space Command. President Donald Trump has officially nominated Miller for promotion to general, according to a congressional nomination notice posted Tuesday. The notice establishes that Miller has been nominated for the four-star rank required for the Space Command position but does not identify his next assignment. Miller serves as the Space Force's deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements. (9/30)
Space Network Gains $150 Million in Pre-Orders for Broadband Constellation (Source: Space News)
Space Network has secured $150 million in pre-orders for its satellite broadband system. The company recently announced a $100 million deal with Vietnamese technology startup DETI Technology and a $50 million pre-order from HQ Company, a renewable energy infrastructure developer in the Philippines. In addition to leading wholesale sales in their respective countries, HQ and DETI plan to secure the local Ka-band spectrum rights that Space Network would use to provide broadband there from a global constellation of 230 satellites by 2029.
Space Network was set up as the neutral infrastructure layer for Spacecoin, a project using blockchain to facilitate payments between independently owned satellites and other parts of the network. The company operates four cubesats in LEO to demonstrate technology for the network, ordered from Bulgaria's EnduroSat and Near Space Launch of Indiana. (9/30)
Space Force Delays Plan for Maneuverable Satellite Comms (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is pushing back a planned procurement of commercial communications services from maneuverable satellites in GEO. The Space Systems Command's Commercial Satellite Communications Office, or CSCO, now expects to seek proposals in October for the Maneuverable Geosynchronous Orbit satellite-services program, known as MGEO, and make an award in April 2027.
This is the latest delay for a program that once planned to make awards in July 2025. MGEO is intended to tap into the smaller geostationary satellite marketplace, using spacecraft with greater ability to reposition themselves in GEO. The Space Force also is tapping the small GEO market under the Protected Tactical Satcom-Global program, or PTS-G, program, with awards in June to Viasat and Intelsat. (9/30)
Avio Breaks Ground in Virginia for Rocket Motor Production (Source: Space News)
Avio's U.S. subsidiary broke ground on a factory that will produce solid rocket motors for missiles. Avio USA is building a 900,000-square-foot facility in Hurt, Virginia, that is expected to be capable of producing thousands of solid rocket motors annually for U.S. tactical missile program. The company wants the Virginia operation to function as a merchant supplier, selling motors to multiple defense contractors rather than dedicating the factory to a single missile program. The facility is scheduled for completion in late 2028 with the first motors produced there in early 2029. (9/30)
Parsons to Oversee Development of Space Command HQ in Huntsville (Source: Space News)
Parsons won an $85 million contract to oversee construction of U.S. Space Command's new headquarters building. The company said Tuesday it was selected to serve as the government's "owner's advisor" for the new Command and Control Facility at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. The 75-month agreement puts Parsons in a central management role as the government designs and builds what is expected to be a roughly $2 billion headquarters complex.
The Space Command headquarters is expected to encompass about 950,000 square feet and support as many as 1,800 personnel. The project is also an early test of a new Pentagon approach intended to speed up military construction, which can take a decade or longer for large and complicated facilities. (9/30)
China's CAS Space Plans Suborbital Lihong-2 Launch in 2027 (Source: Space News)
Chinese commercial launch firm CAS Space is targeting a first flight of the Lihong-2 suborbital rocket in early 2027. The launch would carry pharmaceutical payloads under an agreement with Guangzhou Laboratory. CAS Space had planned a late 2026 launch of the rocket earlier this year. Lihong-2 is designed to go above an altitude of 100 kilometers, providing a microgravity environment for more than 180 seconds and carry up to 3,000 kilograms of payload. The rocket's booster would make a powered vertical landing while a capsule carrying the payload lands under parachutes. (9/30)
Chinese Launchers Developing Electric Pumps for Rocket Engines (Source: Space News)
Several Chinese startups are working on rocket engines with electric pumps. At least four companies in China are working on engines with electric pumps, which eliminate complex turbomachinery. The engines are in various stages of development and testing, each producing several tons of thrust. Rocket Lab uses an electric-pump architecture for the Rutherford engine that powers its Electron rocket, although the company has moved to more traditional designs for the larger Archimedes engine powering Neutron. The apparent trend comes following clear signals from China's central government that commercial space is of strategic importance and a potential economic driver, even as the country's launch sector becomes crowded. (9/30)
Astro Digital Plans SPAC Merger with Proem (Source: Space News)
Astro Digital plans to go public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger. The company said Monday it agreed to merge with Proem Acquisition Corp I in a transaction carrying a proposed enterprise value of about $587 million. The merger could provide up to $180 million in gross proceeds from Proem’s trust account and private financing led by Proem Asset Management and Leon Capital Group.
The companies expect to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder approval and other conditions. Denver-based Astro Digital has delivered nearly 40 satellites to customers including NASA, the Defense Department, Boeing and Sony. The company expects the funding would help Astro Digital add production capacity and expand its sales operation. (9/30)
Lithuania's Blackswan Space Raises $2.9 Million for Rendezvous Satellite (Source: Space News)
Lithuania's Blackswan Space has raised around $2.9 million to develop a rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) payload. The company has created RPO Kit, a spacecraft subsystem comprising sensors and the software needed to guide maneuvers near another object in orbit, follows five years of vision-based navigation technology development. Orbit Fab plans to use the system for an in-space refueling demo mission in 2028. Blackswan plans to test a scaled-down version in space for the first time in late 2027, using an internally funded chaser and target spacecraft in low Earth orbit. (9/30)
Stoke Space to Launch AstroForge Autonomous Spacecraft in 2027 (Source: Space News)
Asteroid mining company AstroForge plans to test a fully autonomous spacecraft on a mission next year. The company's Autonomy-1 spacecraft will launch on the first flight of Stoke Space's Nova Pathfinder rocket early next year. Autonomy-1 will be equipped with Solo, an artificial intelligence model AstroForge has developed that will be able to handle all operations on the spacecraft, including detecting and resolving any anomalies, without any intervention from the ground.
AstroForge said it pursued Solo after challenges communicating with its first spacecraft, Odin, launched last year. Having the spacecraft be fully autonomous reduces operations cost and complexity. Solo will also run in a "shadow" mode on DeepSpace-2, an asteroid prospecting mission launching next year, but will not handle spacecraft operations. (9/30)
New Zealand Could Get Second Spaceport (Source: Radio New Zealand)
A study has concluded a second New Zealand spaceport is viable. The study, prepared by French spaceport developer SpacedreamS, examined a site south of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand that is home to the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre. The site currently has a runway for aircraft flight testing, but the study found it could also support launches. Tāwhaki and SpacedreamS said they are discussing spaceport development with government officials and investors, but did not disclose a cost for developing a launch site there or schedule, or who might be interested in using it. (9/30)
Collins to Grow Iowa Aerospace Component Facility (Source: Charlotte Observer)
Collins Aerospace will expand its aerospace engine parts facility in West Des Moines, Iowa, to increase manufacturing capacity. Construction is set to begin soon, with completion expected by mid-2027. This follows a previous expansion in 2023. (9/29)
GE Aerospace Commits $500K to Ohio Workforce Training (Source: Dayton Daily News)
GE Aerospace and the GE Aerospace Foundation are investing nearly $500,000 in workforce development in southwest Ohio, with Sinclair Community College receiving $300,000 to train welders and technicians, the Hobart Welding Institute receiving $130,000, and the Talent Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati receiving $30,000. The initiative, part of the Lifting Futures program, aims to train 10,000 workers. (9/30)
Some Barriers to Starship Rapid Reusability (Source: SPACErePORT)
SpaceX is far beyond its competitors in operating a high-cadence launch system, but some barriers remain for achieving the rapid turnaround promised for Starship Super-Heavy missions. After a qualified success for September's Flight 14 orbital Starship event, Flights 15 and 16 are both planned in October with an unprecedented 11-day gap between flights. But SpaceX is aiming for an hour between flights...potentially of the same vehicles.
One key capability seems already within reach: SpaceX reportedly loaded 12 million pounds of liquid oxygen and liquid methane in roughly 30 minutes, an impressive engineering milestone. Other barriers include: 1) Launch Pad Refurbishment - Today's missions require active post launch/landing inspection, structural cooling, and minor repairs between events. The goal is zero-touch refurbishment with ultra-robust survivability. 2) Booster & Ship Catching - The current system is still in operational testing, but must mature to allow immediate restacking.
3) Thermal Protection Maturation - The current system of heat-shield tiles requires inspection and time-consuming replacement between flights. The goal is to use a more robust material that can confidently survive multiple launches and reentries. 4) Regulatory & Range Capacity - Airspace closures and launch licensing traditionally take weeks per flight. Continuous "airline-like" range clearance is required to prevent grounding flights due to commercial air traffic. (9/30)
Star Catcher, Google and Blackwing Space Bring New Orbital Technologies to Transporter-18 Mission (Source: Spacewatch Global)
SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission will carry 130 payloads to orbit, including Star Catcher’s Protostar orbital power demonstrator, Google’s Project Suncatcher AI-computing test and Blackwing Space’s Baby Bird nanosatellite. The diverse manifest highlights how a single rideshare mission is becoming a platform for testing new approaches to power, computing, Earth observation and commercial space infrastructure. (9/29)
Blackswan Space Raises $2.9 Million for Satellite Rendezvous Payload Ahead of 2028 Refueling Demo (Source: Space News)
Lithuania’s Blackswan Space has raised approximately $2.9 million in seed funding to develop a rendezvous and proximity operations payload. Orbit Fab plans to use the technology in what it describes as Europe’s first in-space satellite refueling demonstration, targeted for 2028. (9/30)
Astranis Secures $468 Million EXIM Loan to Expand Satellite Production (Source: Axios)
Astranis has secured a $468 million loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to expand satellite production, according to an exclusive report. EXIM Chairman John Jovanovic framed the financing as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S. leadership in space. (9/30)
Varda Raises $251 Million at $1.6 Billion Valuation (Source: Space News)
Varda has raised $251 million in a Series D financing led by Lux Capital and Natural Capital, valuing the in-space manufacturing company at $1.6 billion. The funding reinforces investor backing for Varda’s commercial space business as it advances its growth strategy. (9/30)
Sophia Space and Redwire Partner to Develop Scalable Orbital Data Center Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
Sophia Space and Redwire have agreed to collaborate on the development and deployment of scalable, space-based computing infrastructure. The partnership targets orbital data centers, signaling continued commercial interest in moving data processing and related infrastructure into space. (9/30)
Space Force Mission Delta 2 Develops Advanced SDA Software to Prioritize Rapid Satellite Tracking (Source: SatNews)
On Sep. 29, 2026, details presented during the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference revealed that the U.S. Space Force’s Mission Delta 2 is building software systems to accelerate satellite tracking across all orbital regimes. The initiative marks an operational pivot within Space Domain Awareness (SDA), prioritizing high decision velocity and rapid contact updates over waiting for fully refined, highly precise orbital telemetry. (9/29)
Australia's Orbit 2 Orbit Advances Plans for Cargo Service Network in Space (Source: Business News Australia)
Backed by a $1.4 million seed round earlier this year, a Gold Coast startup pioneering logistics services for the space industry is advancing plans to establish an international delivery standard similar to land-based shipping containers to move cargo between space stations and satellites. Orbit 2 Orbit, which has been dubbed the FedEx of space, says it aims to make it easier for regular freight movement between orbital platforms. (9/29)
Blue Origin CEO: 'We Have a Path to Launch This Year' Amid Pad Rebuilding Effort (Source: Bradenton Herald)
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp still believes his company's massive, full-steam-ahead infrastructure rebuilding effort after the May 28 New Glenn rocket explosion may let Blue Origin return to flight by the end of 2026. "Space is hard. And our job is to make it look easy," Limp said Monday at Blue Origin's growing Rocket Park manufacturing campus at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. "And so, we have hundreds of people out at the pad rebuilding the pad, getting it ready to launch again," Limp said. "We still think we have a path to launch this year," he said. (9/28)
Astronauts Launching on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Will Support Variety of ISS National Lab-Sponsored Research (Source: CASIS)
Four new crew members are preparing to launch to the ISS on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission. During their six-month expedition, NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov will support hundreds of scientific investigations, including numerous ISS National Lab-sponsored projects that seek to benefit life on Earth and enable a robust low Earth orbit (LEO) economy. (9/29)
Starship Has Finally Gone Orbital. Now Comes the Hard Part (Source: Gizmodo)
This test mission, Flight 14, was supposed to last 10 hours, with Starship completing roughly six trips around the planet. The vehicle did manage to deploy all 26 of the Starlink V3 satellites it carried to space, marking the first operational deployment of these larger, upgraded satellites. But “out of an abundance of caution given the engine issue experienced during ascent,” flight controllers decided to end the mission early. Starship splashed down in the northern Pacific after less than three hours in orbit.
Now, SpaceX has work to do. The company needs to prove it can do this repeatedly without any anomalies. Starship has flown with upgraded Raptor 3 engines three times now, and they have malfunctioned every time. Getting to the bottom of these issues will be critical if SpaceX hopes to deliver on its promises to NASA and to achieve commercial viability. NASA plans to launch Artemis 3 in 2027, sending test versions of NASA’s two commercial Moon landers—SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 lander—to LEO. Only one lander will earn the chance to return NASA astronauts to the Moon.
Whether the engine failure that occurred during Flight 14 was “a one-off failure of a single part” or a symptom of a larger design problem will determine the pace of Starship’s continued development. “Any engine fix that holds up the next flights, including the planned attempt to catch the ship with the launch tower’s arms [after re-entry], eats into that schedule,” Dean Sladen said. (9/29)
Dawn Aerospace Expands into Germany to Support €35 Billion Sovereign Space Defense Initiatives (Source: Dawn Aerospace)
Dawn Aerospace announced its expansion into Germany with work underway to establish Dawn Aerospace Deutschland GmbH. This move will support a localized supply of flight-proven space propulsion as well as the development of space transportation capabilities to support Germany’s rapidly growing defense and national security space sectors. This builds on top of Dawn’s current collaboration with German partners such as Zentrum für Telematik.
The expansion aligns with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius’s recent commitment to invest €35 billion in space-related defence projects by 2030. Achieving this rapid orbital deployment requires a resilient, sovereign military space architecture backed by reliable, high-volume production of critical components like propulsion. (9/29)
ESA Awards Study Contracts for Space Station (Source: Douglas Messier)
The European Space Agency has selected consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to conduct a pair of Pre-Phase A studies on the development of a European-led space station that would fly after the ISS is retired in 2030. The studies will examine the development of a modular space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) in cooperation with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other partners. ESA did not disclose the value of the contracts or the other members of the consortia. (9/29)
Call for Proposals - Space Florida & UK Space Agency - Space Innovation Partnership (Source: Gov.UK)
The goal of the Space Florida – UK Space Agency Space Innovation Partnership is to promote joint R&D collaboration among companies in Florida and the UK. Proposals are welcome on any area of the space sector, but areas are of particular interest include: In-orbit servicing and manufacturing; Space transportation; Satellite systems; In-space research; and Advanced exploration technologies. The program aims to stimulate collaborative innovation between UK and Florida space organizations, accelerating the development and commercialization of cutting-edge space technologies.
The call will support projects that have strong market potential, strengthen bilateral relationships, and help organizations access opportunities within respective space ecosystems. UK companies will be funded by the UK Space Agency, and Florida companies will be funded by Space Florida. Funding available totals £150,000 from the UK Space Agency and $200,000 from Space Florida. Up to two projects are expected to be funded, each with a total value of £150,000/$200,000, including contributions of up to £75,000 (UKSA) and $100,000 (SF). Click here. (9/29)
NASA Says Satellite Battery-Passivation Practices Are Inconsistent and Insufficient To Prevent Orbital Debris (Source: Space Intel Report)
A NASA workshop with satellite manufacturers and operators found that commercial practices for passivating spacecraft batteries—intended to prevent explosions after mission end—often fall short of NASA recommendations. The findings raise concerns as commercial satellite buses become increasingly common across government and civil space programs. (9/29)
CNES Publishes Call for New Rocket Launch Tracking Turrets for French Guiana (Source: European Spaceflight)
France’s CNES has published a call for proposals to replace ageing launch-tracking equipment at the Guiana Space Centre with three automated optical tracking turrets. The upgrade is intended to modernize optical monitoring capabilities supporting rocket launches from Europe’s primary spaceport. (9/29)
Electric-Pump Propulsion Emerges as a New Front in China’s Commercial Launch Sector (Source: Space News)
A new group of Chinese commercial launch companies is pursuing electric-pump-fed liquid engines, signaling an emerging propulsion trend in the country’s private space sector. The effort could broaden the technology base available to Chinese launch providers as they develop competing commercial space transportation systems. (9/29)
Artemis Accords Principals to Discuss Lunar Debris and Emerging Space Assistance in Turkey (Source: Payload)
NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson and Peruvian Space Agency director Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen will lead the Artemis Accords Principals’ Meeting in Turkey. The discussions will address lunar debris and emerging space assistance, highlighting practical coordination challenges as participating nations expand lunar activity. (9/29)
September 29, 2026
Ovzon Secures $9.1 Million U.S.
Government Order for Managed SATCOM Services on Ovzon 3 (Source:
SatNews)
Swedish mobile satellite communications provider Ovzon secured a 12-month contract valued at 90 MSEK ($9.1 million) from a new U.S. government customer. The agreement covers the provisioning of Ovzon’s end-to-end SATCOM platform, combining service allocations on the proprietary Ovzon 3 geostationary satellite, supplemental third-party capacity, and mobile satellite terminal hardware. (9/28)
FAA Supplemental EIS for SpaceX to Modify Plans for Starship-Super Heavy at LC-36 (Source: FAA)
The FAA is working on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) concerning SpaceX's desire to modify their existing vehicle operator license for Starship-Super Heavy operations at Launch Complex 37 on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This SEIS supports FAA’s adoption of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Starship-Super Heavy on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The proposed operations would include up to 76 Starship-Super Heavy launches, up to 152 landings per year (up to 76 Super Heavy Booster and up to 76 Starship vehicle landings), including return-to-launch-site and ocean landings. This would also cover the issuance of temporary airspace closures. Click here. (9/29)
NASA Asked Several Former SR-71A Staffers To Help Secret Restart (Source: Aviation Week)
Mike Relja, a retiree in his late 70s, received an unexpected job offer from NASA about a month ago. The assignment: Help put a former NASA-operated Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird back in the air after a nearly 27-year hiatus. “I told the guy, ‘You know, I’m too old to be doing this,’” Relja recalls. "It would be interesting. But I just don’t think you can get there from here.”
At some point early this year—certainly before May 17 and perhaps even before April, according to commercial satellite imagery—agency employees removed the SR-71A from a display at the Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards AFB, California. That SR-71A had stood there since about Oct. 9, 1999. “I do know they’ve got people working on it,” Relja says. “But again, without equipment, it’s beyond me what they’re doing.”
“In the service of the first ‘A’ in NASA, we are rebuilding our X-plane fleet,” Jared Isaacman said last week. “It will not be long before NASA is once again flying as high and as fast from decades past—and then even more.” An agency spokesperson declined to elaborate and NASA has not confirmed that the return-to-flight project exists. The Air Force and NASA destroyed a $600 million supply of spare parts for the Blackbird fleet in 2007. (9/29)
NASA, for the Time Being, is Unable to Move the Space Station's Large Robotic Arm (Source: Ars Technica)
Recently, the astronauts on board the International Space Station performed a routine “walk-off” maneuver with the large, 58-foot-long robotic arm attached to the orbiting laboratory. Afterward, the robotic arm, along with the mobile transporter that guides it along the main truss of the space station, engineers noted some issues with operations. (9/28)
Côte d’Ivoire Signs Artemis Accords as African Participation Expands (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Côte d’Ivoire has signed NASA’s Artemis Accords, becoming the ninth African country to join the framework for cooperation in lunar exploration and space activities. The accession expands African participation as NASA works to build broader continental support for the Artemis program. (9/29)
Axelspace Says Communications Failures on 4 of 7 Grus-3 Satellites Likely Mean Mission Loss (Source: Space Intel Report)
Four of the seven medium-resolution Grus-3 optical imaging satellites launched in July for Japan’s Axelspace Corp. have suffered failures of their high-speed communications systems that are unlikely to be returned to nominal service. The company said work to recover the satellites to their planned performance was continuing but its compliance and risk management committee concluded that “it would be difficult to restore the high-speed communication system and proceed with the planned commercial operation.” (9/29)
SSC Space Upgrades Western Australia Station for Optical Satellite Communications (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Swedish Space Corporation has completed an upgrade of its optical ground station in Western Australia, bringing the facility into operational service with support for both Space Development Agency and Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems optical communications standards. (9/29)
Momentus Tests Low-Cost Sensor Suite for Future Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
Momentus has successfully tested a low-cost sensor suite designed to support proximity operations for future satellite-servicing missions. The test advances the company’s effort to develop lower-cost sensing capabilities for spacecraft rendezvous and servicing, though no performance results or deployment timeline were provided. (9/29)
Canada's Outer Space Institute Seeks UN Support to Halt Constellation Expansions (Source: Space.com)
One group wants the United Nations to step in and stop the expansion of satellite constellations. The Outer Space Institute, a Canadian organization, has proposed that the United Nations General Assembly take up a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine the environmental issues of large satellite constellations, including their effect on astronomy. That resolution would require only a simple majority for approval, unlike the consensus needed in bodies like the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. However, any findings made by the ICJ on the issue would not be binding. (9/29)
SpaceComputer to Launch Distributed Compute System in 2027 (Source: Space News)
A startup working on distributed computing systems in space will launch its first mission in 2027. For the 2027 flight, scheduled to launch in March or April on an undisclosed small satellite, SpaceComputer will test Space Fabric, its hardware and software architecture with secure and physically isolated computing elements. That spacecraft will travel from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit, allowing SpaceComputer to see how its technology works in different radiation environments. (9/29)
ESA Picks Three Earth Science Missions for Study (Source: ESA)
ESA has selected three proposed Earth science missions for further study. ESA said last week it picked ECO, Keystone and CryoRad to move to the next preparatory phase of its Earth Explorer line of missions. ECO would study the Earth's energy imbalance to understand its effects on climate, Keystone would measure atomic oxygen and metals in the upper atmosphere, and CryoRad would measure temperatures in polar ice sheets. (9/29)
Washington Governor Establishes Space Council (Source: Geekwire)
There's no longer a National Space Council in Washington, DC, but there is a new space council in the state of Washington. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Monday the creation of the Washington Space Council, whose 23 members include company executives as well as representatives from academia, government and other organizations. The council will study ways to keep the state competitive with others in the space industry in topics such as infrastructure and workforce development. (9/29)
Poland's Eycore Captures First SAR Images (Source: Space News)
Polish space company Eycore has presented the first images of the Earth's surface captured by its flagship radar-imaging satellite. The images from the Eyecore-1 satellite confirm the performance of its synthetic aperture radar imaging system, the company says. The move comes as Eycore is advancing investments in its Polish production capacities and positioning itself as a contender for major European contracts as well as a share of rising Polish space spending. (9/29)
NASA Adds $359 Million to Starliner Contract to Fix Thruster Problems and Perform Uncrewed ISS Mission (Source: Space News)
NASA is providing additional support to Boeing to get its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew spacecraft into service. NASA announced Monday a $359 million contract modification that will fund some additional work in Starliner to fix thruster problems experienced on previous flights. The funding will also go toward work to certify ULA's Vulcan Centaur for future Starliner missions after the remaining six Atlas 5 rockets are used.
NASA said an uncrewed test flight, Starliner-1, could launch in December or January, but Starliner-2, a crewed mission that will be commanded by NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg, is not expected to fly until at least 2028. Getting Starliner flying has taken on new urgency given expectations that SpaceX will retire the Crew Dragon in the coming years. NASA said it is committed to continuing competition in the commercial crew program but suggested it would be up to the private sector to fund a new crewed spacecraft. (9/29)
Northrop Grumman Delivers LEO Constellation Satellites to SDA (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman has delivered its first 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Force's proliferated low Earth orbit constellation. The satellites are the first half of a $692 million contract for 42 spacecraft the Space Development Agency awarded Northrop in 2022 for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer, and are expected to launch on a Falcon 9 in the coming weeks. York launched the first 21 Tranche 1 Transport satellites in September 2025, followed by 21 Lockheed Martin spacecraft in October; York launched 21 more in July. A successful launch of Northrop's first plane would mean two-thirds of the planned 126-satellite Tranche 1 Transport Layer would be in orbit. (9/29)
FAA Environmental Assessment for Increased New Glenn Cadence at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: FAA)
The FAA announced the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Blue Origin New Glenn Cadence Increase at Launch Complex 36A. Under the Proposed Action addressed in the draft EA, the FAA would modify Blue Origin’s vehicle operator license to authorize a maximum annual New Glenn launch cadence at the pad from 12 to 50 launches per year, including associated static fire engine testing, downrange first-stage ocean platform landings, and payload fairing recovery; and issuance of temporary airspace closures. (9/29)
Europe’s Crew Vehicle Could Visit Three Non-ISS Government Space Stations in the Mid-2030s (Source: Douglas Messier)
China's Tiangong (TSS) is currently composed of Tianhe and the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules. There are plans to double its size to six modules and increase the crew size to six or seven astronauts. China will also orbit the Xuntian Space Telescope near the station, allowing astronauts to service it. China's three-seat Shenzhou vehicles and automated Tianzhou cargo ships serve the TSS. A new Mengzhou spacecraft will replace Shenzhou and carry up to seven astronauts to TSS and three astronauts to lunar orbit. There are two commercial resupply ships under development to supplement Tianzhou deliveries.
India's Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) will consist of five modules in which three astronauts would live and work during months-long stays. BAS will be capable of hosting up to six astronauts on a short-term basis during crew rotations. It will be about 1/3 the size of China's TSS and 1/6 the size of the ISS. Crew and cargo versions of the Gaganyaan spacecraft will service the BAS.
Russia's Orbital Space Station (ROSS) will begin life as part of the ISS before separating to form a separate station. A change in the political climate would be necessary for Europe’s crew vehicles to fly to the Russian space station. Europe ended cooperation on most space ventures following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Cooperation continues on ISS but on little else. The decision came as the European Union and individual European nations imposed sanctions on Russia. (9/28)
Nuke the Site From Orbit: American Orbiting Nuclear Weapons During the Cold War (Source: Space Review)
In the aftermath of World War II, it seemed obvious to many that the future of warfare would involve rockets in orbit designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Dwayne Day and Hans Dolfing examine one study that explored a concept for “Satellite Bombs” and why the idea didn’t advance. Click here. (9/29)
Starship (Finally) Reaches Orbit (Source: Space Review)
On its 14th test flight, SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time, deploying a set of Starlink satellites. Jeff Foust reports on the long-awaited milestone and the push now to demonstrate the vehicle’s rapid reusability. Click here. (9/29)
The Watchers and the Warning: What a Himalayan Flood Asks of Golden Dome (Source: Space Review)
A devastating flood in the Himalayas was monitored by satellites, but those images could not provide timely warnings to people affected by it. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant describe how the ability of turning watching into warning from space is critical for both natural disasters and missile defense. Click here. (9/29)
The Dilemma of Space Weaponization (Source: Space Review)
The Space Force revealed earlier this month that it has “space control” weapons in orbit. Ajey Lele examines the implications that announcement has on efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space. Click here. (9/29)
Cross the Sea by Deceiving the Sky: Rethinking China’s 2026 Debris Events (Source: Space Review)
Several Chinese spacecraft and rocket bodies have shed debris in orbit in recent months. Christopher Stone ponders if these are isolated incidents or part of a strategy. Click here. (9/29)
Australia’s $100 Million Astronaut Question: What Would it Actually Buy? (Source: Space Review)
Australia is considering whether to pay for a flight of an astronaut to the International Space Station. Richard de Grijs discusses what value such a flight should provide to the country to make it worth the expense. Click here. (9/29)
Swedish mobile satellite communications provider Ovzon secured a 12-month contract valued at 90 MSEK ($9.1 million) from a new U.S. government customer. The agreement covers the provisioning of Ovzon’s end-to-end SATCOM platform, combining service allocations on the proprietary Ovzon 3 geostationary satellite, supplemental third-party capacity, and mobile satellite terminal hardware. (9/28)
FAA Supplemental EIS for SpaceX to Modify Plans for Starship-Super Heavy at LC-36 (Source: FAA)
The FAA is working on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) concerning SpaceX's desire to modify their existing vehicle operator license for Starship-Super Heavy operations at Launch Complex 37 on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This SEIS supports FAA’s adoption of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Starship-Super Heavy on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The proposed operations would include up to 76 Starship-Super Heavy launches, up to 152 landings per year (up to 76 Super Heavy Booster and up to 76 Starship vehicle landings), including return-to-launch-site and ocean landings. This would also cover the issuance of temporary airspace closures. Click here. (9/29)
NASA Asked Several Former SR-71A Staffers To Help Secret Restart (Source: Aviation Week)
Mike Relja, a retiree in his late 70s, received an unexpected job offer from NASA about a month ago. The assignment: Help put a former NASA-operated Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird back in the air after a nearly 27-year hiatus. “I told the guy, ‘You know, I’m too old to be doing this,’” Relja recalls. "It would be interesting. But I just don’t think you can get there from here.”
At some point early this year—certainly before May 17 and perhaps even before April, according to commercial satellite imagery—agency employees removed the SR-71A from a display at the Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards AFB, California. That SR-71A had stood there since about Oct. 9, 1999. “I do know they’ve got people working on it,” Relja says. “But again, without equipment, it’s beyond me what they’re doing.”
“In the service of the first ‘A’ in NASA, we are rebuilding our X-plane fleet,” Jared Isaacman said last week. “It will not be long before NASA is once again flying as high and as fast from decades past—and then even more.” An agency spokesperson declined to elaborate and NASA has not confirmed that the return-to-flight project exists. The Air Force and NASA destroyed a $600 million supply of spare parts for the Blackbird fleet in 2007. (9/29)
NASA, for the Time Being, is Unable to Move the Space Station's Large Robotic Arm (Source: Ars Technica)
Recently, the astronauts on board the International Space Station performed a routine “walk-off” maneuver with the large, 58-foot-long robotic arm attached to the orbiting laboratory. Afterward, the robotic arm, along with the mobile transporter that guides it along the main truss of the space station, engineers noted some issues with operations. (9/28)
Côte d’Ivoire Signs Artemis Accords as African Participation Expands (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Côte d’Ivoire has signed NASA’s Artemis Accords, becoming the ninth African country to join the framework for cooperation in lunar exploration and space activities. The accession expands African participation as NASA works to build broader continental support for the Artemis program. (9/29)
Axelspace Says Communications Failures on 4 of 7 Grus-3 Satellites Likely Mean Mission Loss (Source: Space Intel Report)
Four of the seven medium-resolution Grus-3 optical imaging satellites launched in July for Japan’s Axelspace Corp. have suffered failures of their high-speed communications systems that are unlikely to be returned to nominal service. The company said work to recover the satellites to their planned performance was continuing but its compliance and risk management committee concluded that “it would be difficult to restore the high-speed communication system and proceed with the planned commercial operation.” (9/29)
SSC Space Upgrades Western Australia Station for Optical Satellite Communications (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Swedish Space Corporation has completed an upgrade of its optical ground station in Western Australia, bringing the facility into operational service with support for both Space Development Agency and Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems optical communications standards. (9/29)
Momentus Tests Low-Cost Sensor Suite for Future Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
Momentus has successfully tested a low-cost sensor suite designed to support proximity operations for future satellite-servicing missions. The test advances the company’s effort to develop lower-cost sensing capabilities for spacecraft rendezvous and servicing, though no performance results or deployment timeline were provided. (9/29)
Canada's Outer Space Institute Seeks UN Support to Halt Constellation Expansions (Source: Space.com)
One group wants the United Nations to step in and stop the expansion of satellite constellations. The Outer Space Institute, a Canadian organization, has proposed that the United Nations General Assembly take up a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine the environmental issues of large satellite constellations, including their effect on astronomy. That resolution would require only a simple majority for approval, unlike the consensus needed in bodies like the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. However, any findings made by the ICJ on the issue would not be binding. (9/29)
SpaceComputer to Launch Distributed Compute System in 2027 (Source: Space News)
A startup working on distributed computing systems in space will launch its first mission in 2027. For the 2027 flight, scheduled to launch in March or April on an undisclosed small satellite, SpaceComputer will test Space Fabric, its hardware and software architecture with secure and physically isolated computing elements. That spacecraft will travel from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit, allowing SpaceComputer to see how its technology works in different radiation environments. (9/29)
ESA Picks Three Earth Science Missions for Study (Source: ESA)
ESA has selected three proposed Earth science missions for further study. ESA said last week it picked ECO, Keystone and CryoRad to move to the next preparatory phase of its Earth Explorer line of missions. ECO would study the Earth's energy imbalance to understand its effects on climate, Keystone would measure atomic oxygen and metals in the upper atmosphere, and CryoRad would measure temperatures in polar ice sheets. (9/29)
Washington Governor Establishes Space Council (Source: Geekwire)
There's no longer a National Space Council in Washington, DC, but there is a new space council in the state of Washington. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Monday the creation of the Washington Space Council, whose 23 members include company executives as well as representatives from academia, government and other organizations. The council will study ways to keep the state competitive with others in the space industry in topics such as infrastructure and workforce development. (9/29)
Poland's Eycore Captures First SAR Images (Source: Space News)
Polish space company Eycore has presented the first images of the Earth's surface captured by its flagship radar-imaging satellite. The images from the Eyecore-1 satellite confirm the performance of its synthetic aperture radar imaging system, the company says. The move comes as Eycore is advancing investments in its Polish production capacities and positioning itself as a contender for major European contracts as well as a share of rising Polish space spending. (9/29)
NASA Adds $359 Million to Starliner Contract to Fix Thruster Problems and Perform Uncrewed ISS Mission (Source: Space News)
NASA is providing additional support to Boeing to get its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew spacecraft into service. NASA announced Monday a $359 million contract modification that will fund some additional work in Starliner to fix thruster problems experienced on previous flights. The funding will also go toward work to certify ULA's Vulcan Centaur for future Starliner missions after the remaining six Atlas 5 rockets are used.
NASA said an uncrewed test flight, Starliner-1, could launch in December or January, but Starliner-2, a crewed mission that will be commanded by NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg, is not expected to fly until at least 2028. Getting Starliner flying has taken on new urgency given expectations that SpaceX will retire the Crew Dragon in the coming years. NASA said it is committed to continuing competition in the commercial crew program but suggested it would be up to the private sector to fund a new crewed spacecraft. (9/29)
Northrop Grumman Delivers LEO Constellation Satellites to SDA (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman has delivered its first 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Force's proliferated low Earth orbit constellation. The satellites are the first half of a $692 million contract for 42 spacecraft the Space Development Agency awarded Northrop in 2022 for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer, and are expected to launch on a Falcon 9 in the coming weeks. York launched the first 21 Tranche 1 Transport satellites in September 2025, followed by 21 Lockheed Martin spacecraft in October; York launched 21 more in July. A successful launch of Northrop's first plane would mean two-thirds of the planned 126-satellite Tranche 1 Transport Layer would be in orbit. (9/29)
FAA Environmental Assessment for Increased New Glenn Cadence at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: FAA)
The FAA announced the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Blue Origin New Glenn Cadence Increase at Launch Complex 36A. Under the Proposed Action addressed in the draft EA, the FAA would modify Blue Origin’s vehicle operator license to authorize a maximum annual New Glenn launch cadence at the pad from 12 to 50 launches per year, including associated static fire engine testing, downrange first-stage ocean platform landings, and payload fairing recovery; and issuance of temporary airspace closures. (9/29)
Europe’s Crew Vehicle Could Visit Three Non-ISS Government Space Stations in the Mid-2030s (Source: Douglas Messier)
China's Tiangong (TSS) is currently composed of Tianhe and the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules. There are plans to double its size to six modules and increase the crew size to six or seven astronauts. China will also orbit the Xuntian Space Telescope near the station, allowing astronauts to service it. China's three-seat Shenzhou vehicles and automated Tianzhou cargo ships serve the TSS. A new Mengzhou spacecraft will replace Shenzhou and carry up to seven astronauts to TSS and three astronauts to lunar orbit. There are two commercial resupply ships under development to supplement Tianzhou deliveries.
India's Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) will consist of five modules in which three astronauts would live and work during months-long stays. BAS will be capable of hosting up to six astronauts on a short-term basis during crew rotations. It will be about 1/3 the size of China's TSS and 1/6 the size of the ISS. Crew and cargo versions of the Gaganyaan spacecraft will service the BAS.
Russia's Orbital Space Station (ROSS) will begin life as part of the ISS before separating to form a separate station. A change in the political climate would be necessary for Europe’s crew vehicles to fly to the Russian space station. Europe ended cooperation on most space ventures following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Cooperation continues on ISS but on little else. The decision came as the European Union and individual European nations imposed sanctions on Russia. (9/28)
Nuke the Site From Orbit: American Orbiting Nuclear Weapons During the Cold War (Source: Space Review)
In the aftermath of World War II, it seemed obvious to many that the future of warfare would involve rockets in orbit designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Dwayne Day and Hans Dolfing examine one study that explored a concept for “Satellite Bombs” and why the idea didn’t advance. Click here. (9/29)
Starship (Finally) Reaches Orbit (Source: Space Review)
On its 14th test flight, SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time, deploying a set of Starlink satellites. Jeff Foust reports on the long-awaited milestone and the push now to demonstrate the vehicle’s rapid reusability. Click here. (9/29)
The Watchers and the Warning: What a Himalayan Flood Asks of Golden Dome (Source: Space Review)
A devastating flood in the Himalayas was monitored by satellites, but those images could not provide timely warnings to people affected by it. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant describe how the ability of turning watching into warning from space is critical for both natural disasters and missile defense. Click here. (9/29)
The Dilemma of Space Weaponization (Source: Space Review)
The Space Force revealed earlier this month that it has “space control” weapons in orbit. Ajey Lele examines the implications that announcement has on efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space. Click here. (9/29)
Cross the Sea by Deceiving the Sky: Rethinking China’s 2026 Debris Events (Source: Space Review)
Several Chinese spacecraft and rocket bodies have shed debris in orbit in recent months. Christopher Stone ponders if these are isolated incidents or part of a strategy. Click here. (9/29)
Australia’s $100 Million Astronaut Question: What Would it Actually Buy? (Source: Space Review)
Australia is considering whether to pay for a flight of an astronaut to the International Space Station. Richard de Grijs discusses what value such a flight should provide to the country to make it worth the expense. Click here. (9/29)
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