July 25, 2026

SpaceX Starship Megarocket Hits Key Milestones in ‘Lucky 13’ Test Flight as Big Hurdles Loom (Source: CNN)
SpaceX completed a test flight of its Starship megarocket, following an aborted launch attempt last week in which several engines failed to ignite at liftoff. The test flight, called Flight 13, hit several key milestones before concluding with a controlled splashdown of the upper Starship spacecraft in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy rocket booster, which detached from Starship two minutes into the flight, made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.

Flight 13 marked the second, and a more successful, test for this version of Starship, called V3. During the first flight of a Starship V3 rocket in May, a series of engine outages caused the rocket to underperform. SpaceX is facing intense pressure to get Starship ready for a crucial NASA test flight next year that could pave the way for the next moon landing. (7/24)

FAA Rule Could Unlock U.S. High-Speed Flight Testing (Source: Aviation Week)
Support for the FAA’s proposal to lift the ban on overland supersonic flight and replace it with a sonic boom noise limit is not just coming from the nascent U.S. commercial high-speed aircraft market. Starfighters Space operates a fleet of seven ex-military Lockheed F-104 supersonic fighters. The company operates from two locations. At NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it can fly supersonically 12-18 mi. offshore and comply with the existing ban. But the second base at Midland International Air and Space Port in Texas requires overland flights.

“This [proposed rule] really helps us at Midland, and that’s important because there are eight locations around Midland where we can do business, including Spaceport America and White Sands Missile Range [New Mexico], and the Utah Test and Training Range and Nellis AFB [Nevada],” says CEO Tim Franta. Starfighters is working with Texas to gain certification for a high-speed corridor, a triangle linking Midland to White Sands and Spaceport America, continuing across the top of the state and back to Midland.

“One of the problems with U.S. testing for hypersonics is oftentimes we are getting single points of data,” he says. “[With the new rule] we can fly two, four flights in the same day and get more data points. That’s better for the customer. It’s better for us.” Starfighters Space’s F-104s can fly for another 12 years, Franta says, but the company is in the process of acquiring a second supersonic type, which it dubs Platform 2. (7/24)

Air Force Assumes Control of GPS Receiver Program (Source: Space News)
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has taken over the Military GPS User Equipment program to address delays and technical issues in fielding jam-resistant GPS receivers. The program, previously managed by the Space Force, has faced years of setbacks in developing and integrating M-code receivers, which provide secure positioning, navigation and timing. The Air Force's management aims to streamline development and integration across military platforms. (7/24)

NASA to Support New Glenn Hot Fire Testing at Stennis Space Center (Source: Via Satellite)
NASA and Blue Origin have agreed to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to advance work on the Artemis program. NASA announced Friday the agreement is an annex to a reimbursable Space Act Agreement signed earlier this month. Blue Origin will conduct hot fire testing at the B-2 test stand, targeted to begin this fall. The stand has a long history of supporting Moon missions and was built to test the Saturn V rocket stages used during the Apollo Program. (7/24)

ULA Deals with Financial Challenges Caused by Vulcan Grounding (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance’s corporate parents have provided a guaranteed loan to help the company address “financial challenges” tied to the ongoing Vulcan grounding. The support is intended to bridge the period of constrained launch activity and associated cost pressures. Last year those parent companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, were seeking a buyer for ULA, which has been struggling to win launch contracts in competition with SpaceX. (7/24)

European Union Grants US Request to Restrict Satellite Images of Iran War Region (Source: Ars Technica)
The European Union has granted a U.S. request to restrict access to satellite images covering the Iran war region. The move comes amid reports of delays to Copernicus satellite pictures as tensions escalate and Washington steps up its posture involving Iran. (7/24)

Lockheed Martin Interested in Venus Aerospace's RDRE Engine Tech (Source: Ars Technica)
Venus Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have entered a collaboration agreement for the evaluation of Houston-based Venus’s rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) technology. The companies hope to achieve “precision fire” capabilities with efficiencies that translate into longer flight ranges and higher speeds. Lockheed Martin is the Pentagon’s largest contractor, responsible for supplying the military with thousands of tactical and strategic missiles.

Venus Aerospace’s RDRE tech works by generating thrust as a wave of detonation travels around a circular channel, sustained by the injection of fuel and oxidizer to produce a supersonic shockwave. The company completed a low-altitude flight test of the RDRE last year. The RDRE architecture has the potential to improve propulsion efficiency while reducing complexity. There’s a lot of work to do to scale Venus’s engine from an experimental prototype to a combat-ready missile platform. (7/24)

Lightning Strikes Chinese Rocket After Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
China launched one of its most successful rockets Thursday, sending a Long March 3B launcher to orbit with a Tianlian data relay support to link Mission Control with the country’s Tiangong space station. The Long March 3B is a dependable rocket, with nearly 120 flights since entering service in 1996. But the rocket was tested on Thursday when a bolt of lightning struck the vehicle shortly after liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China. The rocket continued the climb into space without incident. (7/24)

Lunar Outpost Plans to Send NVIDIA Chips to the Moon (Source: Payload)
The chip race and the race back to the Moon race have just crossed paths. Lunar Outpost, the Colorado-based lunar rover startup, announced plans to fly NVIDIA chips on its upcoming lunar missions. Lunar Outpost will carry an NVIDIA Jetson AI chip on its MAPP rover for the company’s Lunar Voyage 2 mission, which is planning to launch this year. Lunar Outpost is relying on NVIDIA chips to give more autonomy to its rovers, and greater onboard processing power to compress and send large data files. (7/24)

ESA Awards ispace €65M Contract to Build and Deliver MAGPIE Rover to the Moon (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has awarded a contract to Luxembourg-based ispace-Europe to complete the development of the MAGPIE lunar rover and deliver it to the surface of the Moon in 2029. The Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration (MAGPIE) is being developed under ESA’s Small Missions for Exploration initiative. The rover will explore the Moon’s south pole, characterizing volatile deposits and searching for water ice that could be used to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. (7/24)

Firefly Aerospace Selects Blue Origin’s Honeybee Robotics to Provide Rover for Lunar Mission (Source: Blue Origin)
Firefly Aerospace and Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin company, today announced Honeybee was contracted by Firefly to provide the lunar rover for the company’s recently awarded NASA task order to explore the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon’s near side in 2028. Once deployed on the Moon by Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, Honeybee’s rover will carry NASA instruments to investigate the unique composition of the Gruithuisen Domes – a part of the Moon that has never been explored. (7/24)

Office of Space Commerce to Move Ahead on Mission Authorization (Source: Space News)
The Commerce Department is moving ahead with plans to implement a voluntary mission authorization system for novel space activities that are not regulated by other agencies. Multiple Congresses and administrations have failed to agree on a “mission authorization” regime for space activities not already regulated by existing law. This new Space Commerce Certification could make it easier for industry to navigate the complex government environment, but does not appear to be a complete solution. The process is built on a “presumption of approval” to “keep regulations out of the way and make it easy and fast” for companies to get through government requirements. (7/24)

Sacknoff Prize Offered for Space History (Source: Space 3.0)
The Sacknoff Prize is an annual award that encourages original research by university students in the field of space history. The winner receives an $850 cash prize, publication in the peer-reviewed journal Quest, a one-year Quest subscription, and an invitation to present at the Society for the History of Technology's Aerospace Special Interest Group (Albatross) annual meeting. Full details and the application/flyer are here. (7/24)

SpaceX Progress on Florida Starship Launches (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
When enough Starship test missions have flown that the spacecraft is at an acceptable working level, it will then shift to Florida with the first missions flying from Launch Complex 39-A. The launch tower has been nearing completion adjacent to the complex’s existing launch pad, now reserved solely for Falcon Heavy missions. SpaceX had been using the launch site for Falcon 9 rockets until this year, shifting all of their flights over to Launch Complex 40 to allow more focus on completing the initial Starship launch infrastructure at KSC.

SpaceX ultimately is aiming for as many as 120 flights a year from across the three launch pads in Florida, a number that has raised criticism for its impact on commercial airspace. Also of concern has been its sonic boom potential during both booster landings and upper stage Starship return-to-launch-site flights that would bring it across Central Florida similar to how the space shuttle used to land back at KSC.

Meanwhile, work continues on the massive Gigabay manufacturing plant that will pump out Starship upper stages and Super Heavy boosters right on KSC property, adjacent to the Hangar X where it preps Falcon 9 rockets for launch. The first rocket hardware will be shipped over from Texas, but be processed at Gigabay before it gets into the manufacturing side of things. (7/23)

Lockheed Martin Posts Revenue/Earnings Growth with Missile Production Strength (Source: Defense Daily)
Higher sales of air defense interceptors and a surface-to-surface missile, coupled with the absence of losses on several contracts that hit the company a year ago, helped drive revenue and earnings growth at Lockheed Martin [LMT] in the second quarter, the company reported on Thursday. The company’s Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) segment posted strong double-digit top and bottom-line increases. (7/23)

Retired Astronauts Promote Voting and Democracy (Source: Space.com)
This past year, a group of retired NASA astronauts teamed up for a single cause: to defend the U.S. constitution. They banded together as part of a non-profit, non-partisan activist organization called Astronauts for America. So far, they have been speaking out, using their astronaut expertise, platforms, cultural relevance and role model status to speak out in support of "science, evidence-based decision-making, public service and the rule of law," their website reads. Now, as the group announced at an event at the California Science Center's new air and space center — home to the shuttle Endeavour — they're hitting the road on a campaign tour of colleges called "Vote for Freedom." (7/23)

Whipsmart to Fund Space Ventures (Source: Space News)
Space startup veteran Mark Matossian has joined forces with a software engineer and a best-selling author to establish Whipsmart Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on space and deep tech. Whipsmart will identify “pivotal technologies that can close a business plan” and help companies make the leap from laboratories to scaling up, said Matossian, who led Iceye U.S., program management, satellite production and launch for Terra Bella, and co-founded Lonestar Data Holdings. (7/23)

July 24, 2026

SpaceX Is Turning Away Falcon Customers in Major Bet on Starship (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX has started to turn away satellite operators seeking dedicated rides to orbit aboard its staple Falcon 9 rocket beyond 2028, people familiar with the matter said, underscoring the massive bet Elon Musk is making on its unproven Starship. Musk’s rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence juggernaut has also stopped building some non-reusable components for the Falcon family, such as the rocket’s massive upper stage, said one of the people. (7/24)

US Aerospace/Defense Contractors Confront Europe's Drive for Local Control (Source: Reuters)
As U.S. defense companies descended on Britain's Farnborough Airshow this week hoping to tap Europe's military spending boom, they encountered increased concern among customers about reliance on American ​suppliers. European governments are demanding greater control over defense equipment, more local production and a bigger share of industrial benefits. In response, U.S. ‌arms makers are expanding manufacturing in Europe, forming joint ventures and offering more tailored products. (7/24)

House NDAA Rejects Civilian Workforce Cuts, Anti-Union Proposals (Source: FNN)
The House narrowly passed its version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill on Wednesday evening despite strong Democratic opposition over the bill’s massive price tag, the war with Iran and a provision that would expand military partnership between the United States and Israel.

While the $1.15 trillion defense bill backs President Donald Trump’s request to raise all service members’ pay by 5 to 7%, it does not mention a pay raise for DoD civilians in fiscal 2027. While civilian pay is addressed outside the annual defense authorization process, some Democrats argued that House lawmakers missed an opportunity to provide a pay increase for the department’s civilian workforce. (7/23)

Florida Economy Surpasses Australia's (Source: Fox Business)
New data from the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows the Sunshine State's $1.8 trillion economy has climbed to No. 14 globally, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation. The chamber says the ranking demonstrates the state's emphasis on lower taxes, streamlined regulations and free enterprise.

Last week, the chamber announced Florida had climbed to No. 14 among the world's largest economies by gross domestic product (GDP). The state's economy reached $1.8 trillion after growing 6.3% over the past year, surpassing Australia and Mexico, according to the chamber. Florida now ranks behind South Korea at No. 13 and would need roughly 2% additional growth to surpass it and about 21% more growth to overtake Canada, which ranks No. 10. (7/23)

Rivers of Magma Once Bubbled Beneath Crust of Mars (Source: Guardian)
Mars once had rivers of magma bubbling beneath its crust, new research suggests. The surprise find makes it more probable that Mars could have supported life and widens the selection of rocky planets that may once have been habitable. Researchers at the University of Oxford studied data gathered by NASA’s Insight Lander, which recorded seismic waves caused by meteorite impacts and Martian quakes. They used the seismic data to analyze a mysterious boundary 15 miles below the surface of Mars. Their findings showed that the most likely cause for this boundary was molten rock pooling deep underground and stretching sideways for hundreds or even thousands of miles. (7/23)

SpaceX Plans Texas Data Center Expansion (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is preparing for at least one new large-scale data center in Texas, ​according to people ‌familiar with the matter. The expansion would significantly increase the company's AI computing capacity beyond ​its existing Memphis-area hub, where it ​operates two data centers with about ⁠1 gigawatt of compute capacity. SpaceX has explored several potential data center ​sites in Texas in recent months, aiming for a Texas expansion on a similar or larger scale than its ​existing Memphis-area ​facilities. (7/22)

Congress Seeks Details on NASA Workforce Plan (Source: Politico)
Lawmakers wanted more information on NASA’s plans to convert a chunk of its contractor-heavy workforce into full-time government employees. Isaacman has said the move will save NASA overhead costs and bring core functions in-house. As of May, NASA has approved the “hiring of 3,664 contractor positions to civil servant roles,” according to a document NASA sent in response to questions from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. The move will generate $140 million in annual savings. (7/23)

Sidus Space Appoints Chief Financial Officer (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU) announced the appointment of Alan Khalili as Chief Financial Officer, effective July 27. Mr. Khalili brings more than two decades of executive financial leadership across the space, satellite, and technology sectors, spanning publicly traded and high growth companies. (7/24)

Council on Foreign Relations visits Cape Canaveral Spaceport to Discuss the Future of Launch (Source: USSF)
 On June 26, 2026, the Council on Foreign Relations visited Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Members of the CFR met with Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, to discuss the scale of Space Coast operations, spaceport logistics and ways to ensure Cape Canaveral Space Force Station remains the “Premier Gateway to Space.”

The CFR is a nonpartisan, United States-based think tank with its headquarters in New York City. The council focuses on international affairs and their relation to U.S. interests. Members discuss these global challenges with government officials and scholars to advocate for policy changes that are better postured to address international and national issues. (7/23)

From Farnborough to Florida (Source: Florida High Tech Corridor)
Florida’s innovation ecosystem and the Florida High Tech Corridor Region are having a standout week at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow in England, one of the world’s premier aerospace and technology events. Leading a business development mission to the United Kingdom, Florida officials are showcasing the state’s strengths in aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing and space commerce while highlighting new investment opportunities. Click here. (7/23)

Space Florida and Seraphim Showcase Second Investment Readiness Cohort at Farnborough (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida and Seraphim Space, the world's leading SpaceTech investment group, today announced the second cohort of their Investment Readiness Program at the Farnborough International Airshow. Building on the successful launch of the program in 2025, the announcement adds to the momentum behind the new Space Florida-UK Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The growing collaboration between the two regions continues to strengthen innovation, investment, and commercial growth across the space sector. (7/23)

NASA Programs Feel Effects of Workforce Reductions (Source: Space News)
More than two dozen major NASA projects say they’ve been affected by the loss of roughly a fifth of the agency’s civil servant workforce over the past year. The impact signals operational strain across program execution and delivery timelines, as multiple initiatives contend with reduced staffing capacity. (7/23)

Space Is Coming for Silicon (Source: Via Satellite)
Orbital data centers are now taking shape enough to have brand names. SpaceX has put Starmind on the map, with Elon Musk describing it as an AI satellite megaconstellation that could eventually operate as “orbital data centers” at enormous scale. While that is the headline, the footnote is more interesting. Reuters reported that SpaceX has warned investors its orbital AI compute plans remain technically complex, unproven, exposed to the harsh space environment, and may not become commercially viable.

That contradiction is the real story. The public pitch is simple: AI needs power, space has sunlight, vacuum is cold, and launch costs are falling. It is a good slide. It is also incomplete. Physics does not care that the renderings look clean. A hyperscale cloud in orbit still has to survive radiation, thermal cycling, launch vibration, orbital debris, limited servicing, short technology refresh cycles, and a communications architecture that does not turn every workload into an expensive round trip. (7/23)

Thales Space Division Reports Growing Sales and Profit Despite $174.5M Cost of Cancellation of Two Satellites for SES (Source: Space Intel Report)
Thales’ space business—run largely through Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio—posted continued recovery in the three months ended June 30, with both sales and profit increasing. The improvement held even after a customer cancellation of two geostationary-orbit telecommunications satellites, costing €174.5M for Thales’ accounts. Satellite fleet operator SES in May cancelled the IS-41 and IS44 satellites, both designed with Thales Alenia Space’s SpaceInspire software-defined platform, in May. (7/23)

Frequency Electronics Reports Increased Demand From Proliferated Satellite Programs (Source: Via Satellite)
Frequency Electronics reports $18 million in recent contract wins, including an $11 million award from an undisclosed major aerospace prime contractor to support a proliferated satellite program. Under the contract, Frequency Electronics will provide on-board precision frequency-generation systems. The company also secured $7 million in follow-on production contracts for both space oscillators and non-space U.S. government programs. (7/23)

Intel Authorization Act Proposes Limiting Commercial EO Access (Source: Payload)
A proposed provision in the US Intel Authorization Act would treat commercial Earth Observation (EO) data access as a controlled privilege rather than a right, seeking to limit what Earth-observation satellite operators can publicly share. The measure frames data dissemination as something the government should govern for security reasons. (7/23)

Vulcan Centaur Swapped Out Again: NASA Goes with SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket for Launch of Space Weather Mission (Source: Space.com)
NASA is shaking things up for its next mission to research the sun. The six satellites of NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission are poised to launch to Earth orbit soon, to serve as an early warning system for incoming solar storms. They were originally slated to lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket but have now been assigned a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, according to a NASA mission update.

SunRISE will fly to space as part of a rideshare mission sponsored by the U.S. Space Force's (USSF's) Space Systems Command (SSC). Though it's not stated specifically in the NASA release, that may be a hint as to why the mission's rocket was changed. On its most recent launch, USSF-87, Vulcan experienced an anomaly in one of its solid rocket boosters — the second such incident to occur during the rocket's four launches to date. (7/23)

Canadian Consul General Visits Vandenberg to Strengthen U.S.- Canada Space Partnerships (Source: USSF)
Sylvie Bédard, Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles, visited Vandenberg Space Force Base July 16 and 17 to observe the installation’s launch operations and reinforce the U.S.-Canada commitment to advancing security and cooperation in the space domain. Bédard met with Space Launch Delta 30 leadership to learn how Vandenberg supports national security, civil and commercial space launches. (7/22)

Louisiana State Senator Addresses Space X, Blue Origin Rumors (Source: KATC)
For months, speculation has circulated about a space exploration company coming to Vermilion Parish. State Sen. Bob Hensgens addressed those rumors directly with parish residents at a meeting, though no questions were taken from the public during or after the meeting. "I hold no details of a possible SpaceX or Blue Origin purchase of property in Vermilion Parish," Hensgens said. He said the parish's access to the Intracoastal Waterway, which provides direct access to the Gulf Coast, is a factor that makes the possibility appear real. (7/22)

New Mexico County Adopts Data Center Moratorium as Residents Protest Spaceport Proposal (Source: SourceNM)
This week, another New Mexico county commission unanimously approved a data center moratorium. The Sierra County Commission met in Truth or Consequences Tuesday to vote on a resolution opposing the development of large-scale data centers within the confines of the county. By the end of the roughly three-hour meeting, commissioners had amended the item into an 18-month moratorium on data centers.

This week’s vote in Sierra County, which follows similar approvals in Santa Fe and Socorro counties, came as residents scrutinized a proposal from a Canadian company to build a data center and solar array at Spaceport America. In a statement Tuesday, Spaceport spokesperson Charlie Hurley said leaders at Spaceport were not in talks with other data center developers and had not signed a lease, construction agreement or development agreement with Green Data. (7/22)

South Australia Signs MoU with Space Florida to Expand Launch and Spaceport Cooperation (Source: Space and Defense)
The South Australian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Space Florida aimed at increasing international cooperation and engagement in the space sector, with a focus on spaceport development and launch-related activity. The agreement, entered into through the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC), was announced at the 19th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. It sets out a framework for collaboration across areas including spaceport development, space trade, economic opportunity, research and development, and workforce development. (7/23)

A Talent Race ISRO Can't Lose (Source: Deccan Herald)
More than 100 scientists are reported to have resigned or taken voluntary retirement from ISRO. India is entering the most ambitious phase of its space program just as its institutional core is being thinned by an exodus of experience. Since the space sector was opened to private participation in 2020, startups such as Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace, Dhruva Space, and Digantara have transformed India’s aerospace landscape. They offer higher salaries, stock options, quicker career progression, and a faster, less bureaucratic work environment. For technically ambitious scientists, the attraction is obvious. (7/22)

USRA Boosts Transatlantic Space Research Collaboration with Leicester Presence (Source: USRA)
The Universities Space Research Association, an organisation dedicated to international co-operation on space and advanced aeronautics research, is to establish a new corporate entity at Space Park Leicester. The news was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow. The University of Leicester's £100 million science and innovation park will host the USRA's UK presence, supporting the space economy across Europe and strengthening transatlantic space collaboration. (7/22)

July 23, 2026

British Business Bank to Develop a £100 Million Aerospace Supply Chain Fund with the UK Government (Source: Aerospace Global News)
The British Business Bank has announced that it has made a firm proposal to the UK Government to set up a  £100m aerospace supply chain fund to support UK suppliers and strengthen manufacturing capability across the sector. The proposed fund will help strengthen the aerospace supply chain, giving high-potential UK suppliers the capital they need to scale, invest and compete. The fund has been specifically designed to bring together public and private sector investment to support this strategically important sector of the UK economy. (7/20)

UK Government to Invest £62M More to Boost National Space Sector (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.K. government is to invest a further 62 million pounds ($83.4 million) to help boost the space sector in the country. This funding will support new satellite communications systems and space innovation projects, helping turn early-stage ideas into commercial products, with the aim of strengthening the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, and build a more resilient domestic space sector.

The funds announced Monday includes 42 million pounds ($56.5 million) to develop new British satellite communications technologies and 20 million pounds ($26.9 million) to support space innovation projects across industry and universities. (7/23)

FCC Votes to Adopt New Licensing Process for Satellites (Source: Aerospace America)
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to overhaul its satellite licensing process, despite a request to postpone the vote by U.S. House space policy leaders. The FCC on July 1 published the Space Modernization Order outlining the changes, which include establishing “a licensing assembly line” to process applications for satellite licenses, potentially in batches as opposed to separate approvals for each satellite in a large constellation. The order is among several planned overhauls to U.S. space licensing that were prompted by various 2025 White House executive orders. (7/22)

FIU Study Challenges Leading Explanation for Why Galaxies Stop Forming Stars (Source: FIU)
Understanding why galaxies stop forming stars is one of the biggest questions in galaxy evolution because it helps scientists explain how galaxies change over billions of years.
FIU research found galaxy mergers are neither necessary nor sufficient to stop galaxies from forming new stars — a process astronomers call quenching. Instead, the findings suggest slower internal processes play a much larger role than galaxy mergers in shutting down star formation. This suggests most galaxies don’t “die” in spectacular cosmic pileups after all. (7/21)

BAE, Trimble to Help Develop Space Force GPS Receiver (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded BAE Systems and Trimble agreements to develop the Maritime and Aviation Receiver Card, a next-generation military GPS receiver. The first phase involves advancing requirements and design work, while the second will focus on prototyping and integration. The receiver aims to enhance positioning, navigation and timing in contested environments, building on the Military GPS User Equipment Increment 1 program. (7/21)
 
Northrop Grumman Satellite Servicer Reaches Orbit (Source: Via Satellite)
The Mission Robotics Vehicle, developed by Northrop Grumman in partnership with NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory, has reached orbit to provide advanced refueling and life-extension services for satellites. Equipped with robotic arms, the MRV is designed to set a new standard for in-orbit servicing and lay the groundwork for future satellite repairs, inspections and assembly. (7/21)

NASA’s Isaacman Isn’t Asking the GOP for More Money (Source: Politico)
NASA wants to return to the moon and go even further, but the new agency head said he’s got the cash to get there. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman spoke to an influential group of House Republicans on Wednesday — but he didn’t make a pitch for more money when he walked through his agency’s ambitious plans for space. “I’m not here asking for money,” Isaacman told GOP members during the weekly Republican Study Committee lunch, according to five people who were in the room. RSC Chair August Pfluger (R-TX) also confirmed Isaacman’s comments while leaving the meeting Wednesday. (7/22)

Another Trillion-Plus Pentagon Budget Authorization Passed by Republican-Led House (Source: NPR)
House Republicans passed $1.1 trillion in funding for the military on Wednesday, in a final flurry of activity before leaving Washington for a more than month-long recess. The funding, an annual military policy bill called the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, passed by a vote of 216 to 212, with six Democrats joining Republicans to support the bill. It now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain path forward.

The bill — typically advanced with broad bipartisan majorities — has become a largely party-line effort this year. Republicans call the bill "a generational investment in America's national defense" that "builds the fighting force of the future by prioritizing innovation, lethality, and readiness." (7/22)

Electra Picks Ohio for $850M Aircraft Plant (Source: WLWT)
Electra, an advanced air mobility company, will build an $850 million aircraft manufacturing plant in Springfield, Ohio. The facility, expected to create 1,975 jobs, will produce the EL9 Ultra Short aircraft. The project is expected to be supported by state and local incentives tied to job creation and workforce development. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a proposed Job Creation Tax Credit at a future meeting. (7/22)

Rocket Lab Wins $266M From Space Force for Alaska Suborbital Launches (Source: Tech Times)
Rocket Lab has secured a $266 million contract from the Space Force for 12 suborbital launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska, with options for six more by 2028. This contract, the largest in Rocket Lab's history, leverages the unique geographic advantages of the Alaska spaceport, which can access a wide range of orbital inclinations without fuel-wasting maneuvers. The contract likely involves the Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, a variant of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, and is independent of Neutron development. (7/22)

Iridium Reports 4% Revenue Growth in Q2 Amid Rocket Lab Acquisition Deal (Source: Via Satellite)
Iridium grew revenue and subscribers in the second quarter, while the company is in the midst of a deal to be acquired by Rocket Lab. The satellite operator reported $225.2 million in Q2 revenue, up 4% year-over-year. Commercial revenue of $133.7 million was up 4% from the same time last year, with Commercial IoT data delivering a 9% increase in billable subscribers. Iridium noted that increases in commercial services were partially offset by a decrease in commercial broadband revenue. (7/22)

Launch of 500 U.S. Space Force Satellites Planned By End Of 2027 (Source: Defense Daily)
By the end of next year, U.S. Space Force (USSF) is planning a multi-fold increase in the service's launches and its number of orbiting satellites. Military officials announced they were tripling the maximum value of one of the service’s National Security Space Launch contracts to $17 billion. It seems as though $5.6 billion wasn’t enough. (7/22)

China's Shijian-31 Surveys Entire GEO Belt From Custom Orbit (Source: KeepTrack)
Shijian-31, launched by China in June, is flying a non-standard orbit that gives it a sweeping vantage point across the geostationary belt rather than parking at a single longitude. Analysts tracking the satellite say the geometry lets it pass by multiple GEO slots over time instead of the fixed-position monitoring typical of most Chinese inspector satellites. This matters for anyone watching China’s GEO surveillance buildup. A satellite that can survey the entire belt from one bus, rather than requiring multiple assets at fixed slots, changes the math on how many spacecraft China needs to keep tabs on US and allied GEO assets. (7/23)

Musk Says Tesla And SpaceX ‘Can’t Talk About’ Merging On Earnings Call (Source: Forbes)
Musk, in response to a question from Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan about a possible merger between Tesla and SpaceX, said: “We can’t talk about, you know, combining companies and that kind of thing on an earnings call—it has got to be done with the appropriate process.” There is “more and more overlap” between Tesla and SpaceX, Musk said, referencing Starlink’s integration into Cybertrucks—and later inclusion in all Tesla vehicles, according to Musk—and TeraFab, a proposed AI chip manufacturing venture between Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, which is now a SpaceX subsidiary. (7/22)

ONERA Selects Belgium's AMOS to Build French Space Surveillance Telescope (Source: European Spaceflight)
Belgium’s AMOS has been selected by the French aerospace research agency ONERA to build PROVIDENCE, a 2.5-metre ground-based telescope that will provide detailed images of satellites in low Earth orbit for the French Air and Space Force. The telescope is expected to enter service in early 2029. (7/22)

Extra $11 Billion to Fund Huge Leap in Space Force Launches (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force’s move to increase the contract ceiling for less complex, less critical launches by $11.4 billion will cover an additional 110 launches, raising the total number of expected missions to 170 over the next decade. The Space Force on July 17 announced the tripling of its original $5.6 billion ceiling for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, bringing the total to $17 billion. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract has a five-year base plus a five-year option between 2025 and 2034. (7/22)

Next Space Force Chief Throws Cold Water on the Idea of Space Privateers (Source: Ars Technica)
In the early years of the United States, when the nascent US Navy was still getting its sea legs, several presidents used privateers to capture or destroy enemy warships when armed naval vessels were unable to do so. President John Adams was one of the most vigorous proponents of commissioning private vessels for national ends. His administration issued letters of marque and reprisal during the so-called “Quasi-War” with France in the final years of the 18th century. These letters created the legal distinction between privateering and piracy.

Fast forward to today. Privateering is now prohibited under international law, and although it remains enshrined in the Constitution, the US government hasn’t used the practice since the War of 1812. Still, some present-day lawmakers want to bring it back. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) authored a bill last year seeking to allow privateering in the fight against drug cartels. Lee and Burchett introduced a separate bill earlier this month calling for the government to use letters of marque and reprisal for cyber warfare.

Sen Jack Reed (D-RI) asked Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess, the nominee for the next Chief of Space Operations, about it. “There are definitely different mission areas where having commercial leasing, different ways to do that, makes sense,” Schiess said. “Satellite communications, space domain awareness, things like that. But I also agree when it is a weapon system or a capability that would be able to harm another person’s equipment, their assets, or even people, that needs to be completely owned by the Space Force and needs to be controlled.” (7/22)

Saltzman: No Avoiding the War Zone in Space (Source: Space.com)
"If a conflict extends into space, none of us will be able to avoid the war zone. Unlike a combat zone in the air, land or sea, we will not be able to steer clear," Gen. Chance Saltzman said in his remarks at the conference, published by the Space Force. "Whether we want to be in the combat zone or not, orbital mechanics will put all of our space capabilities into the space war zone." (7/22)

Vast Establishes Division for National Security Projects (Source: Space News)
Vast, the commercial space station and spacecraft developer, has established a dedicated division focused on work in national security space. The new unit is intended to support and execute national security-oriented projects alongside the company’s commercial space station and spacecraft efforts. (7/22)

UK Scraps the Department in Charge of UKSA (Source: Payload)
As the UK touted its aerospace achievements at the Farnborough Air Show, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham saw the perfect opportunity to scrap the department responsible. Burnham, who took office Monday, announced that the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT)—which housed the UK Space Agency (UKSA) after a shakeup last year—is no longer. DSIT will be replaced by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; and the Cabinet Office. Officials from UKSA declined to comment on the reorganization. (7/22)

Breaking Down the $686 Billion Space Economy (Source: Payload)
The Space Foundation’s latest reporting breaks down the global space economy at $686B and outlines its growth trajectory. The update provides a consolidated view of the sector’s scale and direction, useful for benchmarking investment plans and capacity across space segments. Government space spending hit $141B across 53 budgets, up 7.4% YoY. The US accounted for 57% of the total, but the real movement came from allies building domestic capabilities—Canada more than doubled its spending to $612M, and the UK, France, and South Korea each grew their space budgets more than 40%.

Commercial activity reached $544.3B, or 79% of the space economy—almost quadruple what all 53 governments spent combined. PNT services generated about 41% of the total commercial revenue and, with ground equipment, account for more than three-quarters. Upstream commercial sectors are far smaller, but moving much faster, by revenue: Satellite manufacturing is up 67.2%; Launch is up 49.4%; and In-space servicing and SSA are both up 42.9%. (7/22)

MDA Space UK Selected by OHB to Provide Advanced Lunar Landing Sensors for ESA’s Argonaut Mission (Source: MDA)
MDA Space has received a Pre-Authorization to Proceed (PATP) contract from OHB System AG (OHB), a leading European space systems provider, to deliver critical lunar landing sensors for the European Space Agency's (ESA) Argonaut spacecraft. The Argonaut program, led by ESA, represents Europe’s first independent lunar landing capability. (7/21)

Space Force Orders 36 More Golden Dome Missile-Tracking Satellites, for $1.75 Billion (Source: Space.com)
The U.S. Space Force is adding three dozen spacecraft to its growing constellation designed to detect and track incoming missiles from orbit. The Space Development Agency (SDA) announced the agreements, worth a combined $1.75 billion, on July 14, naming L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space as the recipients.

Each company will provide 18 Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) spacecraft, for a total of 36 satellites that will grow the SDA Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation, part of the Trump Administration's Golden Dome initiative. All 36 are expected to be ready for launch by the end of 2028, according to an SDA statement. (7/21)

Relativity to Expand Terran R Production in Florida with $134 Million Incentive (Source: Space News)
Relativity Space will expand production of its Terran R rocket in Florida. The company and Space Florida announced a deal Tuesday where the state will help finance development of a new rocket production facility in Florida along with upgrades to test and launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. The state will provide up to $134 million toward those projects. Relativity said the Florida factory would be in addition to its existing facility in Long Beach, California. The medium-lift rocket remains in development and the company has not announced a date for its first launch from Cape Canaveral. (7/22)

Northrop Grumman Takes Hits From Flawed Solid Motors for Vulcan (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman is taking another charge related to the redesign of the solid rocket motor it produces for United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur. The company said Tuesday as part of its second quarter financial results that it took a $91 million unfavorable adjustment to its earnings at completion on its GEM 63XL motor program, after reporting a $71 million unfavorable adjustment in the first quarter.

The motor suffered what ULA called a "significant performance anomaly" on a February launch, leading to changes in the design of the booster. Northrop said it expects to begin delivering the redesigned motors by the end of the year. Vulcan has not launched since that February mission, although the Space Force said this spring it was considering revamping its launch manifest to bring forward missions that could use Vulcan without any solid rocket boosters. (7/22)

Glover: First Artemis Human Lunar Landing Should Target Non-Polar Region (Source: Space News)
An Artemis 2 astronaut says NASA should reconsider plans to immediately go to the south polar region of the moon on the first crewed Artemis landings. Speaking at a conference Tuesday, Victor Glover said the first landings should target more familiar regions of the moon, like those closer to the equator used on the Apollo missions, citing safety concerns and less challenging terrain and lighting conditions there.

Landing in equatorial regions, he said, could allow NASA to gain experience with landers and "work our way to the south pole" on later missions. NASA officials said at the meeting that they continue to target the south polar regions for the Artemis 4 and 5 missions, scheduled for 2028, but added that exact landing sites would be determined only after better understanding the capabilities of the landers under development. (7/22)

China's Orienspace Launches Nine Satellites From Ship (Source: Space News)
A Chinese commercial rocket placed nine satellites in orbit after launching from a ship. Orienspace's Gravity-1 rocket lifted off at 10:54 p.m. Eastern Tuesday from a ship offshore from Shanghai. The launch carried nine payloads including six Dongpo satellites for the Huantian optical and radar imaging constellation. This was the third launch of the solid-fuel Gravity-1 rocket as Orienspace works on Gravity-2, a liquid-fuel reusable rocket set to make its debut late this year. (7/22)

SpaceX Launches Wednesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites a day after a last-second abort. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday, putting 24 satellites into orbit. The launch came 24 hours after the vehicle aborted a liftoff immediately after igniting its Merlin engines. SpaceX did not disclose the issue that caused the scrub. (7/22)

South Korea's Innospace Plans Orbital Launch in November (Source: Innospace)
South Korean launch startup Innospace expects to make another orbital launch attempt in November. The company said Wednesday it expects to fly its Hanbit-Nano rocket from the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil in November, 11 months after the rocket's inaugural flight there failed shortly after liftoff. That will come after the launch of a suborbital rocket, Sebit, from Alcântara on Aug. 19. Innospace developed Sebit to provide testing and technology demonstration services. (7/22)

1960s Fighter Jet Could Crack Open Small Payload Launch Market (Source: Simply Wall Street)
Starfighters Space is a U.S.-based aerospace company focused on launch services for space payloads, aerospace testing, and defense research. In the past, the company generated revenue from pilot training and in-flight testing. But now, they’re moving to something far more ambitious.

Starfighters Space owns a fleet of supersonic F-104 aircraft (they call Starfighters) and plans to use them as a reusable first stage for space launches. That means they don’t have to build entire multi-stage rockets from scratch like other space launch companies do, easily getting around the massive development price tags that often come with such endeavors. That initiative is called STARLAUNCH, and management believes it could become the company's biggest long-term revenue driver. STARLAUNCH, however, is still in development. (7/7)

July 22, 2026

Australian Space Agency Outlines New Strategic Direction for Industry Growth (Source: SpaceQ)
The Australian Space Agency has released an updated framework titled the Statement on Space. Minister Tim Ayres and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton introduced the document at the ongoing Australian Space Forum, detailing a government vision aimed at securing national capability and boosting industrial participation in the global market.

The strategy arrives as the domestic sector looks to expand beyond its current base of 275 small and medium enterprises, which generated $4.6 billion Australian (about $4.5 billion Cdn) in 2021. Since it’s 2026, it seems odd the government does not have updated financial figures of the impact the space sector has on the Australian economy. (7/21)

Western Range Supports its 50th Launch of the Year (Source: USSF)
Vandenberg Space Force Base Guardians and Airmen supported the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 17-39 mission to low-Earth orbit Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 7:49 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4). Today's mission marks the 50th launch supported from Vandenberg Space Force Base for 2026 from the U.S. Space Force’s West Coast Spaceport and Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Every launch approved by the Vandenberg Space Force Base range is designated by the federal government to advance economic growth, strengthen national security, and achieve critical national space objectives — reinforcing the Central Coast’s role as a global gateway to space. (7/21)

Poland Joins Mission to Free Europe From Starlink Dependence (Source: TVP World)
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński and EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius signed an agreement in Warsaw on Tuesday, making Poland one of six key contributors behind the €10.6 billion IRIS2 project. IRIS2 is an EU-backed satellite network designed to provide secure, encrypted communications under European control for governments, emergency responders and critical infrastructure. 

The project reflects Europe’s growing determination to safeguard critical communications following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amid geopolitical tensions with the Donald Trump administration in the US. Concerns have also grown over dependence on privately owned satellite services after Musk suggested earlier this year that he could restrict Starlink access to Ukraine. (7/21)

ESA Seeks Novel Concepts for a Fast Asteroid Reconnaissance Mission (Source: ESA)
NASA's DART mission proved that a spacecraft can alter an asteroid's trajectory. But it also taught us something equally important: to do so efficiently, you first need to understand your target. That makes reconnaissance the essential first step in any deflection effort – and right now, even the fastest mission ESA can mount takes several years from the start of construction to launch.

ESA is preparing to set a new benchmark for rapid asteroid reconnaissance with RAMSES, which will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis just 3.5 years after the start of construction. Yet even this pace could, in a real-world scenario, mean missing the window to reach a threatening asteroid in time. So ESA is launching a new SysNova challenge calling for novel and advanced concepts for a fast asteroid reconnaissance mission, open now on the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). (7/22)

Space Force Could Cap Launch Support Without Extra Funding (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is warning lawmakers that the Space Force may eventually have to limit the number of launches it can support each year without additional resources to manage surging demand at its spaceports.

Demand for rides to space for both commercial and military payloads has risen dramatically in recent years, and the Space Force is responsible for facilitating the bulk of U.S. launch operations at its two coastal ranges, which together supported 180 missions in 2025. Annual launch rates at the two ranges are projected to grow to more than 700 over the next five to 10 years, and leaders say more funding is essential to further prepare its spaceport infrastructure for that higher throughput. (7/21)

Auxilium Biotechnologies Prints Kidney and Liver Tissues in Orbit (Source: Douglas Messier)
Auxilium Biotechnologies has announced a major milestone in space biomanufacturing with the successful bioprinting of kidney and liver tissues aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking the first time either tissue type has been manufactured in space. Auxilium’s bioprinted biological tissues and nerve repair implants returned to earth on Mission AXLM-3 that flew on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-34 and splashed down off the California coast on June 17th, 2026, at 5:11 am Pacific.

During the mission, Auxilium’s AMP-1 orbital bioprinter successfully manufactured kidney, liver, and cartilage tissues while also producing 28 nerve repair implants. The achievement represents the first demonstration of kidney tissue manufacturing in space, the first demonstration of liver tissue manufacturing in space, and the first mission to manufacture three distinct tissue types during a single spaceflight. The production of multiple tissue types and clinically relevant nerve repair implants represents the first demonstration of a scalable, multi-product biomanufacturing platform in space. (7/21)

Raytheon Leads $423M USSF Radar Modernization Effort (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded contracts totaling $423.4 million to Raytheon, SciTec Innovations and WildStar to modernize six legacy ground-based radar systems. Raytheon received $309.5 million, SciTec $93.7 million and WildStar $20.2 million. The project aims to enhance battlespace situational awareness by improving radar tracking, range and object classification. (7/20)

NASA’s Nuclear Mars Mission to Cost Over $2 Billion (Source: Politico)
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman’s ambitious plans to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft and fly it to Mars will cost over $2 billion, the agency confirmed this week. The new cost estimate for the mission, dubbed Space Reactor-1 Freedom, comes as the agency juggles a number of high-profile missions — including returning humans to the Moon and building a lunar outpost — all while operating under what is expected to be a flat budget.

“Early cost estimates are approximately $2.1 billion, and NASA will continue refining that figure through the acquisition process,” the agency confirmed. The agency plans to spend $640 million in fiscal 2026, $890 million in 2027, $415 million in 2028, and $180 million in 2029 on the program, according to a document sent to Congress and viewed by POLITICO. NASA will pull that money from the agency’s exploration account and from funding it received through the party-line reconciliation bill passed last year. (7/21)

Space Lasers to Beam 4K Video for Artemis III (Source: Space.com)
NASA is partnering with SpaceX to equip the Artemis III Orion spacecraft with Starlink laser communications terminals. The upgrade is intended to support high-definition—reported as 4K—video transmission and enable higher-throughput, data-heavy mission downlinks during the Artemis III timeframe. (7/21)

SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two dozen Starlink V2 Mini broadband internet satellites to its massive low Earth orbit constellation on Tuesday, a day after liftoff was scrubbed Monday by a rare abort during engine ignition. (7/21)

NASA is Flying Planes Into Wildfires to Try and Figure Out How They Make Their Own Thunderstorms (Source: Independent)
NASA says it’s planning to fly planes into dangerous wildfire-generated storms this summer to help improve forecasting – and potentially save lives. Major wildfires across the U.S. West have produced clouds that can shoot choking smoke high into Earth’s atmosphere, generate thousands of fire-causing lightning strikes in a matter of just hours, and even spawn destructive, whirling firenadoes. These clouds and their impacts complicate firefighting efforts and threaten Americans living near the fire and those thousands of miles away. (7/21)

SpaceX Snaps 7-Day Losing Streak, Sets Earnings Date That Triggers First Big Share Unlock (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX’s stock gained 3% on Tuesday, snapping a seven-day losing streak after setting its maiden earnings report, which coincides with a major share lock-up expiration. The contractor announced Aug. 4 as its debut earnings report after its record initial public offering. The date also triggers the company’s unique lock-up period, which allows insiders to begin selling shares earlier than the typical 180-day period.

SpaceX took a staggered approach, allowing insiders to sell portions of their stock at earlier intervals to prevent massive selling and price volatility. The first earnings report paves the way for investors to sell 20% of their eligible locked-up stock, a total of up to 911.5 million shares, on the second full trading day immediately following the first earnings release date, Aug. 6. An additional 10% could be freed up if the stock closes at least 30% above the IPO price for five of the ten trading days heading into the report. (7/21)

New Zealand's Zenno Astronautics to Relocate to the United States (Source: Space News)
Zenno Astronautics, a New Zealand-founded space company pioneering superconducting technologies for space, today announced its intent to redomicile to the United States. While maintaining its presence in New Zealand, the company is establishing its headquarters in Los Angeles as part of its long-term strategy to expand its presence in the world's largest aerospace and defense market and evaluate future investments in manufacturing, testing and operational infrastructure. (7/21)

FCC Eyes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Bands for Satellites (Source: Payload)
The FCC announced last week that it will consider a proposal on Aug. 6 to allow unlicensed Part 15 wireless devices to communicate directly with satellites. More than $40B has moved through D2D spectrum deals since 2024, from SpaceX’s $19.6B EchoStar spectrum purchase to the Amazon-Globalstar and Rocket Lab-Iridium acquisitions. The new FCC proposal would open more than 225 MHz of unlicensed spectrum—over three times what SpaceX bought—for free.

The spectrum the FCC wants to open was never anyone’s to sell. Part 15 governs devices that operate without a license—think Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth speakers, garage door openers, and smart meters. Rather than applying for spectrum rights, these devices simply comply with technical limitations. (7/21)

Spectrum and RFA One, Two Bavarian Launchers Neck and Neck (Source: AeroSpatium)
Which small European private launcher will be the first to reach orbit? Isar Aerospace, with the second flight of its Spectrum, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), with the inaugural flight of its RFA One, are both aiming for the beginning of August. Of the five startups selected last year by the ESA for its European Launcher Challenge , one – Orbex – has gone out of business, and two are preparing to launch from Kourou at the end of this year or next (PLD Space and MaiaSpace). But the other two Bavarian companies, Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg (Germany), both intend to reach orbit next month, launching from Northern Europe. (7/13)

Making Progress: Relativity’s Terran R, Rocket Lab’s Neutron, and PLD Space’s Miura 5 (Source: NSF)
Three companies developing new orbital rockets — Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and PLD Space — announced key testing milestones for vehicles targeted for debut flights later in 2026. Click here. (7/20)

Vikram-1: A Success for India’s Entire Space Ecosystem (Source: Space Review)
On Saturday, Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace successfully reached orbit on the first flight of its Vikram-1 rocket. Ajey Lele says this is a milestone not just for the company but the emerging Indian commercial space field. Click here. (7/21)
 
Getting to Yes—or No (Source: Space Review)
The US commercial space industry has pushed for years for a “mission authorization” system to approve novel space activities. Jeff Foust reports on the latest attempt to develop such a system, and how it could also become an avenue to block such efforts. Click here. (7/21)
 
The Arsenal’s New Owners (Source: Space Review)
The space industrial base is undergoing major changes with new players and new investment. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant argue that those companies would also benefit from reforms on how the government communicates its demand for space systems. Click here. (7/21)
 
Superstar in the Smithsonian: the FARRAH Satellite (Source: Space Review)
Among the new exhibits in the National Air and Space Museum is a half-scale model of a formerly top-secret signals intelligence satellite from the Cold War known as FARRAH. Dwayne Day discusses the history of that program. Click here. (7/21)

SpaceX Limits Future Commercial Rideshare Bookings Past 2028 Amid Severe Manifest Saturation (Source: SatNews)
Small satellite operators and mission integrators confirmed that SpaceX has stopped accepting new commercial launch bookings for both its Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Transporter series and mid-inclination Bandwagon missions beyond late 2028. The unexpected capacity freeze has triggered industry-wide logistical concerns as capital-constrained startups confront a sudden bottleneck to space access.

The sudden suspension of future commercial rideshare slots stems from a broader reallocation of internal launch infrastructure. Industry analysts report that SpaceX is increasingly prioritizing its internal Falcon 9 and Starship launch capacity to accelerate the deployment of the next-generation Starlink constellation.

Since the program’s inception in 2020, SpaceX’s sub-$300,000 baseline price point for standard CubeSat slots completely transformed NewSpace business models, rendering legacy, dedicated small-lift launch vehicles economically non-viable. The halt on new bookings past 2028 leaves a massive supply vacuum in the market. Startups that have raised capital based on ultra-cheap, highly predictable Transporter flight cadences must now face significantly higher launch costs or prolonged deployment delays, altering the economic baseline for emerging remote sensing and communications constellations. (7/20)

UK Misses Deadline to Award Contract for Space Debris Removal Mission (Source: European Spaceflight)
The UK Space Agency has missed a deadline to award a £75.6 million contract for the country’s first mission to capture and remove dead satellites from low Earth orbit. A call for Phase 3 of the mission’s development was published in July 2025, with the contract initially expected to be awarded by 30 March 2026. However, in its final annual report as an independent entity, published on 14 July, UKSA admitted that the contract award had been delayed. The agency is now targeting summer 2026 but has not explained the reason for the delay or provided a more precise timetable.

The Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission is expected to capture and remove two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit by the end of 2028. Neither satellite was designed to be removed from orbit, demonstrating the capture of unprepared, uncooperative objects in an increasingly congested orbital environment. In the initial call for tenders, the agency estimated the total value of Phase 3 at £63 million before VAT, or £75.6 million including VAT. However, separate spending-control records published by DSIT, the department that now oversees the UK Space Agency, show that £83.93 million excluding VAT was approved for the Phase 3 mission in June 2025. (7/20)

A SpaceX Rocket is About to Crash Onto the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Astronomers are gearing up for a unique moon observation event: a stray piece of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on track to hit the lunar surface on August 5. The collision and its aftermath, which may be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes, present an opportunity for some singular science. The crash could reveal new information about what happens in the immediate aftermath of an impact on the lunar surface and offer insights into the hazards of errant space junk to the moon. (7/20)

July 21, 2026

US Looks to Speed Supersonic Planes to Market (Source: Reuters)
The U.S. Federal Aviation ‌Administration said it was working to help industry deploy air taxis, supersonic airplanes, boost space launches and expand drone operations as it embraces next-generation aviation. Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told Reuters in an interview at the Farnborough Airshow the agency is moving to address ​issues with certification and regulations.

In June, the FAA proposed the first of two ​rules needed to lift a ban imposed in 1973 on supersonic air transport ​over land. ⁠The agency plans to propose a second rule to define acceptable noise thresholds for takeoff, landing, and supersonic cruise flight and finalize both by mid-2027. "We think the rules are old and outdated," Rocheleau said. The era ⁠of regular ​commercial supersonic flights ended in 2003 when Concorde, flown by ​Air France and British Airways, was retired after 27 years of service. (7/21)

50 Years After Viking 1's Historic Mars Landing, NASA is Looking to the Red Planet's Skies (Source: Space.com)
Half a century after first putting hardware down on Mars, NASA is looking to explore the Red Planet's skies. If all goes according to plan: Skyfall, which will send three Ingenuity-like choppers to Mars on a nuclear-powered rocket. "Equipped with a suite of scientific instruments, these aerial scouts will map hidden ice deposits and analyze weather patterns," NASA officials wrote in a description of Skyfall. "The mission will also demonstrate how aerial vehicles can generate wide terrain and subsurface maps to identify safe and resource-rich destinations for future American astronauts venturing to Mars." (7/20)

Midland Development Board Approves AST SpaceMobile Deal for 1,600 Jobs (Source: Midland Reporter-Telegram)
Midland Development Corporation board members have approved what could be one of the largest economic development agreements in the organization’s history. At a special meeting, board members unanimously approved a resolution authorizing an economic development agreement between the MDC and AST & Science, whose subsidiary AST SpaceMobile manufactures satellites near Midland International Air and Space Port.

Under the agreement, AST will lease a 23.107-acre tract owned by the city of Midland near its present location at the Spaceport Business Park at the northeast corner of the intersection of La Force Boulevard and Business Interstate-20. AST plans to construct a 400,000-square-foot building for satellite manufacturing and production on the acreage. As part of the agreement, AST also agrees to create 1,600 full-time jobs with a payroll of $128 million by the end of 2036 and invest $100 million in facilities and equipment by the end of 2034.

If the facility is fully built out, the agreement would mean $1.466 billion in annual regional economic output and expand Midland’s gross domestic product by 1.8%. It would also support 4,000 additional jobs across the region. AST arrived in Midland in 2018 under an agreement to create 162 jobs and make $14.25 million in capital investments in exchange for MDC incentives. Last year, the two entities approved a new agreement for AST to create 50 new jobs and make $3 million in capital investments. The agreement just approved does not replace either agreement, Harris said. (7/20)

Russia Launches Second Batch of Broadband Constellation Satellites (Source: TASS)
Russia launched a second batch of satellites for a communications constellation Sunday. Bureau 1440 launched 16 satellites for the Rassvet constellation, reportedly at about 5 p.m. Eastern Sunday on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. A first set of 16 satellites launched in late March. The constellation is intended to provide communications services using 5G protocols. (7/21)

Space Florida to Replicate Israel Collaboration with UK Joint R&D Grant Program (Sources: Space News, SPACErePORT)
Space Florida and the U.K. Space Agency will provide funding for joint space projects. The organizations announced Monday they will provide a combined $400,000 for joint research, innovation and commercialization projects. To be eligible, projects must involve at least one Florida-based aerospace company or organization, include an international partner and demonstrate clear commercialization potential. The organizations plan to start accepting applications this fall for funding in 2027. This is similar to a joint annual Florida/Israel program that has funded millions in aerospace R&D collaborations. (7/21)

Atmosphere Detected Around Rocky Exoplanet (Source: Scientific American)
Astronomers have detected an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet, raising hopes it could support life. In a paper published last week, astronomers said they detected helium escaping from the atmosphere of LHS 1140b, a "super Earth" exoplanet about 5.6 times the mass of the Earth orbiting a red dwarf star 49 light-years away. The detection of helium is evidence that the planet has a denser atmosphere of other gases, including water vapor. Astronomers said the planet is the only one found to date that is similar in size to Earth, orbits in its star's habitable zone and has an atmosphere, all critical criteria for supporting life. [Scientific American]

KBR Turns Focus to Golden Dome (Source: Space News)
Engineering and defense contractor KBR is positioning to compete for work on the Golden Dome missile defense system. The Houston-based company announced Tuesday it assigned two executives to lead the effort and said it is increasing internal investment in modeling, simulation, prototyping and secure facilities that could be used to test and integrate components developed for the sprawling defense architecture. Golden Dome is expected to combine satellites and other systems supplied by multiple companies. KBR said it is targeting the engineering and integration work needed to connect those systems across the military services, combatant commands and federal agencies. (7/21)

Germany's deltaVision Raises $11 Million to Produce Propulsion Components (Source: Space News)
German component supplier deltaVision has raised funding to expand production of valves and related components. The Munich-based company announced Tuesday it raised 10.2 million euros ($11.6 million) from several venture capital funds and private investors. It will use the company to scale up production of valves and related propulsion components to 5,000 units a year. This is the first outside funding the company has raised since it was founded in 2022. It has plans to develop technologies for in-space refueling of spacecraft, offering what it calls a "modular, interoperable technology stack." (7/21)

Japan's IHA and Finland's Kuva Space Plan Hyperspectral Constellation (Source: Space News)
Japan's IHI is considering adding next-generation hyperspectral satellites from Finnish startup Kuva Space to an Earth observation constellation. The companies announced a memorandum of understanding Tuesday to explore building and operating Kuva's Hyperfield-2 satellites in Japan, including potentially manufacturing them in the country. About 20 Hyperfield-2 satellites would be enough to provide daily coverage of about 20 million square kilometers across Japan, neighboring countries and surrounding ocean areas. The Kuva satellites would be part of a multi-sensor sovereign Earth observation constellation IHI is developing with about 100 satellites. (7/21)

Relativity Space Expands on Florida’s Space Coast (Source: EDC of FSC)
Relativity Space has committed to expanding its operations on the Space Coast, bringing substantial capital investments and creating thousands of high-skill, high-wage jobs for Floridians. Details of the expansion, announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis at the Farnborough Air Show, were not shared. (7/20)

Italy's ORiS Raises €4.5 Million for Laser Power Beaming in Space (Source: Space News)
Italian startup ORiS has raised funding to demonstrate wireless power-beaming technology using lasers. The company said Tuesday it raised 4.5 million euros in a pre-seed funding round from several investors and also won a 500,000 euro grant from an Italian regional program for startups. ORiS is developing technology to transfer power from one satellite to another using lasers, with plans to test the technology in space on two missions next year. OriS has already demonstrated the technology on the ground using lasers to transmit power to drones. (7/21)

Midland Business Leaders Launch Aerospace Venture for Texas' Permian Basin (Source: MRT)
Two business leaders are teaming up in an effort to turn the Permian Basin into what they call the “Space Basin.” Midland business and investment leader P. Lourcey Sams and aerospace development strategist Oscar S. Garcia have formed Permian Aerospace Development LLC, a joint venture platform dedicated to developing the aviation, aerospace and space industries in the Permian Basin.

Garcia said turning the Permian Basin into the “Space Basin” would create jobs, attract investment and broaden the tax base. “Texas, with its optimal land and airspace, should have inland launch and reentry abilities,” Garcia said. “Texas should have access to the Permian Basin.” In those efforts, he said, Midland has emerged as the optimal Texas location and the center of the universe for Permian Basin aerospace. (7/21)

Redwire Expanding Huntsville Facility with $8.5 Million Incentives, Adding 150 Jobs (Source; Fox 54)
Aerospace and defense company Redwire Corp. announced Monday it is expanding its Huntsville facility, a move expected to create about 150 new high-skilled jobs. The company announced the 164,000-square-foot expansion during the Farnborough International Airshow. Redwire said the expanded campus will increase production of its Stalker unmanned aircraft systems, Octopus gimbal payloads, advanced energy solutions and space capabilities supporting defense, exploration and national security efforts.

Construction is expected to be completed by late 2027. The expansion includes about $8.5 million in state and local economic development incentives, according to officials. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Redwire currently employs about 1,400 people across North America and Europe. (7/20)

China and Russia: Attacking Starlink (Source: National Review)
Humanity’s ability to exploit space, especially (for now) in near-Earth orbit, is rapidly increasing. And where one country gains an advantage, there will be others looking to neutralize that lead. China and Russia are working on a joint plan to “kill” Starlink. A cache of recently unearthed documents contains previously undisclosed details about the growing military cooperation between Russia and China.

The documents date from 2023, and, along with much else, they make a nonsense of China’s claims to be some sort of neutral in the Russo-Ukrainian war, claims that few ought to believe anyway. The length of the war, and the impact of sanctions on Russia, has worked very well for China, forcing Moscow into a position of dependency on Beijing.

Given China’s long-term geopolitical ambitions, securing a huge, resource-rich quasi-vassal is a valuable prize. And for the much longer term, China has some territorial issues in Russia’s far east, which Beijing still regards as unsettled business. Additionally, while China will dislike the way that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is triggering the rearmament of NATO, it won’t be too sad to see that Western support for Ukraine is coming at a considerable cost in money, matériel, and distraction. Russia can also offer China something else: battlefield experience. (7/19)

Could Space Become Korea’s Next Powerhouse Industry After Chips? (Source: JoongAng Ilbo)
Space has become much more of a national priority. On July 3, the fifth National Space Committee convened at Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang. President Lee Jae Myung attended as committee chair, while the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) unveiled a national strategy to foster the industry as a future growth engine.

Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan and senior executives from Hyundai Motor and Samsung Electronics also attended the meeting. The committee itself was elevated in January 2024 when its chairmanship was transferred from the prime minister to the president, and KASA was officially launched four months later, in May that year. (7/20)

Port Canaveral’s Exploration Tower Could Inspire New Space Age (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The Canaveral Port Authority is weighing the future of the landmark overlooking Port Canaveral. It should choose a future that transforms Exploration Tower into the front door to America’s Space Coast. Nearly 10 million cruise passengers begin or end their vacations at Port Canaveral each year, making it the world’s busiest cruise port. Among them are hundreds of thousands of families sailing aboard three Disney cruise ships, all homeported there. Their journeys illustrate how a Central Florida vacation often begins at Walt Disney World and continues to the Space Coast.

The future of Orlando and the Space Coast is increasingly interconnected. Visitors arrive through Orlando, experience Disney, sail from Port Canaveral, watch rocket launches and return home with impressions of the entire region. Exploration Tower can become the place where those experiences come together. Yet millions never realize that, just minutes away, they are standing beside one of the world’s greatest concentrations of space activity. Public and private investment continues to reshape the Space Coast and few regions in America are experiencing this level of sustained growth.

What is missing is a place that brings these experiences together. Exploration Tower can become that place — a welcoming orientation center where visitors discover not only the history of Port Canaveral but also why Central Florida is becoming a global center for maritime commerce, national security, commercial spaceflight, tourism, innovation and future lunar exploration. Imagine families arriving from Orlando before boarding a Disney cruise. Instead of waiting to embark, they could explore exhibits explaining why rockets launch here, how the U.S. Space Force enables access to space, how commercial companies are opening the pathway to the moon, and why the Space Coast is becoming the center of a growing off-Earth economy. (7/19)

The Best Human Landing System is the One That Can Beat China to the Moon (Source: The Hll)
The SpaceX Starship Human Landing System will need at least 15 Starship launches to get it to the moon — one for a fuel depot, another 13 to send Starship fuel tankers to top off the depot, and one for the human landing system to refuel at the depot before going to the moon. The Blue Origin Blue Moon MK2 lunar lander will be less complex. It will need three New Glenn launches to get it to the moon, which will include the lander and two transfer stages.

For both human landing systems to become operational, the companies will have to achieve at least a daily launch cadence with the Starship and New Glenn respectively. Thus far, only SpaceX has been able to achieve this with the Falcon 9. Both companies have enormous challenges establishing such a tempo for rocket launches.

The problem is that NASA has been given two tasks concerning the moon that may be in conflict. One is to build a lunar base for large, complex landers such as Starship and Blue Moon, which will move large amounts of astronauts and material to the lunar surface. The second is to beat the Chinese back to the moon, for which maybe something smaller, like the Apollo-era lunar module, would be best suited. Unfortunately, such a small, light lunar lander does not exist. NASA is relying on its larger, complex human landing systems to fulfill both of its mandates, build the lunar base and beat the Chinese back to the moon. (7/19)

After Skyroot, More Private Firms Aim to Take Commercial Dreams to the Sky (Source: Times of India)
India’s private space industry is set to accelerate its activity after Skyroot created history with its Vikram-1 maiden mission...a feat no private launch company globally  has matched. Agnikul Cosmos too is planning to launch within a year, carrying paying customer satellites and attempting to land the rocket's lower state on a sea barge. (7/20)

Sweden Readies First SAR Satellite Launch, Eyes More Spacecraft (Source: Aviation Week)
Sweden aims to launch its first Iceye synthetic aperture radar before year-end as part of an accelerated push to field what is expected to be a growing fleet with Earth observation capabilities, the Swedish Armed Forces' space chief says. Sweden initially planned to field Earth observation capabilities in the 2030 timeframe, but pushed that up four years given the “severe security situation,” says Rear Adm. Anders Sundeman. (7/19)

China's Space Crew Assesses Emergency Choices, Emotions in Long-Stay Study (Source: Xinhua)
China's Shenzhou-23 space station crew has completed emergency decision-making assessments and tests on emotional states, as part of a broader effort to study how long-duration spaceflights affect behavior. The trio, including one female member from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, have been aboard the Tiangong space station for nearly two months. One of them will stay in orbit for one year to conduct China's first space human research program and collect data on the longer-term flight of astronauts.

In a recent weekly video released by the China Manned Space Agency on Sunday, the crew members were seen wearing sensors and VR headsets for brainwave monitoring. The tests are among more than 100 science and application projects underway aboard the station. Besides space medicine, the crew has also installed a radiation biology exposure device and an external camera on one of the space station's lab modules, and has conducted cargo tests of measurement instruments. According to the agency, a new type of energy storage battery will be tested in orbit, with results expected to support future upgrades to the space station. (7/20)

Astronomers Outraged After Regulators Approve ‘Space Mirror’ Permit (Source: Physics World)
Astronomers have raised concerns over a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to permit the launch of a private satellite that can reflect sunlight onto the Earth’s surface after dark. Astronomers, however, fear that the mirror, and the several thousand that could follow it, will negatively impact both optical and radio astronomy.

The proposal by the Californian company Reflect Orbital involves putting a mirror-carrying-satellite – Eärendil-1 – into low-Earth orbit. Reflect Orbital aims to use the craft to test technology intended to deliver sunlight to solar farms after sunset, thus expanding the production of solar power at a time of peak demand for electricity. In orbit, the satellite will unfold an 18 x 18 m aluminumized Mylar reflector that can deliver a roughly 5 km circular spot of light to the ground with about the brightness of a full Moon. (7/17)

Korea AeroSpace Administration Unveils K-Space Vision (Source: Business Korea)
The Korea AeroSpace Administration of the Republic of Korea is accelerating the establishment of a global cooperation system by presenting a blueprint for national space policy in Toulouse, France, the heart of the European space industry.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration announced that it will attend the ‘2026 Europe-Korea Conference on Science and Technology (EKC 2026)’, held for two days starting on July 20 local time in Toulouse, France, to present the policy direction for aerospace in the Republic of Korea. Toulouse is a hub city densely packed with the Airbus headquarters and European aerospace industry infrastructure, making it an optimal location to concretize a development model for domestic aerospace clusters.

Administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration Oh Tae-seog will serve as the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony on July 20, the first day of the event, and will deliver a lecture under the theme of ‘Direction of Korea’s Space Policy’. Administrator Oh plans to explain the ‘Republic of Korea Aerospace Industry Fostering Strategy’ confirmed at the 5th National Space Committee, and share with European experts the vision of leaping into one of the world’s top five aerospace powers by 2045. (7/20)

July 20, 2026

GSA Plans AI-Supported Point-to-Point Spaceflight Simulations (Source: GSA)
A spaceport-to-spaceport working group of the Global Spaceport Alliance now plans to develop high-fidelity digital simulations of point-to-point spaceflight missions across international airspace, to allow a comprehensive evaluation of requirements for regulatory coordination, airspace integration, contingency management, infrastructure readiness, and operational performance. Initial reference corridors will include flights between the US and the UK, Australia, and Japan. They will allow the development of technical and policy roadmaps to achieve routine high-speed flight operations. (7/20)

How Hard is it to Build Orbital Data Centers, Actually? (Source: Ars Technica)
The physics of orbital data centers are, to put it mildly, challenging. This subject has sparked a broad debate about the near-term viability of this technology, both in terms of feasibility and whether it’s all hype now that SpaceX is a publicly traded company. Iridium Communications chief executive Matt Desch, a long-time, level-headed satellite industry executive, was asked during an earnings call earlier this year what he thought about the concept.

“It’s a hot, hot area right now of discussion, mainly because of Starlink’s announcement and some others,” Desch said. “It looks like a problem that can be solved in space… (But) there’s massive technical challenges to overcome. ... It’s a really, really long-term opportunity at best, and I wonder if all the discussion isn’t for other reasons than maybe just solving an immediate problem.”

The satellites’ on-board computing power will generate significant heat, requiring a large radiator. To get all of this mass into orbit, you need a super heavy lift rocket. SpaceX likely plans for each satellite to last five to seven years before being moved into a heliocentric disposal orbit or burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. Assuming a five-year lifetime, putting the 1-million satellite constellation into orbit and then replenishing it over time would require thousands of launches per year. (7/15)

China's LegendSpace Plans AI-Supported Rocket Engine Development (Source: Space News)
A six-month-old Chinese startup aiming to use artificial intelligence to compress rocket engine development cycles has raised $29.5 million. LegendSpace announced last week it raised 200 million yuan in angel funding from several investors. The funding will be used by the company to put multiple liquid rocket engines with various levels of thrust through testing, upgrade its research platform for AI simulation and metal additive manufacturing capabilities, and make plans for large-scale production. The round comes amid a surge of momentum in China's commercial space industry, with new reusable rockets reaching the pad, a wave of launch and satellite firms pressing towards IPOs and clear support in the country's 15th Five Year Plan, approved in March. (7/20)

Mauritius Signs Artemis Accords (Source: Space News)
The Artemis Accords reached 70 countries on Friday with the island nation of Mauritius. An official with the country's Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research signed the Accords in an event there attended by State Department officials. Mauritius is the 11th country so far this year to sign the Accords, which outline best practices in space exploration. NASA also plans to use the Artemis Accords to coordinate international collaboration on its lunar base and related efforts. (7/20)

India's ISRO Remains Months Away From Next PSLV Launch (Source: PTI)
As an Indian company reaches space, India's space agency is still up to two months away from returning to flight. At a press conference after the Vikram-1 launch Saturday, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said his agency had seven launches planned this financial year, which runs through next March. The first of those will be within the next two months, he said. ISRO has not conducted a launch since the failed flight of a PSLV rocket in January, the second consecutive failure of that vehicle. (7/20)

Next Ariane 6 Goes GEO (Source: Arianespace)
The next Ariane 6 launch will be its first mission to geostationary orbit. Arianespace said Monday it is targeting Aug. 27 for an Ariane 62 launch carrying the MTG-I2 weather satellite for Eumetsat. This will be the ninth launch of the Ariane 6 overall but the first to send a payload to GEO after previous launches carried satellites to low and medium Earth orbits. This will also be the fourth Ariane 6 launch of the year, with Arianespace previously projecting seven to eight launches of the vehicle this year. (7/20)

SpaceX Offers Terrestrial Data Center Services to Pentagon (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX is in talks with the Pentagon to provide the military access to terrestrial data centers. The discussions would cover Defense Department use of SpaceX computing capacity in its existing data centers and would be worth up to several billion dollars. There was no indication the talks involved access to SpaceX's future orbital data centers. (7/20)

Intuitive Machines and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station Announce Successful Migration of the Nation’s Largest Lunar Dataset (Source: Intuitive Machines)
Intuitive Machines and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (“TEES”) today announced the successful migration of the nation’s largest lunar dataset to Texas A&M’s high-performance data infrastructure. The operational deployment secures long-term access to more than 1.8 petabytes of critical lunar surface imagery and topographic data, preserving the foundational digital infrastructure required for future cislunar operations.

Intuitive Machines is the prime contractor for the operation of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (“LROC”) and NASA’s Shadowcam instruments. Together, the data sets represent approximately 67% of NASA’s total planetary data holdings. By protecting and scaling access to this vital dataset, the partnership provides the lunar intelligence required for civil, academic, and commercial partners to map, navigate, and land on the Moon. (7/17)

Voyager and Penn State to Advance Pennsylvania’s Space Economy (Source: Voyager)
Voyager Technologies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pennsylvania State University, expanding the Voyager Institute for Space, Technology and Advancement (VISTA) ecosystem. The collaboration will develop joint research programs and applications across in-space research and manufacturing and national security, fusing commercial innovation with defense mission expertise.

Under the MOU, Voyager and Penn State will pursue shared programs and seek external funding to support further technological development. The agreement provides reserved research resources, tenant opportunities and collaboration within the VISTA ecosystem. (7/15)

Pennsylvania Chamber and Keystone Space Collaborative Announce Strategic Affiliation to Advance Space Economy (Source: PA Chamber)
he Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry (PA Chamber) and Keystone Space Collaborative (Keystone Space) today announced they are forming a strategic affiliation to advance Pennsylvania’s leadership in the growing space economy, including the formation of a first-of-its-kind Tri-State Space Council in partnership with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The announcement was made at the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit hosted by U.S. Senator Dave McCormick at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle.

The strategic affiliation strengthens Pennsylvania’s ability to compete in the rapidly growing space economy by pairing Keystone Space’s industry expertise with the PA Chamber’s leading statewide advocacy and business leadership network. Keystone Space will retain independent governance over its strategic priorities, programs, branding, and identity. (7/17)

Connect Everyone Coalition Calls on Lawmakers to Support Regulatory Certainty for Space Innovators (Source: Connect Everyone Coalition)
A broad alliance including business voices, consumer advocates, education experts and rural advocates called on lawmakers to support the satellite licensing modernizations included in the Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT) Streamlining Act.

The Connect Everyone Coalition (CEC) and a number of its member organizations wrote to leadership and members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, discussing how establishing clear deadlines or “shotclocks” for satellite licensing procedures is an essential step to “reduce delays, create more predictable review timelines and enable faster rollout of next-generation satellite networks.​” (7/16)

FCC Chair Proposes to Expand Direct-to-Device Satellite Broadband Connectivity to Unlicensed Wireless Devices (Source: FCC)
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr proposed a new proceeding to explore new avenues to allow innovative unlicensed wireless devices to communicate directly with satellites.  With the transformative wave of investment and innovation in recent years around direct-to-device (“D2D”) services, this proceeding will look at the more than 225 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum to potentially support the capacity requirements and complement other bands for D2D services.  The proposal would also clarify that using equipment authorized under the FCC’s part 15 rules for unlicensed wireless devices is permitted within FCC-authorized spacecraft. (7/15)

Satellite Industry Association Statement Commending FCC on its Plans to Expand Direct-to-Device Satellite Connectivity (Source: SIA)
The Satellite Industry Association releases the following statement regarding the release by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) titled, “Chairman Carr Proposes to Expand Direct-to-Device (D2D) Satellite Broadband Connectivity to Unlicensed Wireless Devices”. (7/17)

Venus Aerospace Strengthens Leadership Team to Mature RDRE Propulsion System, Scale Operations (Source: Venus Aerospace)
Venus Aerospace announced eight leadership additions, new hires and internal promotions spanning government, product and operations. The moves follow the company's $91 million Series B, announced last week. Venus flew the world's first high-thrust RDRE in May 2025. Venus' RDRE architecture is designed for the range, efficiency and manufacturability that defense and space customers need as legacy systems struggle to keep pace with production timelines and supply chain constraints.

The leadership additions announced today are built to carry that architecture toward deployment: product leadership to mature engineering into a full propulsion system, government relationships to navigate policy, procurement and to engage the end users who will fly and operate this technology, and operational depth to build the organization Venus needs as it moves toward that goal. (7/16)