China's Landspace Becomes First Non-US
Company to Land Booster on Legs (Sources: Space News, Douglas
Messier)
Landspace successfully recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket
Tuesday, becoming the third entity, after SpaceX and Blue Origin, to
land an orbital booster on legs. The successful landing is China’s
second booster recovery, coming just a month after China caught a Long
March 10B orbital booster using a drone vessel at sea equipped with a
net-capture system.
Zhuque-3 is a two-stage rocket that is 65.9 meters tall. It is powered
liquid oxygen and liquid methane. Zhuque-3 can place 11,800 kg into low
Earth orbit (LEO) in its expendable form or 8,000 kg into LEO when the
first stage is recovered. Approximately 137 seconds after liftoff, the
first and second stages separated, and the second stage continued its
flight, accurately sending the Honghu 03 satellite, independently
developed by Hongqing Technology, into its predetermined orbit. (8/18)
RFA is now RF (Source: Rocket
Factory)
German launch provider Rocket Factory Augsberg (RFA) has rebranded
itself and is now simply Rocket Factory (RF). "What started with a
small team and a shared interest in rocketry has grown into a journey
of designing, building, testing and learning through every challenge we
face. This rebrand marks the beginning of a new chapter for us." (8/16)
Space Forge to Collaborate with Texas
A&M University System (Source: Space Forge )
Space Forge Inc, the US subsidiary of the UK company using space to
produce semiconductor materials, has signed an agreement with The Texas
A&M University System, for a research collaboration. It marks a
first step towards Space Forge establishing its initial semiconductor
materials manufacturing and processing capability in the US.
The Texas A&M System was selected for the strength of its existing
semiconductor facilities and infrastructure, including cleanrooms,
material processing and characterization capabilities, alongside
aligned research, access to a skilled local workforce and the major
semiconductor projects planned across the region. (8/17)
Astra Space Seeks $250 Million to
Revive its Launch Programs (Source: American Bazaar)
is seeking investors for reviving its launch programs and to expand its
satellite propulsion operations. The company is seeking to raise $250
million, based on a company’s valuation of $1 billion with the deal
expected to be completed by the third quarter this year. Astra Space
CEO Chris Kemp said that the company is looking to rebound from years
of financial struggles. Astra is now betting on low-cost expendable
launch vehicles that could be used by militaries to launch satellites
from dispersed locations.
Editor's Note:
Astra has been working at Launch Complex 46 on the Cape Canaveral
Spaceport toward a December 2026 debut "Rocket 4" mission. Rocket 4 is
18.9 meters long with a 1.8 meter diameter. The company is developing a
portable launch capability similar to Rocket Lab's GHOST deployable
system for Electron/HASTE missions. (8/17)
Sophie Adenot Becomes First
Frenchwoman to Spacewalk (Source: LeMonde)
Sophie Adenot became the first French female astronaut to venture
outside the International Space Station for a spacewalk on Tuesday,
August 18, accompanied by American astronaut Anil Menon. During the
six-and-a-half-hour mission, the two astronauts were to replace an
antenna that allows the ISS to communicate with mission control in
Houston, according to NASA. The two space travelers could be heard
chatting and laughing in NASA footage of their adventure. (8/18)
SpaceX Reverses Starlink Roaming
Restrictions for Polish Customers After Payment Dispute (Source:
European Spaceflight)
SpaceX has reversed its decision to restrict Starlink roaming for
customers in Poland, resolving a dispute that included an official
threatening to reconsider $50 million in annual payments. The reversal
underscores the commercial and policy sensitivities surrounding
satellite broadband service access in national markets. (8/18)
NASA Reworks Voyager Power Systems To
Extend Interstellar Mission Into the Early 2030s (Source: New
York Times)
NASA engineers are reworking the power systems aboard the nearly
50-year-old Voyager spacecraft to conserve energy and keep both probes
operating in interstellar space. The changes could extend the mission
into the early 2030s, preserving an unprecedented source of
long-duration data beyond the solar system. (8/18)
The Pentagon Wants Thousands of
Missile Interceptors in Orbit (Source: Scientific American)
Somewhere in the world, a missile’s engines ignite, and it lifts toward
the sky. Somewhere above the world, satellites sense its launch. They,
in turn, send out an alert, along with information about the missile’s
path. Almost instantly an interceptor in orbit—essentially a big
bullet—gets its own message: fire toward the missile. Ideally the
space-based weapon strikes the missile early in flight, before the
rocket can release a warhead or decoys, turning a threat to the U.S.
into a bunch of debris. Or at least that’s the idea behind space-based
interceptors, the most audacious part of President Donald Trump’s
Golden Dome missile-defense initiative to shield the U.S. from airborne
attacks.
Much of the technology that could feed into Golden Dome already exists
in pieces or inside other defense programs—it just (“just”) needs to be
linked together and scaled until it can protect the entire country
around the clock. Space-based interceptors, though, don’t yet exist as
an operational system. And there isn’t a firm plan for what they will
look like—or, for that matter, what Golden Dome as a whole will look
like. As Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise
Institute, puts it, “There is no architecture,” at least not one that’s
been released publicly. That fuzziness, however, isn’t stopping
American companies from preparing to make orbital interceptors in the
hopes of cashing in on the most speculative and, by some accounts,
expensive part of the defense project. (8/18)
Japan Launches Second US Military
Payload to Monitor Space Above Indo-Pacific (Source: Breaking
Defense)
Japan has launched the second of two long-planned US Space Force
orbital neighborhood watch sensors on a Japanese satellite. The dual
missions represent “the first bilateral” US-Japan cooperative space
effort “focused on national security,” US Space Systems Command (SSC)
said in an Aug. 14 statement. The first of the two sensors was launched
in February 2025. The Space Force sensors, designed and built by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory, will keep
watch on the heavens above the Indo-Pacific region. (8/17)
A 'River' of Cosmic Gas 1 Trillion
Miles Long Sent Planets in the Orion Constellation Into Tilted Orbits
(Source: Space.com)
A rare planet-forming disk around a young triple-star system in the
Orion constellation has been tipped over by a river of gas over 1
trillion miles (1.6 trillion kilometers) long. The discovery, made at
radio wavelengths with ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter
Array in Chile, could explain why astronomers keep finding planets with
orbits that are drastically misaligned with the rotational axes of
their stars.
GW Orionis is a triple system consisting of three pre-main sequence
stars, meaning that they are still forming and contracting and have not
yet initiated fusion reactions of hydrogen in their core. The stars are
located roughly 1,300 light-years away, in the Lambda Orionis
star-forming molecular ring in the constellation of Orion, the Hunter.
Finding a planet-forming disk of gas and dust encircling all three
stars in a system is very rare, and finding a disk consisting of three
rings with misaligned orbits is even stranger. (8/17)
Wishing for Rockets (Source:
Space Review)
The demand for launch services is higher than ever, but the supply of
rockets today is very constrained. Jeff Foust reports on the various
factors that make getting a ride to orbit today difficult and
expensive, despite the promise of plummeting launch costs. Click here.
(8/18)
Two Futures on the Moon
(Source: Space Review)
The race to return humans to the Moon pits not just two countries but
two political philosophies. Alexander William Salter discusses how
American leadership in space can establish a humane space agenda. Click
here.
(8/18)
Colonizing Antarctica and Other
Anti-Space Fables (Source: Space Review)
One argument that critics of space settlement make is that it would be
far easier to settle Antarctica. Milan Ćirković offers several reasons
why that argument is wrong. Click here.
(8/18)
Rocket Lab Selected to Build Viasat
Satellite Bus (Source: Tech Times)
Rocket Lab has expanded its strategic presence in geostationary orbit
by serving as a satellite bus supplier for Viasat’s U.S. Space Force
anti-jam communications mission under the PTS-G Swarm 1 program. Unlike
its earlier role as prime contractor for the Heimdall GEO domain
awareness mission, Rocket Lab now supports Viasat as a specialist
platform provider, delivering the Lightning-GEO bus while Viasat
manages integration, launch and operations. (8/17)
Using Starlink’s Satellites To Study
Earth’s Upper Atmosphere (Source: Hackaday)
Aside from global access to cat videos, the presence of thousands of
Starlink broadband internet access satellites in LEO has a very
pleasant side effect for atmospheric researchers. Starlink publicly
publishes near-real-time ephemeris data on its individual satellites.
From this data you can deduce many details about the atmosphere at that
altitude, including its density at specific altitudes at specific
times, information which otherwise would be very hard to gather.
Recently, this allowed [Mamoru Yamamoto] to determine the density of
the thermosphere using tomography. (8/17)
How an Ancient Collision with Another
Galaxy Transformed the Milky Way (Source: Space.com)
The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered evidence that our galaxy
experienced a significant collision and merger with a dwarf galaxy 11.8
billion years ago. In recent years, one other significant merger has
come to light, which is a collision with a galaxy referred to as the
Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus (GSE) galaxy about 10 billion years ago. The GSE
had its own family of globular star clusters that became integrated
with the Milky Way's own globular clusters during the collision. (8/17)
Most Major Aerospace Suppliers Are
Raising Their Outlooks (Source: Aviation Week)
Business is so good in aerospace and defense manufacturing that even
troubled companies are making money. Take Honeywell Aerospace, which
spun off as a stand-alone company June 29—just in time to have to
report second-quarter financial results. (8/18)
August 18, 2026
Firefly Aerospace Lands Shot at
Mission to Clear Space Debris (Source: Austin American-Statesman)
Firefly Aerospace Inc. has landed a government contract that could give the Texas company a shot at clearing space junk from Earth’s orbit. The Department of Defense has awarded the startup, which designs and builds rockets and landing and orbital spacecraft, a preliminary contract of undisclosed value for a “deorbit-as-a-service” project. The work is focused on relocating spacecraft that were not designed to be serviced and may be unable to cooperate with an approaching vehicle. (8/17)
Firefly Aerospace Onboarded to NASA Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace was awarded a Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract from NASA. This award positions Firefly to compete for task orders providing payload processing facilities and services in support of NASA missions launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Firefly’s commercially available Payload Processing Facility (PPF) is located within 0.5 miles of the company’s Space Launch Complex 2 on the north end of VSFB.
The facility supports government and commercial space payloads. Equipped with a storage area, control room, workspace, airlock, and ISO 8 cleanroom, the facility can accommodate storage, fueling, and checkouts of small and medium-size payloads and hypergolic spacecraft. Under the contract, Firefly is eligible to provide commercial payload processing services to support payload processing, fueling, integration, and encapsulation for NASA missions ahead of launch. (8/17)
Phoenix 3: Concept Study for a Reusable European Spacecraft (Source: ESA)
Earlier this year, ESA’s Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) turned into a multidisciplinary think-tank to evaluate the feasibility of Phoenix 3, a fully European reusable orbital return vehicle proposed by the European startup ATMOS Space Cargo. Located at ESTEC, ESA’s technical center in the Netherlands, the CDF is a facility equipped with a network of computers, multimedia devices and software tools. Here, in a matter of a few weeks rather than several months, experts from diverse engineering disciplines join forces and share their expertise to assess the most complex designs imaginable. (8/18)
Starlink's New Gigabit Gateways Face Interference Complaint From Iridium (Source: PC Mag)
SpaceX’s effort to upgrade Starlink with gigabit speeds is facing resistance from rival satellite communications provider Iridium, which argues the proposed “gateway” stations risk creating radio interference. On Monday, an attorney for Iridium sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, warning the interference problems have been appearing in the company’s own simulations examining the potential impact to Iridium’s own ground facilities. (8/17)
SpaceX Questions $1.8M in Transfers in San Antonio Contractor’s Bankruptcy (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
The bankruptcy fight between SpaceX and Alpha Building Corp. now has the space firm questioning nearly $1.8 million that it says the San Antonio general contractor moved to insiders before going under. SpaceX has asked a federal bankruptcy court in San Antonio to keep Alpha’s Chapter 7 liquidation case open for review after a trustee moved to close the matter.
The dispute began with Alpha’s troubled project worth roughly $6 million to build 18 homes and a launch-pad bathroom and break room at Starbase. Those deals went sour sometime in 2024 when SpaceX stopped paying. Alpha and its subcontractors filed at least 27 liens worth more than $2 million against SpaceX related to unpaid work and materials. Next came a flurry of lawsuits targeting SpaceX, Alpha and its president, Jonathan Rogero. (8/17)
EU Sanctions Roscosmos (Source: Space News)
The European Union sanctioned the head of a Roscosmos subsidiary as part of a broader effort to target Russia's military space sector. The EU added five Russian defense industry executives to its sanctions list earlier this month, including Viktor Ivanov, director general of Roscosmos subsidiary NII TP. That entity develops the Kasatka-R synthetic aperture radar system. The EU said the designation sends a signal to Russian executives that working on Russia's war effort against Ukraine "carries direct, individual consequences." Under the sanctions, any assets Ivanov holds in the EU are frozen, EU persons and entities are prohibited from making funds or economic resources available to him, and he is barred from entering or transiting through EU territory. (8/18)
Floaty Starship Makes Way to Christmas (Source: The West Australian)
A SpaceX Starship upper stage has been towed to an Australian island. SpaceX has been working since the Ship 40 splashdown on Flight 13 last month to try to recover the vehicle, which unexpectedly survived the splashdown. Elon Musk said a week and a half ago that recovery was looking doubtful because of rough seas. However, on Tuesday, vessels towing Ship 40 arrived just off the coast of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean south of Indonesia. SpaceX has not disclosed its plans for Ship 40. (8/17)
NASA Picks Four for Payload Processing (Source: NASA)
NASA selected four companies to provide payload processing services. The agency announced Monday it awarded contracts to All Points Logistics, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace and L3Harris to provide payload processing of spacecraft and launch vehicles for agency missions. The companies will be eligible to compete for task orders for future missions, with a maximum value of $100 million through early 2033. (8/18)
South Korea Providing Lunar Lander Instrument for NASA Mission (Source: Korea Times)
South Korea will provide an instrument for a future NASA commercial lander mission. The Korean space agency KASA said Tuesday it signed an agreement with NASA to deliver the Lunar Vehicle Radiation Dosimeter instrument, which will be flown on an Intuitive Machines lander through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program in 2030. The instrument will collect data on radiation levels on the lunar surface to help support future crewed missions. (8/18)
NRO Picks HawkEye 360 for RF Intelligence (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded HawkEye 360 a new contract to provide commercial radio-frequency intelligence. The NRO said Monday that the contract was awarded under its Commercial Radio Frequency Capabilities Augmentation program, or CRFCA, an effort to expand the intelligence community's and military's use of commercial RF data. The value of the contract was not disclosed. The new contract follows the NRO's three-phase Commercial Radio Frequency Capabilities program, which began in 2022 with study contracts awarded to six companies including HawkEye 360. (8/18)
Australia's HEO Will Use Planet's SkySat to Image In-Space Satellites for US Government (Source: Space News)
HEO, an Australian company that uses satellites to image other space objects, has signed a deal to use Planet's satellites. The companies announced a partnership Monday giving HEO access to Planet's SkySat high-resolution imaging spacecraft for non-Earth imaging applications such as space domain awareness. The images of space objects taken by SkySat satellites will initially be available only to U.S. government customers, although HEO expects to expand access to others. With the addition of SkySat, HEO will have access to more than 50 sensors in orbit, primarily from other Earth observation companies, that it can use to observe other space objects. HEO also has its own satellite, Continuum-1, which it acquired from Satellogic early this year. (8/18)
Space Force's Proposed Spending Surge Focused on Specific Projects (Source: Space News)
A surge in Space Force spending is concentrated in a handful of programs. A new analysis of the administration's fiscal year 2027 budget request, published by The Aerospace Corporation, noted that while the overall request is a 120% increase from the service's 2026 appropriations, that increase is concentrated in classified activities, moving-target indication, missile warning and command-and-control programs. The proposed increase is not assured, since it includes $12.1 billion in a budget reconciliation package whose fate in Congress remains uncertain. (8/18)
My Visit to Midland Air & Spaceport (Source: GSA)
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a three-day intensive astronaut training simulation organized by GSA Member Space Nation in Midland, TX. While in the Permian Basin. I also made sure to visit with our colleagues at the GSA member spaceport, the Midland Air & Spaceport. I had an informative discussion with Justine Ruff, Director, and Nicholas Krakovec, Operations Manager of Midland Air and Spaceport. Separately, I met with Sara Harris, Director of the Midland Economic Development Corporation. From these discussions, I came away more convinced than ever of Midland’s potential as a major hub for commercial space development. Click here. (8/14)
Three Pillars of a Resilient Hybrid SATCOM Architecture (Source: FNN)
The Defense Department is evolving its hybrid space architecture (HSA) to ensure defensive readiness against advanced threats. That initiative, which is central to the United States Space Force mission, blends innovative commercial technology with sovereign military capability to enable a seamless, self-healing network in space. Resilience of such a vital ecosystem is essential to sustaining the capabilities that will be delivered by this web of satellite assets. There are three key pillars to achieving it.
First is an interoperable terminal strategy. Terminals to receive satellite communications (SATCOM) are often high-cost capital investments with operational lives that span decades; new equipment is sourced as needed from a breadth of vendors. None of that should matter to the HSA model. The Space Force should not be expected to buy new equipment to accommodate a SATCOM provider’s proprietary products, or become vendor-locked to a particular service because of its terminals. True resilience demands a terminal-agnostic strategy that can ensure interoperability when roaming across multiple orbits and spectrum frequencies. Agency acquisition decision-makers want to know that whatever terminals they buy ensure users’ freedom of choice, working with legacy as well as new satellites that will be integrated into future DoD infrastructure. (8/17)
Why Spaceports Need More Than Basic Lightning Standards (Source: GSA)
For many conventional buildings, lightning protection, when provided, is primarily intended to reduce the risk of fire, physical damage, sideflash, shock hazards, and dangerous potential differences. Spaceports are different from “most buildings” because they operate around some of the most sensitive systems ever built. That distinction changes everything about how lightning protection must be approached.
Conventional lightning protection standards and systems provide an essential baseline for reducing the risk of fire, physical damage, sideflash, shock hazards, and dangerous potential differences in structures. However, modern launch facilities must also manage mission-assurance concerns involving rockets, payloads, avionics, fueling systems, communications infrastructure, control systems, and other critical electronics where transient electrical effects can create operational consequences even when the structure itself is protected. There is a lot more to lightning protection at a spaceport. Providing a preferred attachment point for lightning is only the beginning. Click here. (8/17)
DoD Hiring Boards Add Secrecy, Delays to Civilian Hiring (Source: FNN)
The Defense Department has begun bringing on civilian employees through the Trump administration’s new strategic hiring committees, raising questions about their impact on the defense workforce so far. Four committees have sprung up across the department to vet new workers, including one in each of the three military service departments and one that covers the Office of the Secretary of Defense and other defense agencies, according to a DoD spokesperson.
Their work is largely shrouded in secrecy nearly one year after President Donald Trump mandated the committees’ creation in an executive order last October. “Nobody really knows what’s happening, and agencies are still figuring out how to make this work,” said Jenny Mattingley, vice president for public policy and stakeholder engagement at the Partnership for Public Service. (8/14)
DoD Base Schools Add Emphasis on Christianity, Western Civilization (Source: FNN)
The Department of Defense is introducing a course centered on Western civilization and Christianity this fall in the schools it operates for military families, part of an effort by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to redirect the education system toward patriotic values and classical learning.
The Department of Defense Education Activity operates about 160 schools across 11 countries and educates roughly 70,000 students who are children of active-duty military or civilian service members. Conservatives have eyed the schools — which, unlike most public schools, are run by the federal government — as a testing ground for reshaping education. (8/14)
Why Existing Airports May Become the Foundation of Future Space Transportation (Source: GSA)
As the commercial space industry continues to expand, a common question emerges: Where will all of the future spaceports come from? The answer may already be sitting on the map. Across the United States and around the world, airports have spent decades building the infrastructure that transportation systems require.
They possess runways, utilities, fuel systems, road access, rail connections, cargo facilities, security frameworks and established relationships with regulators and local communities. As new transportation technologies emerge, many of these airports are uniquely positioned to become the foundation for the next generation of spaceports. The transition will not happen overnight. And it will not look the same in every community. Yet many industry leaders believe existing airports represent one of the most practical pathways toward expanding access to space. Click here. (8/17)
Brussels Keen to Monitor UFOs Under the Radar (Source: Euro News)
Brussels has signaled it is monitoring unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and has hinted at improving capabilities, according to documents seen by Euronews. The European Commission seems to have been monitoring unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) under the radar since at least 2023, according to a document from the Commission's defense department, which pertains to sky and space observations in Malaysia.
"We are getting better at seeing it (UAPs) and better identifying it as our technological capacities improve, but we need to get even better," the letter read, signaling the EU executive is actively monitoring the phenomenon more than officially stated and seems keen to investigate it. (8/17)
Satellite Operators are in Panic Mode Due to a Worsening Launch Crisis (Source: Ars Technica)
This should be a golden era of launch. During the last three years, an average of 270 orbital rockets have launched from Earth, a more than threefold increase from only a decade ago. By every metric available, the launch industry is crushing it: Prices have never been more competitive, launches never more frequent, and access to space never more rapid. Paradoxically, though, there is a growing crunch in launch availability.
With a growing number of constellations big and small, there is a huge and growing demand signal. The Commercial Space Federation predicts demand for thousands of satellite launches annually in less than a decade. Analysys Mason forecasted that more than 37,000 satellites will need to be launched between 2023 and 2033. Henry’s own firm, Quilty Space, has charted a change in the discussion from how many launch companies the US market can support to who can execute the fastest to meet surging satellite needs. And if things are bad now, there are reasons to believe they may get even worse over the next two to four years.
Myriad factors are driving this crunch, but the principal concern of late has been SpaceX. The company that is almost exclusively responsible for the dramatic increase in launch availability in the 2020s has signaled that it intends to wind down Falcon 9 operations as quickly as possible in favor of the larger Starship rocket. Some might see that as a good thing due to Starship’s enormous payload capacity. But there are growing concerns that SpaceX will largely focus on its own payloads. (8/17)
NASA Advances Lunar Wheel and Mars Helicopter Mobility Concepts (Sources: Universe Today, NASA)
NASA engineers and students are testing fabric-based wheel prototypes for future lunar-base mobility while developing a ground-penetrating-radar antenna for the SkyFall Mars helicopters. The efforts target two distinct planetary exploration challenges: reliable surface transportation on the Moon and subsurface science from rotorcraft on Mars. (8/17)
EU Sanctions Roscosmos Subsidiary Chief Developing Radar Satellites for Russia’s Military (Source: Space News)
The European Union has sanctioned the head of a Roscosmos subsidiary involved in developing a synthetic aperture radar satellite system for the Russian military. The action expands pressure on Russia’s space industry and targets leadership linked to military space capabilities. (8/17)
United Launch Alliance Names Mark Peller President and CEO Amid Vulcan Challenges (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
United Launch Alliance has appointed longtime company executive Mark Peller as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Peller is taking over for John Elbon, who ran ULA after Bruno’s departure, but will be retiring at the end of the year after a 45-year career in the aerospace industry. Peller had been the company’s chief operating officer and responsible for its Atlas V and Vulcan launch programs. He has led Vulcan development since its inception. (8/17)
AST SpaceMobile Wins Temporary FCC Authority to Test Satellite Connectivity in the 800 MHz Band (Source: Spacewatch Global)
AST SpaceMobile has received temporary authorization from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to test satellite connectivity using spectrum in the 800 MHz band. The approval advances the company’s effort to evaluate satellite-enabled communications in a regulated terrestrial-frequency range. (8/17)
Lynk and Omnispace Merge as Elveo Mobile to Expand Direct-to-Device Satellite Services (Source: Smallsat News)
Lynk Global has completed its merger with Omnispace and rebranded as Elveo Mobile, combining Lynk’s direct-to-device satellite capabilities with globally coordinated S-band spectrum. The company aims to move beyond basic messaging and broaden satellite connectivity for standard mobile devices. (8/17)
Blue Origin Establishes Apprenticeship Program (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin is launching its first registered apprenticeship program, and is looking for a founding cohort in Huntsville. Participants are full-time from day one, with full benefits, and a path to a nationally recognized credential. The cohort starts in October. Time is split between hands-on work at Blue Origin alongside experienced machinists and classroom and lab instruction. Classroom instruction is fully covered by Blue Origin at no cost to apprentices (8/17)
Firefly Aerospace Inc. has landed a government contract that could give the Texas company a shot at clearing space junk from Earth’s orbit. The Department of Defense has awarded the startup, which designs and builds rockets and landing and orbital spacecraft, a preliminary contract of undisclosed value for a “deorbit-as-a-service” project. The work is focused on relocating spacecraft that were not designed to be serviced and may be unable to cooperate with an approaching vehicle. (8/17)
Firefly Aerospace Onboarded to NASA Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace was awarded a Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract from NASA. This award positions Firefly to compete for task orders providing payload processing facilities and services in support of NASA missions launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Firefly’s commercially available Payload Processing Facility (PPF) is located within 0.5 miles of the company’s Space Launch Complex 2 on the north end of VSFB.
The facility supports government and commercial space payloads. Equipped with a storage area, control room, workspace, airlock, and ISO 8 cleanroom, the facility can accommodate storage, fueling, and checkouts of small and medium-size payloads and hypergolic spacecraft. Under the contract, Firefly is eligible to provide commercial payload processing services to support payload processing, fueling, integration, and encapsulation for NASA missions ahead of launch. (8/17)
Phoenix 3: Concept Study for a Reusable European Spacecraft (Source: ESA)
Earlier this year, ESA’s Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) turned into a multidisciplinary think-tank to evaluate the feasibility of Phoenix 3, a fully European reusable orbital return vehicle proposed by the European startup ATMOS Space Cargo. Located at ESTEC, ESA’s technical center in the Netherlands, the CDF is a facility equipped with a network of computers, multimedia devices and software tools. Here, in a matter of a few weeks rather than several months, experts from diverse engineering disciplines join forces and share their expertise to assess the most complex designs imaginable. (8/18)
Starlink's New Gigabit Gateways Face Interference Complaint From Iridium (Source: PC Mag)
SpaceX’s effort to upgrade Starlink with gigabit speeds is facing resistance from rival satellite communications provider Iridium, which argues the proposed “gateway” stations risk creating radio interference. On Monday, an attorney for Iridium sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, warning the interference problems have been appearing in the company’s own simulations examining the potential impact to Iridium’s own ground facilities. (8/17)
SpaceX Questions $1.8M in Transfers in San Antonio Contractor’s Bankruptcy (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
The bankruptcy fight between SpaceX and Alpha Building Corp. now has the space firm questioning nearly $1.8 million that it says the San Antonio general contractor moved to insiders before going under. SpaceX has asked a federal bankruptcy court in San Antonio to keep Alpha’s Chapter 7 liquidation case open for review after a trustee moved to close the matter.
The dispute began with Alpha’s troubled project worth roughly $6 million to build 18 homes and a launch-pad bathroom and break room at Starbase. Those deals went sour sometime in 2024 when SpaceX stopped paying. Alpha and its subcontractors filed at least 27 liens worth more than $2 million against SpaceX related to unpaid work and materials. Next came a flurry of lawsuits targeting SpaceX, Alpha and its president, Jonathan Rogero. (8/17)
EU Sanctions Roscosmos (Source: Space News)
The European Union sanctioned the head of a Roscosmos subsidiary as part of a broader effort to target Russia's military space sector. The EU added five Russian defense industry executives to its sanctions list earlier this month, including Viktor Ivanov, director general of Roscosmos subsidiary NII TP. That entity develops the Kasatka-R synthetic aperture radar system. The EU said the designation sends a signal to Russian executives that working on Russia's war effort against Ukraine "carries direct, individual consequences." Under the sanctions, any assets Ivanov holds in the EU are frozen, EU persons and entities are prohibited from making funds or economic resources available to him, and he is barred from entering or transiting through EU territory. (8/18)
Floaty Starship Makes Way to Christmas (Source: The West Australian)
A SpaceX Starship upper stage has been towed to an Australian island. SpaceX has been working since the Ship 40 splashdown on Flight 13 last month to try to recover the vehicle, which unexpectedly survived the splashdown. Elon Musk said a week and a half ago that recovery was looking doubtful because of rough seas. However, on Tuesday, vessels towing Ship 40 arrived just off the coast of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean south of Indonesia. SpaceX has not disclosed its plans for Ship 40. (8/17)
NASA Picks Four for Payload Processing (Source: NASA)
NASA selected four companies to provide payload processing services. The agency announced Monday it awarded contracts to All Points Logistics, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace and L3Harris to provide payload processing of spacecraft and launch vehicles for agency missions. The companies will be eligible to compete for task orders for future missions, with a maximum value of $100 million through early 2033. (8/18)
South Korea Providing Lunar Lander Instrument for NASA Mission (Source: Korea Times)
South Korea will provide an instrument for a future NASA commercial lander mission. The Korean space agency KASA said Tuesday it signed an agreement with NASA to deliver the Lunar Vehicle Radiation Dosimeter instrument, which will be flown on an Intuitive Machines lander through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program in 2030. The instrument will collect data on radiation levels on the lunar surface to help support future crewed missions. (8/18)
NRO Picks HawkEye 360 for RF Intelligence (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded HawkEye 360 a new contract to provide commercial radio-frequency intelligence. The NRO said Monday that the contract was awarded under its Commercial Radio Frequency Capabilities Augmentation program, or CRFCA, an effort to expand the intelligence community's and military's use of commercial RF data. The value of the contract was not disclosed. The new contract follows the NRO's three-phase Commercial Radio Frequency Capabilities program, which began in 2022 with study contracts awarded to six companies including HawkEye 360. (8/18)
Australia's HEO Will Use Planet's SkySat to Image In-Space Satellites for US Government (Source: Space News)
HEO, an Australian company that uses satellites to image other space objects, has signed a deal to use Planet's satellites. The companies announced a partnership Monday giving HEO access to Planet's SkySat high-resolution imaging spacecraft for non-Earth imaging applications such as space domain awareness. The images of space objects taken by SkySat satellites will initially be available only to U.S. government customers, although HEO expects to expand access to others. With the addition of SkySat, HEO will have access to more than 50 sensors in orbit, primarily from other Earth observation companies, that it can use to observe other space objects. HEO also has its own satellite, Continuum-1, which it acquired from Satellogic early this year. (8/18)
Space Force's Proposed Spending Surge Focused on Specific Projects (Source: Space News)
A surge in Space Force spending is concentrated in a handful of programs. A new analysis of the administration's fiscal year 2027 budget request, published by The Aerospace Corporation, noted that while the overall request is a 120% increase from the service's 2026 appropriations, that increase is concentrated in classified activities, moving-target indication, missile warning and command-and-control programs. The proposed increase is not assured, since it includes $12.1 billion in a budget reconciliation package whose fate in Congress remains uncertain. (8/18)
My Visit to Midland Air & Spaceport (Source: GSA)
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a three-day intensive astronaut training simulation organized by GSA Member Space Nation in Midland, TX. While in the Permian Basin. I also made sure to visit with our colleagues at the GSA member spaceport, the Midland Air & Spaceport. I had an informative discussion with Justine Ruff, Director, and Nicholas Krakovec, Operations Manager of Midland Air and Spaceport. Separately, I met with Sara Harris, Director of the Midland Economic Development Corporation. From these discussions, I came away more convinced than ever of Midland’s potential as a major hub for commercial space development. Click here. (8/14)
Three Pillars of a Resilient Hybrid SATCOM Architecture (Source: FNN)
The Defense Department is evolving its hybrid space architecture (HSA) to ensure defensive readiness against advanced threats. That initiative, which is central to the United States Space Force mission, blends innovative commercial technology with sovereign military capability to enable a seamless, self-healing network in space. Resilience of such a vital ecosystem is essential to sustaining the capabilities that will be delivered by this web of satellite assets. There are three key pillars to achieving it.
First is an interoperable terminal strategy. Terminals to receive satellite communications (SATCOM) are often high-cost capital investments with operational lives that span decades; new equipment is sourced as needed from a breadth of vendors. None of that should matter to the HSA model. The Space Force should not be expected to buy new equipment to accommodate a SATCOM provider’s proprietary products, or become vendor-locked to a particular service because of its terminals. True resilience demands a terminal-agnostic strategy that can ensure interoperability when roaming across multiple orbits and spectrum frequencies. Agency acquisition decision-makers want to know that whatever terminals they buy ensure users’ freedom of choice, working with legacy as well as new satellites that will be integrated into future DoD infrastructure. (8/17)
Why Spaceports Need More Than Basic Lightning Standards (Source: GSA)
For many conventional buildings, lightning protection, when provided, is primarily intended to reduce the risk of fire, physical damage, sideflash, shock hazards, and dangerous potential differences. Spaceports are different from “most buildings” because they operate around some of the most sensitive systems ever built. That distinction changes everything about how lightning protection must be approached.
Conventional lightning protection standards and systems provide an essential baseline for reducing the risk of fire, physical damage, sideflash, shock hazards, and dangerous potential differences in structures. However, modern launch facilities must also manage mission-assurance concerns involving rockets, payloads, avionics, fueling systems, communications infrastructure, control systems, and other critical electronics where transient electrical effects can create operational consequences even when the structure itself is protected. There is a lot more to lightning protection at a spaceport. Providing a preferred attachment point for lightning is only the beginning. Click here. (8/17)
DoD Hiring Boards Add Secrecy, Delays to Civilian Hiring (Source: FNN)
The Defense Department has begun bringing on civilian employees through the Trump administration’s new strategic hiring committees, raising questions about their impact on the defense workforce so far. Four committees have sprung up across the department to vet new workers, including one in each of the three military service departments and one that covers the Office of the Secretary of Defense and other defense agencies, according to a DoD spokesperson.
Their work is largely shrouded in secrecy nearly one year after President Donald Trump mandated the committees’ creation in an executive order last October. “Nobody really knows what’s happening, and agencies are still figuring out how to make this work,” said Jenny Mattingley, vice president for public policy and stakeholder engagement at the Partnership for Public Service. (8/14)
DoD Base Schools Add Emphasis on Christianity, Western Civilization (Source: FNN)
The Department of Defense is introducing a course centered on Western civilization and Christianity this fall in the schools it operates for military families, part of an effort by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to redirect the education system toward patriotic values and classical learning.
The Department of Defense Education Activity operates about 160 schools across 11 countries and educates roughly 70,000 students who are children of active-duty military or civilian service members. Conservatives have eyed the schools — which, unlike most public schools, are run by the federal government — as a testing ground for reshaping education. (8/14)
Why Existing Airports May Become the Foundation of Future Space Transportation (Source: GSA)
As the commercial space industry continues to expand, a common question emerges: Where will all of the future spaceports come from? The answer may already be sitting on the map. Across the United States and around the world, airports have spent decades building the infrastructure that transportation systems require.
They possess runways, utilities, fuel systems, road access, rail connections, cargo facilities, security frameworks and established relationships with regulators and local communities. As new transportation technologies emerge, many of these airports are uniquely positioned to become the foundation for the next generation of spaceports. The transition will not happen overnight. And it will not look the same in every community. Yet many industry leaders believe existing airports represent one of the most practical pathways toward expanding access to space. Click here. (8/17)
Brussels Keen to Monitor UFOs Under the Radar (Source: Euro News)
Brussels has signaled it is monitoring unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and has hinted at improving capabilities, according to documents seen by Euronews. The European Commission seems to have been monitoring unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) under the radar since at least 2023, according to a document from the Commission's defense department, which pertains to sky and space observations in Malaysia.
"We are getting better at seeing it (UAPs) and better identifying it as our technological capacities improve, but we need to get even better," the letter read, signaling the EU executive is actively monitoring the phenomenon more than officially stated and seems keen to investigate it. (8/17)
Satellite Operators are in Panic Mode Due to a Worsening Launch Crisis (Source: Ars Technica)
This should be a golden era of launch. During the last three years, an average of 270 orbital rockets have launched from Earth, a more than threefold increase from only a decade ago. By every metric available, the launch industry is crushing it: Prices have never been more competitive, launches never more frequent, and access to space never more rapid. Paradoxically, though, there is a growing crunch in launch availability.
With a growing number of constellations big and small, there is a huge and growing demand signal. The Commercial Space Federation predicts demand for thousands of satellite launches annually in less than a decade. Analysys Mason forecasted that more than 37,000 satellites will need to be launched between 2023 and 2033. Henry’s own firm, Quilty Space, has charted a change in the discussion from how many launch companies the US market can support to who can execute the fastest to meet surging satellite needs. And if things are bad now, there are reasons to believe they may get even worse over the next two to four years.
Myriad factors are driving this crunch, but the principal concern of late has been SpaceX. The company that is almost exclusively responsible for the dramatic increase in launch availability in the 2020s has signaled that it intends to wind down Falcon 9 operations as quickly as possible in favor of the larger Starship rocket. Some might see that as a good thing due to Starship’s enormous payload capacity. But there are growing concerns that SpaceX will largely focus on its own payloads. (8/17)
NASA Advances Lunar Wheel and Mars Helicopter Mobility Concepts (Sources: Universe Today, NASA)
NASA engineers and students are testing fabric-based wheel prototypes for future lunar-base mobility while developing a ground-penetrating-radar antenna for the SkyFall Mars helicopters. The efforts target two distinct planetary exploration challenges: reliable surface transportation on the Moon and subsurface science from rotorcraft on Mars. (8/17)
EU Sanctions Roscosmos Subsidiary Chief Developing Radar Satellites for Russia’s Military (Source: Space News)
The European Union has sanctioned the head of a Roscosmos subsidiary involved in developing a synthetic aperture radar satellite system for the Russian military. The action expands pressure on Russia’s space industry and targets leadership linked to military space capabilities. (8/17)
United Launch Alliance Names Mark Peller President and CEO Amid Vulcan Challenges (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
United Launch Alliance has appointed longtime company executive Mark Peller as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Peller is taking over for John Elbon, who ran ULA after Bruno’s departure, but will be retiring at the end of the year after a 45-year career in the aerospace industry. Peller had been the company’s chief operating officer and responsible for its Atlas V and Vulcan launch programs. He has led Vulcan development since its inception. (8/17)
AST SpaceMobile Wins Temporary FCC Authority to Test Satellite Connectivity in the 800 MHz Band (Source: Spacewatch Global)
AST SpaceMobile has received temporary authorization from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to test satellite connectivity using spectrum in the 800 MHz band. The approval advances the company’s effort to evaluate satellite-enabled communications in a regulated terrestrial-frequency range. (8/17)
Lynk and Omnispace Merge as Elveo Mobile to Expand Direct-to-Device Satellite Services (Source: Smallsat News)
Lynk Global has completed its merger with Omnispace and rebranded as Elveo Mobile, combining Lynk’s direct-to-device satellite capabilities with globally coordinated S-band spectrum. The company aims to move beyond basic messaging and broaden satellite connectivity for standard mobile devices. (8/17)
Blue Origin Establishes Apprenticeship Program (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin is launching its first registered apprenticeship program, and is looking for a founding cohort in Huntsville. Participants are full-time from day one, with full benefits, and a path to a nationally recognized credential. The cohort starts in October. Time is split between hands-on work at Blue Origin alongside experienced machinists and classroom and lab instruction. Classroom instruction is fully covered by Blue Origin at no cost to apprentices (8/17)
August 17, 2026
Southern Launch Expands National
Presence with Canberra Office Opening (Source: Southern Launch)
Southern Launch, has officially opened a Canberra office, reinforcing the company’s vital role in advancing Australia’s sovereign space and national security capabilities. The new office reflects the company’s continued growth following a $25 million capital raise backed by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The Canberra office will support Southern Launch’s contribution to national priorities including sovereign capability, advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, defense and continued growth of Australia’s space sector. (8/10)
South Korea Sends Lunar Radiation Detector on NASA Commercial Lander (Source: Chosun)
The lunar surface space radiation detector (LVRAD), developed with domestic technology, will head to the lunar south pole aboard a NASA commercial lunar lander. Korea AeroSpace Administration said on the 17th that it signed an implementation agreement with NASA on the 14th for cooperation on LVRAD's payload integration and operation. Korea AeroSpace Administration plans to complete development of a flight model that will perform an actual mission in space by 2027 and then ship the equipment to the United States according to NASA's launch schedule.
NASA will launch the detector aboard a commercial lander and support instrument operations and transmission of observational data after arrival on the lunar surface. The mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, under which NASA purchases lunar landing and payload delivery services from U.S. private companies. (8/17)
Monument Near Johnson Space Center Honors Black Trailblazers of NASA (Source: ABC13)
Blocks away from NASA's Johnson Space Center, a new monument is bringing some of Space City's hidden heroes into the light. Black astronauts, scientists, engineers, and civil rights leaders are being recognized for their work helping change the course of America's space efforts. Organizers said there are no other monuments like this in Houston.
The installation honors eight people and groups that shaped NASA and spaceflight. The monument is called Earth Rise, and it's located on the grounds of St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Nassau Bay, just four blocks from Johnson Space Center. The monument was unveiled during a ceremony on Sunday. (8/16)
University of Chicago Study Suggests Space Missions Don't Affect Astronauts' Heart Health (Source: CBS News)
Researchers from the University of Chicago have uncovered some information on how space travel affects — or actually doesn't affect — the heart. Muscle mass and strength in general are a major concern on space missions, since astronauts end up seeing atrophy as a result of not needing to push, pull or lift anything in zero gravity. Thus, it is commonplace to see astronauts on the International Space Station using specially designed treadmills and exercise bikes.
But it seems that the most important muscle is not affected by this issue. Joint research by the University of Chicago and the University of Nebraska found signs that heart muscle cells are not negatively affected by space travel at all. (8/16)
Space Angel Wins Australian Spaceport Establishment Grant (Source: Space & Defense)
Western Australia has confirmed Perth-based Space Angel Pty Ltd as the recipient of the State’s Spaceport Establishment Support Grant, as the Cook Government continues planning for a potential spaceport in WA. The company will receive $1.75 million, which it will match, to carry out site assessments needed for planning and regulatory approvals and to develop a business case for proposed spaceport sites in Western Australia. The funding was awarded through what the government described as an open and competitive process. (8/17)
October Summit at KSC to Focus on Florida Space Research (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida is organizing an Oct. 20-21 Florida Space Summit at the KSC Visitor Complex (in the Center for Space Education), in collaboration with the Florida Space Research Consortium. The event will feature a lineup of industry pioneers, leading mission architects, and distinguished scientists. Attendees will hear groundbreaking insights into deep space exploration, the expanding cis-lunar economy, and the future of human habitation beyond Earth. Click here. (8/17)
Anduril’s First Satellite On Orbit With Imaging Payloads (Source: Defense Daily)
Anduril Industries last Thursday evening said its first satellite launched and reached orbit in July carrying three imaging payloads, and featured another first for the company, the use of its Lattice command and control to commission and task a spacecraft on orbit. ANDURIL-216’s payloads include a long-wave infrared sensor and two electro-optical sensors. (8/17)
Analysis: Military Moves Toward Commercial Satellites (Source: Military & Aerospace Electronics)
The US military is transitioning from relying on a small number of highly specialized satellites to deploying large, resilient constellations in low Earth orbit to enhance survivability against emerging threats. The shift is driven by near-peer competition and the need for faster satellite development. Commercial innovations like rapid manufacturing and software-defined systems are becoming the baseline for military space programs. (8/17)
'Houston, We Have a Homicide!': Meet the Detectives Preparing to Solve Murders in Space (Source: BBC)
As cosmonaut Valery Ryumin chillingly wrote in his personal diary during a stint in space in 1980: “All the necessary conditions to perpetrate a murder are met by locking two men in a cabin of 5 x 6m [18 x 20ft] for two months.” With civilian space travel on the horizon, some experts are calling for investment in the emerging field of astroforensics – and the first research in this area has already landed.
Zack Kowalske, a forensic detective is preparing his PhD research, on how environmental factors influence forensic bloodstain analysis. This led him to a rather unusual question: how would blood spatter patterns change in low or zero gravity? Bloodstain pattern analysis is a crucial forensic tool that uses fluid dynamics, physics and mathematics to calculate the trajectory of blood droplets to understand how they hit a surface. On Earth, gravity influences that pattern. In space, however…
To conduct the first-ever investigation of blood stains in microgravity, Kowalske collaborated with Dr George Pantalos, a researcher specializing in space medicine at the University of Louisville. They performed the experiment on a parabolic flight research plane. (6/24)
China Launches Long March 12 and Long March 2C Missions (Source: Space News)
China performed two launches over the weekend, the first since a Long March 7A launch failure last Monday. A Long March 12 lifted off Sunday from the commercial spaceport on Hainan. It placed into orbit a set of satellites for the Guowang constellation. A Long March 2C lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, putting into orbit the Satellite for Earth Observation, a spacecraft developed by the UAE. The launches were the first since the Long March 7A failure. The Long March 12 uses engines from the same family as the Long March 7A, suggesting that failure was not related to the vehicle's engines. (8/17)
L3Harris Abruptly Replaces CEO (Source: Space News)
L3Harris has abruptly replaced its CEO. The company announced Monday that its board of directors named Sam Mehta as president and CEO, replacing Christopher Kubasik, a move that the company said is effective immediately. L3Harris said in its statement that it "became aware of certain conduct by Kubasik that was not consistent" with its values, adding that it was not linked to company finances or customer relationships. Kubasik was also removed from the company's board. Mehta joined L3Harris in 2023 as president of its communications systems segment and was most recently president of its Space & Mission Systems and Communications & Spectrum Dominance segments, overseeing its work on military space programs. (8/17)
Lynk Global Completes Omnispace Merger (Source: Space News)
Lynk Global has completed its merger with Omnispace to provide direct-to-device (D2D) services under a new name. The two companies announced Monday they completed a merger announced last October, renaming the combined company Elveo Mobile. The merged company combines Omnispace's 60 megahertz of S-band spectrum with Lynk's D2D platform, which has been providing intermittent messaging and alert services across a small group of island nations after deploying seven small satellites. Omnispace had planned to provide D2D services using a constellation of more than 600 satellites, but those efforts stalled after reporting interference with SpaceX's D2D operations in the United States. Lynk had been using cellular frequencies from mobile network operator partners, but dedicated satellite spectrum could help support more bandwidth-heavy data applications. (8/17)
More Awards Anticipated for NASA CLPS (Source: Space News)
Companies in NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program are anticipating several more awards this year, including one for an orbiter. In earnings calls last week, executives with Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines said they expect three more CLPS task orders to be awarded this year. While most CLPS missions have been landers, the companies said one of the task orders will be for an orbiter that will replace the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been orbiting the moon since 2009 providing high-resolution imagery and other data. The companies are also gearing up for CLPS 2.0, a new contract for future lunar missions. That includes development of larger landers needed to support NASA's proposed lunar base. (8/17)
Japan Launches Navsat with Hosted US Space Force Sensor (Source: Space News)
A Japanese navigation satellite launched last week included a U.S. Space Force surveillance sensor. The Michibiki-7, or QZS-7, satellite features a hosted payload from the Space Force that will monitor objects in geostationary orbit. A similar sensor was on Japan's QZS-6 satellite launched in 2025. Data from the sensors will be fed in near real time into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, the collection of sensors used by the military to detect, track and characterize satellites and other objects in orbit. (8/17)
SEOPS Organizing Waymaker Rideshare Mission for Falcon 9 Launch (Source: Space News)
Launch services provider SEOPS has added a second dedicated rideshare mission. The company announced Monday it will fly a mid-inclination Waymaker rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 in early 2028, joining its original Waymaker mission to sun-synchronous orbit planned for late 2028. SEOPS announced that first Waymaker mission in late May and the company says it is more than 90% sold out. For the mid-inclination mission, SEOPS will use a Falcon 9 originally purchased for a geostationary transfer orbit rideshare mission, stating that demand for low Earth orbit rideshare is much stronger now than for GTO. SEOPS plans a series of Waymaker missions and is in talks with other launch vehicle developers for later missions. (8/17)
Launch Commitments are Now Valuable Marketing Points (Source: Space News)
Satellite operators are increasingly emphasizing they have secured launches, in some cases years in advance, amid a constrained launch market. Several companies used earnings calls last week to assure investors that they are able to launch satellites as planned despite difficulties finding rides. AST SpaceMobile says it has 10 launches under contract with Blue Origin and SpaceX, enough to launch its initial constellation of about 45 satellites by early 2027. The company, though, said it is not counting on Blue Origin's New Glenn to resume launches by the end of the year. HawkEye 360 and Spire, two companies that regularly use SpaceX rideshare launches, said they have secured launches for future satellites through 2028 despite industry concerns SpaceX may soon wind down its rideshare offerings. HawkEye 360 said it is looking into other launch providers to assure access to space after 2028. (8/17)
Southern Launch, has officially opened a Canberra office, reinforcing the company’s vital role in advancing Australia’s sovereign space and national security capabilities. The new office reflects the company’s continued growth following a $25 million capital raise backed by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The Canberra office will support Southern Launch’s contribution to national priorities including sovereign capability, advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, defense and continued growth of Australia’s space sector. (8/10)
South Korea Sends Lunar Radiation Detector on NASA Commercial Lander (Source: Chosun)
The lunar surface space radiation detector (LVRAD), developed with domestic technology, will head to the lunar south pole aboard a NASA commercial lunar lander. Korea AeroSpace Administration said on the 17th that it signed an implementation agreement with NASA on the 14th for cooperation on LVRAD's payload integration and operation. Korea AeroSpace Administration plans to complete development of a flight model that will perform an actual mission in space by 2027 and then ship the equipment to the United States according to NASA's launch schedule.
NASA will launch the detector aboard a commercial lander and support instrument operations and transmission of observational data after arrival on the lunar surface. The mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, under which NASA purchases lunar landing and payload delivery services from U.S. private companies. (8/17)
Monument Near Johnson Space Center Honors Black Trailblazers of NASA (Source: ABC13)
Blocks away from NASA's Johnson Space Center, a new monument is bringing some of Space City's hidden heroes into the light. Black astronauts, scientists, engineers, and civil rights leaders are being recognized for their work helping change the course of America's space efforts. Organizers said there are no other monuments like this in Houston.
The installation honors eight people and groups that shaped NASA and spaceflight. The monument is called Earth Rise, and it's located on the grounds of St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Nassau Bay, just four blocks from Johnson Space Center. The monument was unveiled during a ceremony on Sunday. (8/16)
University of Chicago Study Suggests Space Missions Don't Affect Astronauts' Heart Health (Source: CBS News)
Researchers from the University of Chicago have uncovered some information on how space travel affects — or actually doesn't affect — the heart. Muscle mass and strength in general are a major concern on space missions, since astronauts end up seeing atrophy as a result of not needing to push, pull or lift anything in zero gravity. Thus, it is commonplace to see astronauts on the International Space Station using specially designed treadmills and exercise bikes.
But it seems that the most important muscle is not affected by this issue. Joint research by the University of Chicago and the University of Nebraska found signs that heart muscle cells are not negatively affected by space travel at all. (8/16)
Space Angel Wins Australian Spaceport Establishment Grant (Source: Space & Defense)
Western Australia has confirmed Perth-based Space Angel Pty Ltd as the recipient of the State’s Spaceport Establishment Support Grant, as the Cook Government continues planning for a potential spaceport in WA. The company will receive $1.75 million, which it will match, to carry out site assessments needed for planning and regulatory approvals and to develop a business case for proposed spaceport sites in Western Australia. The funding was awarded through what the government described as an open and competitive process. (8/17)
October Summit at KSC to Focus on Florida Space Research (Source: SPACErePORT)
The Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida is organizing an Oct. 20-21 Florida Space Summit at the KSC Visitor Complex (in the Center for Space Education), in collaboration with the Florida Space Research Consortium. The event will feature a lineup of industry pioneers, leading mission architects, and distinguished scientists. Attendees will hear groundbreaking insights into deep space exploration, the expanding cis-lunar economy, and the future of human habitation beyond Earth. Click here. (8/17)
Anduril’s First Satellite On Orbit With Imaging Payloads (Source: Defense Daily)
Anduril Industries last Thursday evening said its first satellite launched and reached orbit in July carrying three imaging payloads, and featured another first for the company, the use of its Lattice command and control to commission and task a spacecraft on orbit. ANDURIL-216’s payloads include a long-wave infrared sensor and two electro-optical sensors. (8/17)
Analysis: Military Moves Toward Commercial Satellites (Source: Military & Aerospace Electronics)
The US military is transitioning from relying on a small number of highly specialized satellites to deploying large, resilient constellations in low Earth orbit to enhance survivability against emerging threats. The shift is driven by near-peer competition and the need for faster satellite development. Commercial innovations like rapid manufacturing and software-defined systems are becoming the baseline for military space programs. (8/17)
'Houston, We Have a Homicide!': Meet the Detectives Preparing to Solve Murders in Space (Source: BBC)
As cosmonaut Valery Ryumin chillingly wrote in his personal diary during a stint in space in 1980: “All the necessary conditions to perpetrate a murder are met by locking two men in a cabin of 5 x 6m [18 x 20ft] for two months.” With civilian space travel on the horizon, some experts are calling for investment in the emerging field of astroforensics – and the first research in this area has already landed.
Zack Kowalske, a forensic detective is preparing his PhD research, on how environmental factors influence forensic bloodstain analysis. This led him to a rather unusual question: how would blood spatter patterns change in low or zero gravity? Bloodstain pattern analysis is a crucial forensic tool that uses fluid dynamics, physics and mathematics to calculate the trajectory of blood droplets to understand how they hit a surface. On Earth, gravity influences that pattern. In space, however…
To conduct the first-ever investigation of blood stains in microgravity, Kowalske collaborated with Dr George Pantalos, a researcher specializing in space medicine at the University of Louisville. They performed the experiment on a parabolic flight research plane. (6/24)
China Launches Long March 12 and Long March 2C Missions (Source: Space News)
China performed two launches over the weekend, the first since a Long March 7A launch failure last Monday. A Long March 12 lifted off Sunday from the commercial spaceport on Hainan. It placed into orbit a set of satellites for the Guowang constellation. A Long March 2C lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, putting into orbit the Satellite for Earth Observation, a spacecraft developed by the UAE. The launches were the first since the Long March 7A failure. The Long March 12 uses engines from the same family as the Long March 7A, suggesting that failure was not related to the vehicle's engines. (8/17)
L3Harris Abruptly Replaces CEO (Source: Space News)
L3Harris has abruptly replaced its CEO. The company announced Monday that its board of directors named Sam Mehta as president and CEO, replacing Christopher Kubasik, a move that the company said is effective immediately. L3Harris said in its statement that it "became aware of certain conduct by Kubasik that was not consistent" with its values, adding that it was not linked to company finances or customer relationships. Kubasik was also removed from the company's board. Mehta joined L3Harris in 2023 as president of its communications systems segment and was most recently president of its Space & Mission Systems and Communications & Spectrum Dominance segments, overseeing its work on military space programs. (8/17)
Lynk Global Completes Omnispace Merger (Source: Space News)
Lynk Global has completed its merger with Omnispace to provide direct-to-device (D2D) services under a new name. The two companies announced Monday they completed a merger announced last October, renaming the combined company Elveo Mobile. The merged company combines Omnispace's 60 megahertz of S-band spectrum with Lynk's D2D platform, which has been providing intermittent messaging and alert services across a small group of island nations after deploying seven small satellites. Omnispace had planned to provide D2D services using a constellation of more than 600 satellites, but those efforts stalled after reporting interference with SpaceX's D2D operations in the United States. Lynk had been using cellular frequencies from mobile network operator partners, but dedicated satellite spectrum could help support more bandwidth-heavy data applications. (8/17)
More Awards Anticipated for NASA CLPS (Source: Space News)
Companies in NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program are anticipating several more awards this year, including one for an orbiter. In earnings calls last week, executives with Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines said they expect three more CLPS task orders to be awarded this year. While most CLPS missions have been landers, the companies said one of the task orders will be for an orbiter that will replace the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been orbiting the moon since 2009 providing high-resolution imagery and other data. The companies are also gearing up for CLPS 2.0, a new contract for future lunar missions. That includes development of larger landers needed to support NASA's proposed lunar base. (8/17)
Japan Launches Navsat with Hosted US Space Force Sensor (Source: Space News)
A Japanese navigation satellite launched last week included a U.S. Space Force surveillance sensor. The Michibiki-7, or QZS-7, satellite features a hosted payload from the Space Force that will monitor objects in geostationary orbit. A similar sensor was on Japan's QZS-6 satellite launched in 2025. Data from the sensors will be fed in near real time into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, the collection of sensors used by the military to detect, track and characterize satellites and other objects in orbit. (8/17)
SEOPS Organizing Waymaker Rideshare Mission for Falcon 9 Launch (Source: Space News)
Launch services provider SEOPS has added a second dedicated rideshare mission. The company announced Monday it will fly a mid-inclination Waymaker rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 in early 2028, joining its original Waymaker mission to sun-synchronous orbit planned for late 2028. SEOPS announced that first Waymaker mission in late May and the company says it is more than 90% sold out. For the mid-inclination mission, SEOPS will use a Falcon 9 originally purchased for a geostationary transfer orbit rideshare mission, stating that demand for low Earth orbit rideshare is much stronger now than for GTO. SEOPS plans a series of Waymaker missions and is in talks with other launch vehicle developers for later missions. (8/17)
Launch Commitments are Now Valuable Marketing Points (Source: Space News)
Satellite operators are increasingly emphasizing they have secured launches, in some cases years in advance, amid a constrained launch market. Several companies used earnings calls last week to assure investors that they are able to launch satellites as planned despite difficulties finding rides. AST SpaceMobile says it has 10 launches under contract with Blue Origin and SpaceX, enough to launch its initial constellation of about 45 satellites by early 2027. The company, though, said it is not counting on Blue Origin's New Glenn to resume launches by the end of the year. HawkEye 360 and Spire, two companies that regularly use SpaceX rideshare launches, said they have secured launches for future satellites through 2028 despite industry concerns SpaceX may soon wind down its rideshare offerings. HawkEye 360 said it is looking into other launch providers to assure access to space after 2028. (8/17)
August 16, 2026
NASA, Space Force Seek Industry
Concepts for Regional Methane Production and Storage to Serve Cape
Canaveral Spaceport (Source: NASA)
NASA and the Space Force are conducting market research to identify U.S. entities interested in designing, constructing, and operating a regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and storage facility on KSC or CCSFS property. This follows a recent public rejection of plans to develop a Methane liquefaction plant near Port Canaveral. Click here. (8/16)
JAXA Unveils Martian Moon Probe, Aiming to Be 1st to Take Home Samples (Source: Yomiuri Shimbun)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has unveiled to the press an unmanned probe to be used in the Martian Moons eXploration project, which will explore the Martian moon Phobos. The probe is scheduled to be launched as early as this autumn. If it succeeds in returning samples collected on Phobos to Earth, it would be a global first. It is scheduled to be launched from the center aboard an H3 flagship rocket and enter the gravitational field of Mars next year.
The probe will then land on Phobos to collect sand and other samples from its surface. Phobos is located about 6,000 kilometers from Mars and measures about 20 to 30 kilometers in diameter. The probe will also conduct a flyby to observe another Martian moon, Deimos, as it passes nearby at high speed. After completing its observations, the probe is to return to Earth and drop a capsule containing the samples in an Australian desert in 2031. (8/15)
Space Kinetic Awarded $50M for Space Maneuverability (Source: Payload)
Cheap, swarming, and potentially disposable—all words used in drone economics and now one startup wants to apply them to space. On Thursday, Space Kinetic announced a $50M OTA award from the Space Force to develop Whirlwind—its space maneuverability and deployment system. It’s the largest award yet for the company, which raised a $12M seed round in 2025. (8/13)
SpaceMD to Use Starfall for Space-Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Mission (Source: The Hill)
SpaceMD will use Starfall for a space-based pharmaceutical manufacturing mission, positioning low Earth orbit as a potential production environment for treatments targeting diseases including cancer and Alzheimer’s. The effort underscores the expanding commercial-space sector’s interest in translating orbital manufacturing into medical applications. (8/16)
SpaceX Sets Launch-Cadence Record with Two Falcon 9 Missions 38 Minutes Apart (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart on Aug. 15, establishing a new spaceflight record. The rapid succession highlights the company’s ability to compress launch operations across separate missions and further increase the utilization of its launch infrastructure. On Saturday evening (Aug. 15), SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart. The first was Saturday morning at 9:12 p.m. (EDT) from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, carrying eight Globalstar satellites. The second was from California at 9:50 (EDT) carrying classified Space Force satellites (probably Starshield). (8/16)
China’s New Lunar Map Signals Ambitions to Shape How the Solar System is Charted (Source: Space.com)
Chinese researchers have presented a comprehensive lunar map, with a scale of 1:5 million. It is an update of a 2024 edition and puts forward new boundaries for the ancient Aitkenian, Nectarian and Imbrian lunar periods. (The researchers use the term Aitkenian, whereas the term pre-Nectarian is often used to describe the lunar geologic period from roughly around 4.5 billion to 3.9 billion years ago.)
"This goes beyond showcasing technological soft power. This standard will be extended to future planetary geologic mapping, establishing an independent intellectual property framework for China's deep space exploration," Yang Zhiming said.
Both China and the United States have interests in setting standards as humanity renews its interest in exploring the moon. While on Earth everyone agrees on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the two countries currently disagree about what time it is on the moon, where clocks run faster due to weaker gravity. This suggests that leadership in space will be contested not just through missions and firsts, but via whose technical standards are followed, with China's new map playing into these efforts. (8/16)
NASA Funds Spherical ‘Aerobots’ for Potential Cave Exploration on Titan (Source: Space.com)
An early-stage NASA grant is supporting the concept of spherical “Aerobots” designed to navigate Titan’s caves, offering a potential approach to exploring environments inaccessible to conventional rovers. The proposed demonstration mission would build on the technology-validation model established by Mars’ Ingenuity helicopter. (8/16)
NASA Plans Three Additional CLPS Lunar Missions, Including an Orbiter to Replace LRO (Source: Space News)
NASA expects to award three more lunar task orders through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program this year. The planned missions include an orbiter intended to replace the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, extending the agency’s lunar observation capabilities as commercial providers take on more exploration work. (8/15)
Orbital Data Centers Converge on Sun-Synchronous Orbits, Raising Traffic-Management Questions (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The emerging orbital data-center sector is converging on sun-synchronous orbits, intensifying questions over congestion, coordination and operational rules. The development also raises a strategic policy issue for Europe: whether it will help shape the traffic-management framework governing a potentially important new class of space infrastructure. (8/14)
How NASA Flew Back to the Moon with a Big FAA Assist (Source: FAA)
In January, the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), then led by Dr. Melchor Antunano, M.D., M.S. (who now leads University of Central Florida aerospace medicine programs) informed Dr. Austin Ciesielski that Dr. James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer had just sent an urgent request. The space agency was weeks away from launching its Artemis II mission, the first to carry a crew around the moon in 54 years. Unfortunately, they had just discovered a troubling reading for a mission-critical system on the Orion crew module.
“In our recent water sampling of the potable crew water on the vehicle at the pad, we found both high silver and isopropyl alcohol, also a level that is close to exceeding that which is safe for long term consumption,” Polk wrote. “Would you be able to run the analysis of a sample to verify the findings?” In short, it appeared that a cleaning agent may have contaminated the astronauts’ drinking water supply. Quickly following up, Ciesielski learned that NASA had conducted two different tests of the Orion’s potable water system which obtained different readings—one showing the water system was safe, the other registering an unsafe reading.
“They didn’t know which one was the real number,” said Ciesielski. “So, they reached out to us and said, ‘Hey can you guys do this analysis?’” Before the FAA could assist, NASA needed CAMI’s assurances that its Forensic Science Laboratory could provide gold-standard analysis. To demonstrate the FAA was up to the task, Ciesielski analyzed several water samples containing known amounts of isopropyl alcohol and sent the results to NASA, which met their approval. (8/12)
Fibonacci Space Brokerage and Space Ocean Corp Announce Brokerage Partnership (Source: Fibonacci)
Fibonacci Space Brokerage announced a brokerage partnership with Space Ocean Corp, a company developing on-orbit water and fluid transfer capability for the commercial space economy. Under the agreement, Fibonacci will serve as introduction broker for Space Ocean Corp, connecting the company with qualified counterparties across in-space refueling and propellant infrastructure, commercial space stations, and orbital manufacturing.
Space Ocean Corp is building the infrastructure to make water and fluid resources available on-orbit — starting with near-term applications in commercial space station life-support consumables and spacecraft propellant, and extending toward a longer-term vision of lunar and off-world water sourcing. As orbital and lunar activity accelerates, the ability to source, store, and transfer water and fluid resources in space is emerging as foundational infrastructure for the industry. (8/14)
FCC Says Starlink Has Over 7 Million US Subscribers. Wait, What? (Source: PC Mag)
A new report from the Federal Communications Commission suggests that Starlink’s growth in the US has somehow tripled, reaching over 7 million subscribers. The 7 million figure is in a report from the FCC, which examines broadband access nationwide, covering fixed and mobile services. In releasing the report, the commission not only touted progress in expanding access to high-speed broadband and 5G mobile, but also highlighted the expansion of satellite internet services, including SpaceX’s Starlink.
“Satellite service is also rapidly expanding,” the 182-page report says. “Starlink alone has launched over 2,300 satellites between mid-2024 and mid-2025 and has now deployed more than 7,800 satellites—a worldwide network already with over 7 million American subscribers.” Although it’s clear Starlink has been growing, the FCC figure blows past our expectations, considering SpaceX told the FCC in September 2025 that Starlink was serving “more than 2 million subscribers in the United States alone." In August 2024, the number was over 1.4 million. (8/14)
New Space Mirrors May Threaten the Night Sky (Source: The Oklahoman)
Have you ever stood out in your backyard or a park after dark and look up at the stars? Have you ever been in a really dark location and stared in wonder at the beauty of our Milky Way galaxy as its hazy band stretches across the sky? If one company has its way that may not be something you can do for much longer.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted permission for a company called Reflect Orbital to put a giant space mirror, called Earendil-1 in orbit. The company’s plan is to use the giant mirror to reflect sunlight down to Earth for “extra solar energy and area-wide lighting” at night. Their ultimate goal is to place 50,000 of these in Earth orbit by 2035. They claim the nighttime lighting could be used for agriculture, emergency response, and other industrial sectors. (8/15)
Pentagon Awards Deorbit-as-a-Service Deals to Catch Satellites Built to Never Be Caught (Source: Tech Times)
The Space Development Agency and the Defense Innovation Unit responded last week by awarding preliminary design contracts to three commercial companies — Firefly Aerospace, D-Orbit Space, and Katalyst Space — to develop autonomous systems capable of doing something the entire history of satellite servicing has rarely attempted: physically capturing military satellites that were never designed to be captured. (8/15)
NASA Opens Call on Moon Base Health Research (Source: Payload)
The human body has evolved to withstand many environments, but the Moon isn’t one of them. NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) is asking researchers what they want to know as the agency transitions from short-term lunar missions to long-term stays at a Moon Base. The RFI asks researchers to submit questions and ideas to guide the agency’s research planning, and reduce risks to astronauts during lunar and Mars exploration missions.
“We know a lot from work on the International Space Station, but exploration on the Moon will happen at a different scale and with different parameters, and we’re looking forward to exploring those differences,” said Michael Stenger, the chief scientist of NASA’s HRP. A permanent base would let researchers study how a partial-gravity environment impacts astronaut health over long stretches of time. According to Stenger, it may even have opportunities for a dedicated laboratory on the lunar surface. (8/14)
Zelenskyy Claims Ukraine Struck Russian Space Facility in Samara (Source: Bloomberg)
Ukraine said it attacked a production unit of the Roscosmos space agency as it continued strikes at military and related infrastructure deep within Russia. In the Samara region, some 900 kilometers (560 miles) from Ukraine’s border, Flamingo missiles hit the Progress Rocket and Space Center, “involved, among other things, in electronics production,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “Our plan of long-range sanctions against Russia for this war is being carried out.” (8/15)
Will the New Moon Race Turn Earth's Nearest Neighbor Into a Dumping Ground? (Source: Space.com)
Around 200 tons of Earth stuff have been either deliberately left on or crashed into the moon since the beginning of the space age. Some of this material has a prominent place in history books, but there is also a lot of stuff on the moon that wasn't really meant to end up there. Astronomer and space historian Jonathan McDowell says that many rocket stages and other objects left in orbit between Earth and the moon since the first lunar missions in the 1960s may have ended up on the gray dirt.
Gregory Radisic, a space law expert, said the recent Falcon 9 stage's lunar crash was timely, as it can stir debate about responsible behavior in space before the moon gets too busy. "It's not by good planning that this didn't hit something important," he said. "It's by pure luck that we're only having a conversation about theoretical problems down the line and that this did not destroy a million-dollar experiment or an important site of scientific study."
He added that spaceflight companies may start paying attention to the risks only after human lives are lost or expensive infrastructure suffers, resulting in tangible fines and consequences. (8/14)
Policy Experts: Europe Stuck Between “Rock and a Hard Place” on Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
Researchers assert that nations in Europe and elsewhere that decide to rely solely on their domestic rockets for launch needs will see their costs go up, which could slow their efforts to expand space-based operations such as satellite constellations. This leaves policymakers in a difficult position.
“Looking specifically at Europe, for now the continent is stuck between a rock and a hard place, having to choose between continuing to depend on lower-cost American launch technology and relying on expensive, poorly scalable domestic technology to expand its strategic presence in space,” the authors write.
Ultimately, to remain competitive, spacefaring nations will need to develop better and more modern launch capabilities. The United States is far and away the current leader of reusable launch, and virtually all new commercial rockets under development incorporate some aspect of reuse. Chinese firms are similarly pushing forward with this technology. To date, Europe’s efforts have been slow and stodgy. (8/14)
Constipation is Common in Astronauts – Blood Tests Provide New Answers (Source: University of Copenhagen)
For astronauts in space, constipation is a well-known problem. But why this happens has long been unclear. Now, a new study from the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with NASA provides an idea of what happens in the stomach without the influence of gravity. The researchers have examined blood samples from 52 astronauts who have participated in months long missions to the ISS. The study results identified gastrointestinal changes that occur shortly after the astronauts leave Earth and gravity behind.
Protein fermentation is when gut bacteria begin to break down protein instead of fiber because the fiber in the diet has been used up. This is not abnormal, and it also happens to many people on Earth. "The lack of gravity in space probably causes food to move more slowly through the intestine, and this fits with the fact that we are seeing signs of increased protein fermentation." (8/14)
NASA and the Space Force are conducting market research to identify U.S. entities interested in designing, constructing, and operating a regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and storage facility on KSC or CCSFS property. This follows a recent public rejection of plans to develop a Methane liquefaction plant near Port Canaveral. Click here. (8/16)
JAXA Unveils Martian Moon Probe, Aiming to Be 1st to Take Home Samples (Source: Yomiuri Shimbun)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has unveiled to the press an unmanned probe to be used in the Martian Moons eXploration project, which will explore the Martian moon Phobos. The probe is scheduled to be launched as early as this autumn. If it succeeds in returning samples collected on Phobos to Earth, it would be a global first. It is scheduled to be launched from the center aboard an H3 flagship rocket and enter the gravitational field of Mars next year.
The probe will then land on Phobos to collect sand and other samples from its surface. Phobos is located about 6,000 kilometers from Mars and measures about 20 to 30 kilometers in diameter. The probe will also conduct a flyby to observe another Martian moon, Deimos, as it passes nearby at high speed. After completing its observations, the probe is to return to Earth and drop a capsule containing the samples in an Australian desert in 2031. (8/15)
Space Kinetic Awarded $50M for Space Maneuverability (Source: Payload)
Cheap, swarming, and potentially disposable—all words used in drone economics and now one startup wants to apply them to space. On Thursday, Space Kinetic announced a $50M OTA award from the Space Force to develop Whirlwind—its space maneuverability and deployment system. It’s the largest award yet for the company, which raised a $12M seed round in 2025. (8/13)
SpaceMD to Use Starfall for Space-Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Mission (Source: The Hill)
SpaceMD will use Starfall for a space-based pharmaceutical manufacturing mission, positioning low Earth orbit as a potential production environment for treatments targeting diseases including cancer and Alzheimer’s. The effort underscores the expanding commercial-space sector’s interest in translating orbital manufacturing into medical applications. (8/16)
SpaceX Sets Launch-Cadence Record with Two Falcon 9 Missions 38 Minutes Apart (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart on Aug. 15, establishing a new spaceflight record. The rapid succession highlights the company’s ability to compress launch operations across separate missions and further increase the utilization of its launch infrastructure. On Saturday evening (Aug. 15), SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart. The first was Saturday morning at 9:12 p.m. (EDT) from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, carrying eight Globalstar satellites. The second was from California at 9:50 (EDT) carrying classified Space Force satellites (probably Starshield). (8/16)
China’s New Lunar Map Signals Ambitions to Shape How the Solar System is Charted (Source: Space.com)
Chinese researchers have presented a comprehensive lunar map, with a scale of 1:5 million. It is an update of a 2024 edition and puts forward new boundaries for the ancient Aitkenian, Nectarian and Imbrian lunar periods. (The researchers use the term Aitkenian, whereas the term pre-Nectarian is often used to describe the lunar geologic period from roughly around 4.5 billion to 3.9 billion years ago.)
"This goes beyond showcasing technological soft power. This standard will be extended to future planetary geologic mapping, establishing an independent intellectual property framework for China's deep space exploration," Yang Zhiming said.
Both China and the United States have interests in setting standards as humanity renews its interest in exploring the moon. While on Earth everyone agrees on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the two countries currently disagree about what time it is on the moon, where clocks run faster due to weaker gravity. This suggests that leadership in space will be contested not just through missions and firsts, but via whose technical standards are followed, with China's new map playing into these efforts. (8/16)
NASA Funds Spherical ‘Aerobots’ for Potential Cave Exploration on Titan (Source: Space.com)
An early-stage NASA grant is supporting the concept of spherical “Aerobots” designed to navigate Titan’s caves, offering a potential approach to exploring environments inaccessible to conventional rovers. The proposed demonstration mission would build on the technology-validation model established by Mars’ Ingenuity helicopter. (8/16)
NASA Plans Three Additional CLPS Lunar Missions, Including an Orbiter to Replace LRO (Source: Space News)
NASA expects to award three more lunar task orders through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program this year. The planned missions include an orbiter intended to replace the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, extending the agency’s lunar observation capabilities as commercial providers take on more exploration work. (8/15)
Orbital Data Centers Converge on Sun-Synchronous Orbits, Raising Traffic-Management Questions (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The emerging orbital data-center sector is converging on sun-synchronous orbits, intensifying questions over congestion, coordination and operational rules. The development also raises a strategic policy issue for Europe: whether it will help shape the traffic-management framework governing a potentially important new class of space infrastructure. (8/14)
How NASA Flew Back to the Moon with a Big FAA Assist (Source: FAA)
In January, the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), then led by Dr. Melchor Antunano, M.D., M.S. (who now leads University of Central Florida aerospace medicine programs) informed Dr. Austin Ciesielski that Dr. James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer had just sent an urgent request. The space agency was weeks away from launching its Artemis II mission, the first to carry a crew around the moon in 54 years. Unfortunately, they had just discovered a troubling reading for a mission-critical system on the Orion crew module.
“In our recent water sampling of the potable crew water on the vehicle at the pad, we found both high silver and isopropyl alcohol, also a level that is close to exceeding that which is safe for long term consumption,” Polk wrote. “Would you be able to run the analysis of a sample to verify the findings?” In short, it appeared that a cleaning agent may have contaminated the astronauts’ drinking water supply. Quickly following up, Ciesielski learned that NASA had conducted two different tests of the Orion’s potable water system which obtained different readings—one showing the water system was safe, the other registering an unsafe reading.
“They didn’t know which one was the real number,” said Ciesielski. “So, they reached out to us and said, ‘Hey can you guys do this analysis?’” Before the FAA could assist, NASA needed CAMI’s assurances that its Forensic Science Laboratory could provide gold-standard analysis. To demonstrate the FAA was up to the task, Ciesielski analyzed several water samples containing known amounts of isopropyl alcohol and sent the results to NASA, which met their approval. (8/12)
Fibonacci Space Brokerage and Space Ocean Corp Announce Brokerage Partnership (Source: Fibonacci)
Fibonacci Space Brokerage announced a brokerage partnership with Space Ocean Corp, a company developing on-orbit water and fluid transfer capability for the commercial space economy. Under the agreement, Fibonacci will serve as introduction broker for Space Ocean Corp, connecting the company with qualified counterparties across in-space refueling and propellant infrastructure, commercial space stations, and orbital manufacturing.
Space Ocean Corp is building the infrastructure to make water and fluid resources available on-orbit — starting with near-term applications in commercial space station life-support consumables and spacecraft propellant, and extending toward a longer-term vision of lunar and off-world water sourcing. As orbital and lunar activity accelerates, the ability to source, store, and transfer water and fluid resources in space is emerging as foundational infrastructure for the industry. (8/14)
FCC Says Starlink Has Over 7 Million US Subscribers. Wait, What? (Source: PC Mag)
A new report from the Federal Communications Commission suggests that Starlink’s growth in the US has somehow tripled, reaching over 7 million subscribers. The 7 million figure is in a report from the FCC, which examines broadband access nationwide, covering fixed and mobile services. In releasing the report, the commission not only touted progress in expanding access to high-speed broadband and 5G mobile, but also highlighted the expansion of satellite internet services, including SpaceX’s Starlink.
“Satellite service is also rapidly expanding,” the 182-page report says. “Starlink alone has launched over 2,300 satellites between mid-2024 and mid-2025 and has now deployed more than 7,800 satellites—a worldwide network already with over 7 million American subscribers.” Although it’s clear Starlink has been growing, the FCC figure blows past our expectations, considering SpaceX told the FCC in September 2025 that Starlink was serving “more than 2 million subscribers in the United States alone." In August 2024, the number was over 1.4 million. (8/14)
New Space Mirrors May Threaten the Night Sky (Source: The Oklahoman)
Have you ever stood out in your backyard or a park after dark and look up at the stars? Have you ever been in a really dark location and stared in wonder at the beauty of our Milky Way galaxy as its hazy band stretches across the sky? If one company has its way that may not be something you can do for much longer.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted permission for a company called Reflect Orbital to put a giant space mirror, called Earendil-1 in orbit. The company’s plan is to use the giant mirror to reflect sunlight down to Earth for “extra solar energy and area-wide lighting” at night. Their ultimate goal is to place 50,000 of these in Earth orbit by 2035. They claim the nighttime lighting could be used for agriculture, emergency response, and other industrial sectors. (8/15)
Pentagon Awards Deorbit-as-a-Service Deals to Catch Satellites Built to Never Be Caught (Source: Tech Times)
The Space Development Agency and the Defense Innovation Unit responded last week by awarding preliminary design contracts to three commercial companies — Firefly Aerospace, D-Orbit Space, and Katalyst Space — to develop autonomous systems capable of doing something the entire history of satellite servicing has rarely attempted: physically capturing military satellites that were never designed to be captured. (8/15)
NASA Opens Call on Moon Base Health Research (Source: Payload)
The human body has evolved to withstand many environments, but the Moon isn’t one of them. NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) is asking researchers what they want to know as the agency transitions from short-term lunar missions to long-term stays at a Moon Base. The RFI asks researchers to submit questions and ideas to guide the agency’s research planning, and reduce risks to astronauts during lunar and Mars exploration missions.
“We know a lot from work on the International Space Station, but exploration on the Moon will happen at a different scale and with different parameters, and we’re looking forward to exploring those differences,” said Michael Stenger, the chief scientist of NASA’s HRP. A permanent base would let researchers study how a partial-gravity environment impacts astronaut health over long stretches of time. According to Stenger, it may even have opportunities for a dedicated laboratory on the lunar surface. (8/14)
Zelenskyy Claims Ukraine Struck Russian Space Facility in Samara (Source: Bloomberg)
Ukraine said it attacked a production unit of the Roscosmos space agency as it continued strikes at military and related infrastructure deep within Russia. In the Samara region, some 900 kilometers (560 miles) from Ukraine’s border, Flamingo missiles hit the Progress Rocket and Space Center, “involved, among other things, in electronics production,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “Our plan of long-range sanctions against Russia for this war is being carried out.” (8/15)
Will the New Moon Race Turn Earth's Nearest Neighbor Into a Dumping Ground? (Source: Space.com)
Around 200 tons of Earth stuff have been either deliberately left on or crashed into the moon since the beginning of the space age. Some of this material has a prominent place in history books, but there is also a lot of stuff on the moon that wasn't really meant to end up there. Astronomer and space historian Jonathan McDowell says that many rocket stages and other objects left in orbit between Earth and the moon since the first lunar missions in the 1960s may have ended up on the gray dirt.
Gregory Radisic, a space law expert, said the recent Falcon 9 stage's lunar crash was timely, as it can stir debate about responsible behavior in space before the moon gets too busy. "It's not by good planning that this didn't hit something important," he said. "It's by pure luck that we're only having a conversation about theoretical problems down the line and that this did not destroy a million-dollar experiment or an important site of scientific study."
He added that spaceflight companies may start paying attention to the risks only after human lives are lost or expensive infrastructure suffers, resulting in tangible fines and consequences. (8/14)
Policy Experts: Europe Stuck Between “Rock and a Hard Place” on Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
Researchers assert that nations in Europe and elsewhere that decide to rely solely on their domestic rockets for launch needs will see their costs go up, which could slow their efforts to expand space-based operations such as satellite constellations. This leaves policymakers in a difficult position.
“Looking specifically at Europe, for now the continent is stuck between a rock and a hard place, having to choose between continuing to depend on lower-cost American launch technology and relying on expensive, poorly scalable domestic technology to expand its strategic presence in space,” the authors write.
Ultimately, to remain competitive, spacefaring nations will need to develop better and more modern launch capabilities. The United States is far and away the current leader of reusable launch, and virtually all new commercial rockets under development incorporate some aspect of reuse. Chinese firms are similarly pushing forward with this technology. To date, Europe’s efforts have been slow and stodgy. (8/14)
Constipation is Common in Astronauts – Blood Tests Provide New Answers (Source: University of Copenhagen)
For astronauts in space, constipation is a well-known problem. But why this happens has long been unclear. Now, a new study from the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with NASA provides an idea of what happens in the stomach without the influence of gravity. The researchers have examined blood samples from 52 astronauts who have participated in months long missions to the ISS. The study results identified gastrointestinal changes that occur shortly after the astronauts leave Earth and gravity behind.
Protein fermentation is when gut bacteria begin to break down protein instead of fiber because the fiber in the diet has been used up. This is not abnormal, and it also happens to many people on Earth. "The lack of gravity in space probably causes food to move more slowly through the intestine, and this fits with the fact that we are seeing signs of increased protein fermentation." (8/14)
August 15, 2026
The Moon is Our Ethical Dress
Rehearsal for Mars (Source: Space News)
The first crewed mission to Mars cannot be NASA-centric or America-centric. "To send humans to Mars and bring them back safely, we must go not as a nation, but as a planet," according to Adriana C. Ocampo Uría, a California State University planetary scientist and space ethicist. She was responding to another recent commentary on the scientific and engineering challenges of a crewed Mars mission to point out that the matters of ethics and global governance are still missing from the conversation.
"Mars is not an American frontier. It is a universal heritage site. The first human footprint on Martian soil must represent a species, not a flag. If we launch a crew without a global mandate, we risk bringing our terrestrial squabbles to an alien world — and that is a failure no engineering fix can remedy," she wrote. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted about the article on social media, vehemently disagreeing with the notion of what he framed as greater bureaucracy guiding space exploration. (8/14)
Intuitive Machines and Virgin Galactic Jump 10% While Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile Sit Out the Space Stock Rally (Source: 24/7 Wall Street)
Shares of Intuitive Machines are surging 10% to $19 and change on Friday morning, and Virgin Galactic shares are gaining 10% as it approaches $3.50. The rest of the space complex is not tagging along, with Rocket Lab stock up 1% to $81.25 and AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) shares up just 1% to $72.32. (8/14)
Russia’s Reusable Rocket Launch Debut Slips Beyond 2030 (Source: Aviation Week)
The initial launch of Russia’s first reusable rocket—Amur SPG—is now planned for 2031, half a decade later than when the concept emerged. The new timeline is also three years behind what Russia most recently disclosed. (8/14)
Army Gears Up to ‘Engage’ Enemy Surveillance Satellites (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Army is seeking new kit to directly “engage” adversary satellites from the ground, particularly if and when sensing sats are used to target US forces, according to a senior Army space official. While it may sound unusual for the land force to be involved in counter-space operations, Col. Joe Mroszczyk said it was part of the service’s expanding role in helping US Space Command (SPACECOM) achieve space superiority. (8/13)
SpaceX Plans Space Coast Expansion as Part of $1.8B Starship Push (Sources: Orlando Business Journal, Fox 35)
New documents show SpaceX plans to extend presence even further to support upcoming Starship launches at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. SpaceX is executing a massive $1.8 billion expansion across the Space Coast to establish a highly automated, multi-pad infrastructure optimized for high-cadence Starship operations. SpaceX is aggressively positioning the Space Coast to become its primary operational hub to support NASA's Artemis program and national security missions.
SpaceX filed for environmental permits for "Project Ignition," a brand-new 55-acre rocket static test site near the Indian River Lagoon, expanding the existing boundaries of the Roberts Road facility on Kennedy Space Center. At Gigabay, the factory floor is being optimized for a peak production rate of up to one vehicle per day. Initial hardware will be shipped from Texas, but will be integrated, processed, and maintained entirely within the Florida complex. (8/15)
NASA Data Helps Commercial Space Plan Living Off Our Moon (Source: NASA)
Lunar Station Corp. is using a wealth of NASA data in multiple computer models. One NASA resource the Massachusetts-based company used to build terrain maps is the Ames Stereo Pipeline. The open-source code automatically processes images captured from satellites, robotic rovers, historical images, and more to create a 3D model revealing features such as rock placement and elevation.
But the availability of in-situ lunar water resources at any location is largely unknown. To begin to fill that gap, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite was designed to crash its uppers stage into the Moon’s South Pole in 2009. The examination of the resulting plume revealed the presence of water ice. Lunar Station is building on that work and more to help commercial space companies with mission planning, which includes scientific research for mining operations.
The MoonHacker program uses proprietary geospatial analytics platform and advanced algorithms to fuse all the lunar data in NASA’s Planetary Data System to help identify indicators for shallow pits of lunar water. In MoonHacker’s Radiation Simulator, an electronic version of a company’s rover or satellite, called a digital twin, can be subjected to the radiation en route or at the mission site to determine the protection required. (8/15)
Next Generation Interceptor Clears Key Stage 2 Rocket Motor Test in Near-Space Conditions (Source: Army Recognition)
Lockheed Martin has successfully tested the Next Generation Interceptor’s Stage 2 rocket motor under high-vacuum conditions replicating low-Earth orbit, the company announced on August 10, 2026, reducing a key propulsion risk for the future U.S. homeland missile-defense interceptor. The test matters because NGI must deliver reliable thrust outside the atmosphere to engage long-range ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase.
The L3Harris-built motor maintained required thrust, chamber pressure and combustion stability under extreme pressure and thermal conditions, demonstrating that a critical propulsion stage can perform in the environment expected during an operational intercept. This capability supports NGI’s planned role as a more advanced replacement for the Ground-Based Interceptor, strengthening U.S. defenses against increasingly complex long-range missile threats and countermeasures. (8/15)
Wallops Island Prepares Infrastructure for Projected Launch Surge (Source: Space News)
Companies and local officials say now is the time to invest in Wallops infrastructure improvements to benefit those companies and their workers. The number of launches from Wallops is expected grow significantly in the next few years as companies such as Firefly Aerospace and Rocket Lab ramp up operations there. An increase in launches will have an impact that goes beyond launch pads and range assets. “How do I get my product from point A to point B? How do I do wastewater treatment? How do I make sure I have redundant power?”
A report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General in June predicted that the number of launches from Wallops, including those from pads owned by the Virginia Spaceport Authority, would grow from 17 in 2025 to 44 in 2030. That includes suborbital launches of sounding rockets and Rocket Lab’s HASTE, a suborbital version of its Electron small launch vehicle.
The report said Wallops did not face the same infrastructure challenges as the Kennedy Space Center, where even higher launch rates have strained infrastructure at the center and neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, affecting roads, power grids and access to consumables such as propellants. The congestion at Cape Canaveral was one reason Firefly and Rocket Lab chose to launch from Wallops. (8/14)
Exobiosphere Secures €1 Million Grant to Scale Space-Based Drug Discovery Platform (Source: StartupRise)
Exobiosphere, a Luxembourg-based space biotech startup, has received €1 million in non-dilutive funding through Luxembourg’s Jeune Entreprise Innovante (JEI) support scheme. The company works on drug discovery and biomedical research in microgravity. It uses space-based environments to study biological processes and explore new possibilities for developing medicines. (8/12)
Avio Filings Shed Light on FD1 Rocket Demonstrator Test Flight (Source: European Spaceflight)
Environmental documents filed in Sardinia have revealed new details about Avio’s planned FD1 suborbital demonstrator flight test. The test will utilize a temporary launch facility being erected on the grounds of the Salto di Quirra Interforce Test Range. The 6.3-tonne single-stage demonstrator is being developed under a €181.6 million contract from the Italian government, funded through its €191.5 billion National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The demonstrator is expected to validate key building blocks for Avio’s next-generation launch vehicles beyond Vega E. (8/14)
NOAA Awards Spire and PlanetiQ Contracts for Radio-Occultation Data (Source: Space News)
NOAA has selected Spire Global and PlanetiQ to provide radio-occultation data supporting terrestrial weather forecasts and space-weather forecasting. The awards reinforce the role of commercial satellite-derived measurements in supplying data for operational meteorological and space-environment monitoring. (8/14)
Cheaper Launch has Moved the Spacecraft Bottleneck: Mass is Out, Surface Area is In (Source: Space News)
Lower launch costs are changing a foundational spacecraft-design trade: mass is no longer the sole—or necessarily primary—constraint. The emerging trade space centers on surface area, forcing engineers and operators to reconsider how spacecraft are designed, packaged and optimized for increasingly accessible spaceflight. (8/14)
India Selects Pixxel-Led Consortium for First Privately Operated Earth-Observation Constellation (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The Indian government has selected a consortium led by Pixxel to design, build, own and operate the country’s first privately led Earth-observation satellite constellation, establishing a new commercial space effort with private-sector responsibility across the system’s full lifecycle. (8/14)
NASA Plans MAX POWER Air and Space Exhibition at KSC in November (Source: NASA)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled plans for MAX POWER, an exposition of air and space technologies to be held at Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 7-8. The event is planned to be recurring, and envisioned to eventually rival the Paris and Farnborough airshows in Europe. (8/14)
Sidus Space Announces Quarterly Financial Results (Source: Sidus Space)
Financial highlights for the second quarter ending June 30 included revenue of $583,000, a decrease of 54% compared to $1.3 million in Q2 2025, driven by the timing of fixed-price milestone contracts. Gross profit/loss included a loss of $630,000, a 39% improvement from a gross loss of $1.0 million in Q2 2025. (8/14)
Reditus Space Nearing FAA Approval for ENOS Capsule Reentries in Gulf Off Florida Coast (Source: FAA)
Under an FAA Proposed Action now published in a draft Environmental Assessment, Reditus would gain license to conduct up to 12 daytime reentries per year of its ENOS-Mk1 capsule in the northeastern portion of the Gulf of America, south of Tallahassee and west of Cedar Key, Florida. The Proposed Action also includes issuance of temporary airspace closures. ENOS is a combined satellite and reentry vehicle. It launches as a conventional spacecraft, operates independently in LEO, and can remain there some duration. At the end of the mission it performs its own deorbit maneuver and deploys a parachute before splashdown.
Editor's Note: It appears ENOS might use the same deorbit corridor that SpaceX was using for Dragon splashdowns in the Gulf. SpaceX ceased using this corridor because it threatened populated areas during descent over the US. All Dragon splashdowns are now off the California coast in the Pacific Ocean. (8/14)
Relaxed Regulations Expand Threats to Ecosystem Within and Around Florida's Spaceport (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
I moved to Florida in 2013 to fish in Mosquito Lagoon, once known as The Redfish Capital of the World. The first few years, the fishing was pretty good but that all changed in February 2016 when a devastating brown algal bloom caused severe turbidity that caused the loss of over 90% of the seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon, including Mosquito Lagoon at the northern end. Seeing starving manatees was heartbreaking.
What I didn’t consider was that the greatest threat to the lagoon might be the space industry on the southern end of Mosquito Lagoon. Current policy shifts and proposals are aiming to streamline operations and reduce regulatory hurdles for commercial space activities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The FAA proposed rules to bypass key environmental and historic preservation reviews, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Energy Act for commercial launches.
Recent executive actions seek to accelerate spaceport traffic and fast-track private development. Blue Origin applied to discharge up to 467,000 gallons of industrial wastewater daily into an onsite stormwater pond that drains toward the Indian River Lagoon. There will be over 100 rocket launches from the spaceport in 2026 with increased frequency in the future. These launches not only harm the Indian River Lagoon but impact boat travel and the public’s use of Canaveral National Seashore’s beaches. (8/14)
Congress Must Focus on NASA After Summer Recess (Source: Politico)
Congress is gone for the rest of the summer and has a long to-do list when it returns — including figuring out how to balance NASA’s budget and pass a bill to reauthorize the agency. Those bills will get caught up in the broader congressional gridlock, as lawmakers wait to see how the midterm elections reshape the balance of power in Congress. NASA bills typically have bipartisan support, but Democrats may have little incentive to clear the legislative logjam if they decide they’ll have more leverage after the elections.
NASA’s spending bill is a part of that pileup. House appropriators released their version of the Commerce, Justice and Science bill earlier this year, which rejected most of the cuts proposed to NASA in the 2027 budget request. The Senate has yet to release its version and kick off the negotiating process. (8/14)
Northrop Grumman, Aeronix Partner on Space Encryption (Source: Defense Post)
Northrop Grumman and Aeronix have formed a partnership to develop cryptographic systems for space-based defense platforms. The collaboration aims to protect classified data by investing in specialized encryption devices and adopting modular open-architecture designs. (8/14)
Emerging In-Orbit Services Projected to Generate $3 Billion Over the Next Decade (Source: Space News)
Novaspace projects that emerging in-orbit services will generate approximately $3 billion in cumulative service revenue over the next 10 years. The forecast points to an early-stage market focused on making space operations more flexible, resilient and sustainable, while the sector continues to develop commercial applications and capabilities. (8/14)
Space-Based Data Centers Open a Complex New Market for Insurers (Source: CNBC)
The push to build data centers is extending into lower Earth orbit, creating a potential new market for insurers. Orbital facilities would introduce unfamiliar exposure across launch, spacecraft operations, infrastructure resilience and the increasingly complex risk environment of commercial space. (8/14)
Alphabet and Rinehart are Big Into SpaceX (Source: Bloomberg, )
Australian mining billionaire Gina Rinehart acquired 8 million SpaceX shares during the second quarter, building a stake valued at $1.4 billion. Meanwhile, Google parent Alphabet’s disclosed SpaceX stake was valued at about $94 billion after the rocket company’s $86 billion IPO, up from a $900 million investment in 2015. (8/14)
Reflect Orbital Responds to its Critics (Source: Payload)
The space community is divided over whether Reflect Orbital’s sunlight-reflecting satellites are a bright idea. The company, which obtained FCC approval last month to fly its first sat in orbit this year, says it has received 260,000+ requests to beam sunlight to illuminate everything from search and rescue operations to outdoor events at night. But it hasn’t all been good press.
“[The] thing that people get really wrong about us is they kind of picture the whole Earth being lit up by our satellites, and that’s not the case at all,” CEO Ben Nowack said. “We only need about 200 sites around the world to close our business model for the first several years, and each one of those sites is 6,000 acres…So this is an incredibly small fraction of the Earth that’s being lit up.”
At $5,000 per hour, Reflect’s sunlight-as-a-service business model allows them to be very selective about where and when they cast sunlight down to Earth—and still turn a profit doing so. Nowack told Payload that Reflect wouldn’t beam sunlight without consent, and despite having to wade through webs of novel regulatory approvals, sunlight would only be shared if the appropriate local authorities gave their approval. (8/14)
Space Governance Meets the Realities of a New Space Era (Source: Space Intel Report)
Rapid expansion in space activity is testing decades-old treaties against modern operations, deep-space ambitions and the growing role of commercial actors. As competition intensifies in orbit, governments face mounting pressure to adapt international governance frameworks to a more crowded and complex space environment. (8/14)
The first crewed mission to Mars cannot be NASA-centric or America-centric. "To send humans to Mars and bring them back safely, we must go not as a nation, but as a planet," according to Adriana C. Ocampo Uría, a California State University planetary scientist and space ethicist. She was responding to another recent commentary on the scientific and engineering challenges of a crewed Mars mission to point out that the matters of ethics and global governance are still missing from the conversation.
"Mars is not an American frontier. It is a universal heritage site. The first human footprint on Martian soil must represent a species, not a flag. If we launch a crew without a global mandate, we risk bringing our terrestrial squabbles to an alien world — and that is a failure no engineering fix can remedy," she wrote. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted about the article on social media, vehemently disagreeing with the notion of what he framed as greater bureaucracy guiding space exploration. (8/14)
Intuitive Machines and Virgin Galactic Jump 10% While Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile Sit Out the Space Stock Rally (Source: 24/7 Wall Street)
Shares of Intuitive Machines are surging 10% to $19 and change on Friday morning, and Virgin Galactic shares are gaining 10% as it approaches $3.50. The rest of the space complex is not tagging along, with Rocket Lab stock up 1% to $81.25 and AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) shares up just 1% to $72.32. (8/14)
Russia’s Reusable Rocket Launch Debut Slips Beyond 2030 (Source: Aviation Week)
The initial launch of Russia’s first reusable rocket—Amur SPG—is now planned for 2031, half a decade later than when the concept emerged. The new timeline is also three years behind what Russia most recently disclosed. (8/14)
Army Gears Up to ‘Engage’ Enemy Surveillance Satellites (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Army is seeking new kit to directly “engage” adversary satellites from the ground, particularly if and when sensing sats are used to target US forces, according to a senior Army space official. While it may sound unusual for the land force to be involved in counter-space operations, Col. Joe Mroszczyk said it was part of the service’s expanding role in helping US Space Command (SPACECOM) achieve space superiority. (8/13)
SpaceX Plans Space Coast Expansion as Part of $1.8B Starship Push (Sources: Orlando Business Journal, Fox 35)
New documents show SpaceX plans to extend presence even further to support upcoming Starship launches at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. SpaceX is executing a massive $1.8 billion expansion across the Space Coast to establish a highly automated, multi-pad infrastructure optimized for high-cadence Starship operations. SpaceX is aggressively positioning the Space Coast to become its primary operational hub to support NASA's Artemis program and national security missions.
SpaceX filed for environmental permits for "Project Ignition," a brand-new 55-acre rocket static test site near the Indian River Lagoon, expanding the existing boundaries of the Roberts Road facility on Kennedy Space Center. At Gigabay, the factory floor is being optimized for a peak production rate of up to one vehicle per day. Initial hardware will be shipped from Texas, but will be integrated, processed, and maintained entirely within the Florida complex. (8/15)
NASA Data Helps Commercial Space Plan Living Off Our Moon (Source: NASA)
Lunar Station Corp. is using a wealth of NASA data in multiple computer models. One NASA resource the Massachusetts-based company used to build terrain maps is the Ames Stereo Pipeline. The open-source code automatically processes images captured from satellites, robotic rovers, historical images, and more to create a 3D model revealing features such as rock placement and elevation.
But the availability of in-situ lunar water resources at any location is largely unknown. To begin to fill that gap, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite was designed to crash its uppers stage into the Moon’s South Pole in 2009. The examination of the resulting plume revealed the presence of water ice. Lunar Station is building on that work and more to help commercial space companies with mission planning, which includes scientific research for mining operations.
The MoonHacker program uses proprietary geospatial analytics platform and advanced algorithms to fuse all the lunar data in NASA’s Planetary Data System to help identify indicators for shallow pits of lunar water. In MoonHacker’s Radiation Simulator, an electronic version of a company’s rover or satellite, called a digital twin, can be subjected to the radiation en route or at the mission site to determine the protection required. (8/15)
Next Generation Interceptor Clears Key Stage 2 Rocket Motor Test in Near-Space Conditions (Source: Army Recognition)
Lockheed Martin has successfully tested the Next Generation Interceptor’s Stage 2 rocket motor under high-vacuum conditions replicating low-Earth orbit, the company announced on August 10, 2026, reducing a key propulsion risk for the future U.S. homeland missile-defense interceptor. The test matters because NGI must deliver reliable thrust outside the atmosphere to engage long-range ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase.
The L3Harris-built motor maintained required thrust, chamber pressure and combustion stability under extreme pressure and thermal conditions, demonstrating that a critical propulsion stage can perform in the environment expected during an operational intercept. This capability supports NGI’s planned role as a more advanced replacement for the Ground-Based Interceptor, strengthening U.S. defenses against increasingly complex long-range missile threats and countermeasures. (8/15)
Wallops Island Prepares Infrastructure for Projected Launch Surge (Source: Space News)
Companies and local officials say now is the time to invest in Wallops infrastructure improvements to benefit those companies and their workers. The number of launches from Wallops is expected grow significantly in the next few years as companies such as Firefly Aerospace and Rocket Lab ramp up operations there. An increase in launches will have an impact that goes beyond launch pads and range assets. “How do I get my product from point A to point B? How do I do wastewater treatment? How do I make sure I have redundant power?”
A report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General in June predicted that the number of launches from Wallops, including those from pads owned by the Virginia Spaceport Authority, would grow from 17 in 2025 to 44 in 2030. That includes suborbital launches of sounding rockets and Rocket Lab’s HASTE, a suborbital version of its Electron small launch vehicle.
The report said Wallops did not face the same infrastructure challenges as the Kennedy Space Center, where even higher launch rates have strained infrastructure at the center and neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, affecting roads, power grids and access to consumables such as propellants. The congestion at Cape Canaveral was one reason Firefly and Rocket Lab chose to launch from Wallops. (8/14)
Exobiosphere Secures €1 Million Grant to Scale Space-Based Drug Discovery Platform (Source: StartupRise)
Exobiosphere, a Luxembourg-based space biotech startup, has received €1 million in non-dilutive funding through Luxembourg’s Jeune Entreprise Innovante (JEI) support scheme. The company works on drug discovery and biomedical research in microgravity. It uses space-based environments to study biological processes and explore new possibilities for developing medicines. (8/12)
Avio Filings Shed Light on FD1 Rocket Demonstrator Test Flight (Source: European Spaceflight)
Environmental documents filed in Sardinia have revealed new details about Avio’s planned FD1 suborbital demonstrator flight test. The test will utilize a temporary launch facility being erected on the grounds of the Salto di Quirra Interforce Test Range. The 6.3-tonne single-stage demonstrator is being developed under a €181.6 million contract from the Italian government, funded through its €191.5 billion National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The demonstrator is expected to validate key building blocks for Avio’s next-generation launch vehicles beyond Vega E. (8/14)
NOAA Awards Spire and PlanetiQ Contracts for Radio-Occultation Data (Source: Space News)
NOAA has selected Spire Global and PlanetiQ to provide radio-occultation data supporting terrestrial weather forecasts and space-weather forecasting. The awards reinforce the role of commercial satellite-derived measurements in supplying data for operational meteorological and space-environment monitoring. (8/14)
Cheaper Launch has Moved the Spacecraft Bottleneck: Mass is Out, Surface Area is In (Source: Space News)
Lower launch costs are changing a foundational spacecraft-design trade: mass is no longer the sole—or necessarily primary—constraint. The emerging trade space centers on surface area, forcing engineers and operators to reconsider how spacecraft are designed, packaged and optimized for increasingly accessible spaceflight. (8/14)
India Selects Pixxel-Led Consortium for First Privately Operated Earth-Observation Constellation (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The Indian government has selected a consortium led by Pixxel to design, build, own and operate the country’s first privately led Earth-observation satellite constellation, establishing a new commercial space effort with private-sector responsibility across the system’s full lifecycle. (8/14)
NASA Plans MAX POWER Air and Space Exhibition at KSC in November (Source: NASA)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled plans for MAX POWER, an exposition of air and space technologies to be held at Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 7-8. The event is planned to be recurring, and envisioned to eventually rival the Paris and Farnborough airshows in Europe. (8/14)
Sidus Space Announces Quarterly Financial Results (Source: Sidus Space)
Financial highlights for the second quarter ending June 30 included revenue of $583,000, a decrease of 54% compared to $1.3 million in Q2 2025, driven by the timing of fixed-price milestone contracts. Gross profit/loss included a loss of $630,000, a 39% improvement from a gross loss of $1.0 million in Q2 2025. (8/14)
Reditus Space Nearing FAA Approval for ENOS Capsule Reentries in Gulf Off Florida Coast (Source: FAA)
Under an FAA Proposed Action now published in a draft Environmental Assessment, Reditus would gain license to conduct up to 12 daytime reentries per year of its ENOS-Mk1 capsule in the northeastern portion of the Gulf of America, south of Tallahassee and west of Cedar Key, Florida. The Proposed Action also includes issuance of temporary airspace closures. ENOS is a combined satellite and reentry vehicle. It launches as a conventional spacecraft, operates independently in LEO, and can remain there some duration. At the end of the mission it performs its own deorbit maneuver and deploys a parachute before splashdown.
Editor's Note: It appears ENOS might use the same deorbit corridor that SpaceX was using for Dragon splashdowns in the Gulf. SpaceX ceased using this corridor because it threatened populated areas during descent over the US. All Dragon splashdowns are now off the California coast in the Pacific Ocean. (8/14)
Relaxed Regulations Expand Threats to Ecosystem Within and Around Florida's Spaceport (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
I moved to Florida in 2013 to fish in Mosquito Lagoon, once known as The Redfish Capital of the World. The first few years, the fishing was pretty good but that all changed in February 2016 when a devastating brown algal bloom caused severe turbidity that caused the loss of over 90% of the seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon, including Mosquito Lagoon at the northern end. Seeing starving manatees was heartbreaking.
What I didn’t consider was that the greatest threat to the lagoon might be the space industry on the southern end of Mosquito Lagoon. Current policy shifts and proposals are aiming to streamline operations and reduce regulatory hurdles for commercial space activities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The FAA proposed rules to bypass key environmental and historic preservation reviews, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Energy Act for commercial launches.
Recent executive actions seek to accelerate spaceport traffic and fast-track private development. Blue Origin applied to discharge up to 467,000 gallons of industrial wastewater daily into an onsite stormwater pond that drains toward the Indian River Lagoon. There will be over 100 rocket launches from the spaceport in 2026 with increased frequency in the future. These launches not only harm the Indian River Lagoon but impact boat travel and the public’s use of Canaveral National Seashore’s beaches. (8/14)
Congress Must Focus on NASA After Summer Recess (Source: Politico)
Congress is gone for the rest of the summer and has a long to-do list when it returns — including figuring out how to balance NASA’s budget and pass a bill to reauthorize the agency. Those bills will get caught up in the broader congressional gridlock, as lawmakers wait to see how the midterm elections reshape the balance of power in Congress. NASA bills typically have bipartisan support, but Democrats may have little incentive to clear the legislative logjam if they decide they’ll have more leverage after the elections.
NASA’s spending bill is a part of that pileup. House appropriators released their version of the Commerce, Justice and Science bill earlier this year, which rejected most of the cuts proposed to NASA in the 2027 budget request. The Senate has yet to release its version and kick off the negotiating process. (8/14)
Northrop Grumman, Aeronix Partner on Space Encryption (Source: Defense Post)
Northrop Grumman and Aeronix have formed a partnership to develop cryptographic systems for space-based defense platforms. The collaboration aims to protect classified data by investing in specialized encryption devices and adopting modular open-architecture designs. (8/14)
Emerging In-Orbit Services Projected to Generate $3 Billion Over the Next Decade (Source: Space News)
Novaspace projects that emerging in-orbit services will generate approximately $3 billion in cumulative service revenue over the next 10 years. The forecast points to an early-stage market focused on making space operations more flexible, resilient and sustainable, while the sector continues to develop commercial applications and capabilities. (8/14)
Space-Based Data Centers Open a Complex New Market for Insurers (Source: CNBC)
The push to build data centers is extending into lower Earth orbit, creating a potential new market for insurers. Orbital facilities would introduce unfamiliar exposure across launch, spacecraft operations, infrastructure resilience and the increasingly complex risk environment of commercial space. (8/14)
Alphabet and Rinehart are Big Into SpaceX (Source: Bloomberg, )
Australian mining billionaire Gina Rinehart acquired 8 million SpaceX shares during the second quarter, building a stake valued at $1.4 billion. Meanwhile, Google parent Alphabet’s disclosed SpaceX stake was valued at about $94 billion after the rocket company’s $86 billion IPO, up from a $900 million investment in 2015. (8/14)
Reflect Orbital Responds to its Critics (Source: Payload)
The space community is divided over whether Reflect Orbital’s sunlight-reflecting satellites are a bright idea. The company, which obtained FCC approval last month to fly its first sat in orbit this year, says it has received 260,000+ requests to beam sunlight to illuminate everything from search and rescue operations to outdoor events at night. But it hasn’t all been good press.
“[The] thing that people get really wrong about us is they kind of picture the whole Earth being lit up by our satellites, and that’s not the case at all,” CEO Ben Nowack said. “We only need about 200 sites around the world to close our business model for the first several years, and each one of those sites is 6,000 acres…So this is an incredibly small fraction of the Earth that’s being lit up.”
At $5,000 per hour, Reflect’s sunlight-as-a-service business model allows them to be very selective about where and when they cast sunlight down to Earth—and still turn a profit doing so. Nowack told Payload that Reflect wouldn’t beam sunlight without consent, and despite having to wade through webs of novel regulatory approvals, sunlight would only be shared if the appropriate local authorities gave their approval. (8/14)
Space Governance Meets the Realities of a New Space Era (Source: Space Intel Report)
Rapid expansion in space activity is testing decades-old treaties against modern operations, deep-space ambitions and the growing role of commercial actors. As competition intensifies in orbit, governments face mounting pressure to adapt international governance frameworks to a more crowded and complex space environment. (8/14)
August 14, 2026
Challenges for Artemis and NASA
Nuclear Ambitions (Source: Aerospace America)
As NASA maps out missions to test nuclear power and propulsion, cost will among the key hurdles. A multi-company team led by Zeno Power in 2023 received a $15 million award from NASA to develop a radioactive generator that can be integrated into lunar landers. The generator is to use the isotope americium-241 instead of plutonium 238, which is in short supply.
“We do not believe that plutonium 238 is going to be made available in sufficient quantities for the number of commercial generators we would need to support Moon Base,” Vince Bilardo said. Americium is expensive and there’s “work that needs to be done across government, NASA, [the Dept of Energy] and commercial industry to try to drive the price down for that material if we’re going to be able to use it in a sustainable fashion on the lunar surface.”
Additionally, he said there is currently no way to insure or indemnify a private commercial mission carrying radioactive material. The White House wants to see initial tests of in-space nuclear power and propulsion in the next two years. Editor's Note: Another long-lead-time bottleneck is the need for nuclear-ready processing facilities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (8/13)
Rocket Lab Enters Europe’s Crowded Launch Market (Source: Payload)
European launch companies are in for a surprise next month when they get back from holiday. While they were out, Rocket Lab moved into their turf with the establishment of a new German subsidiary—Rocket Lab Germany GmbH—which is “intended to not only enable scaled domestic production of satellites and their critical components, but also [deliver] launch services on Electron and Neutron.” (8/14)
ISRO Tests Upgraded SSLV Solid Rocket Motor (Source: India Today)
The Indian space agency ISRO successfully tested an upgraded motor for its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The upgraded solid-fuel motor for the SSLV's first stage completed a static fire this week, ISRO reported. The motor is designed to increase the payload capacity of the SSLV, currently about 500 kilograms, by 100 kilograms. SSLV has only flown a few times amid a push to commercialize the vehicle and its new launch site. (8/14)
UK Suborbital Launcher Gravitlab Aerospace Closes (Source: European Spaceflight)
A British sounding rocket startup has gone out of business. Gravitilab Aerospace Services entered liquidation earlier this month according to financial filings, reporting debts of more than £700,000 ($950,000) but assets of less than £100,000. The company had been working on a sounding rocket using a hybrid engine designed to carry payloads of up to 20 kilograms to an altitude of 170 kilometers. Gravitilab reportedly had lined up a £25 million investment in 2023, but the funding fell through. (8/14)
Blue Origin Files with FCC for Next New Glenn Launch (Source: BlueWire)
Blue Origin filed an Application for Special Temporary Authority (STA) with the FCC for a frequency authorization in support of launch plans for the next New Glenn mission at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The window for this mission is between November 1 2026 and May 1 2026. STAs are not the same as FAA or Eastern Range launch commitments and are subject to revision. (8/10)
Cesium Astro to Buy Jariet Technologies (Source: Space News)
Cesium Astro is buying a semiconductor company to aid its plans for a future satellite constellation. The company announced this week it is acquiring Jariet Technologies, which designs radio-frequency chips used in satellite communications, electronic warfare and radar systems, including technology for digital beamforming and wideband signal processing. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the acquisition. The company said the acquisition is a "big part" of enabling a proposed satellite constellation called Synchronicity. Cesium Astro filed plans with the FCC last month for 737 satellites that would use Ku-, Ka- and V-band spectrum to provide reconfigurable connectivity for fixed and mobile enterprise and government users. (8/14)
Intuitive Machines Wins $600 Million for Three GEO Comsats (Source: Space News)
Intuitive Machines won a $600 million contract to build three commercial GEO communications satellites. The company disclosed the contract Thursday in an earnings call, declining to name the customer. The contract was signed in June and will run for 30 months. Company executives declined to say if the order was linked to plans by satellite operators Eutelsat, SES and Telesat to clear C-band satellite spectrum for terrestrial uses. SES said in June it was in active negotiations for seven replacement satellites. (8/14)
Space Force Awards $60 Million for Mixed-Fleet Satellite Network (Source: Space News)
The Space Force awarded $60 million to five companies to demonstrate how satellites from multiple vendors can connect to its Space Data Network. Amazon LEO for Government, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab and York Space Systems each received $12 million in contracts and prototype agreements, Space Systems Command announced Thursday. The work will test connections between commercial satellite systems and the Space Data Network, a military communications architecture whose core backbone is being supplied by SpaceX. SpaceX won a $2.29 billion contract in May to build the Space Data Network Backbone, or SDN-B, a proliferated constellation using optical crosslinks to route data from satellite to satellite. The latest awards address how systems supplied by other companies will connect to that backbone to reduce the Space Force's reliance on a single company. (8/14)
Bulgaria Developing Space/Defense Innovation Hub (Source: Space News)
The Bulgarian government has advanced plans to develop a space and defense innovation hub in the country. The government signed a draft memorandum of understanding with local company Starbase Europe to develop the hub at Dobroslavtsi Air Base near the capital of Sofia. The hub is intended to help bring together a growing but fragmented space industry in the country. Bulgaria does not have a national space agency but the government said this month it would create a National Center for Observation, Coordination and Management through Space Data. (8/14)
Space Command Expands Alabama Footprint as Headquarters Relocation Advances (Source: Space News)
Five years after a bruising political fight over where U.S. Space Command headquarters should be located, the debate is giving way to bulldozers, construction contracts and the practical challenges of moving one of the U.S. military’s most complex commands. At Redstone Arsenal, where a 64-acre site has been cleared for U.S. Space Command’s future headquarters, Gen. Stephen Whiting now works from a temporary office roughly once every six weeks as he divides his time between Alabama and Colorado Springs, where the command continues to operate.
The arrangement will continue for years. If the current schedule holds, roughly half of the headquarters staff will be based in Huntsville by 2028, with the permanent facility completed in 2031 and the full workforce of about 1,800 personnel moving into the building the following year. (8/13)
Poland May Cut Off Ukraine's Starlink Access Amid Dispute with Musk (Source: RBC)
Poland threatened to review its annual spending on Starlink after the company changed roaming rules for Polish users. Warsaw is demanding that SpaceX explain the reasons behind the new restrictions. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said Warsaw could reconsider its payments for Starlink services, on which it spends about $50 million annually. (8/12)
New Command Center Unveiled in Quebec As Canadian-Made Satellite Prepares To Launch (Source: CTV)
An office in a Montreal suburb building is set to command a made-in-Canada space mission. MDA Space unveiled a control centre in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que., that will issue orders to Chorus, a next-generation Earth-observation satellite system set to be launched in December. “As soon as the satellites separate from the rocket, that’s it. After that we take control and everything is happening here,” said Philippe Rolland, MDA Space principal director of operations for Earth-observation satellites. (8/11)
Wallops Industry Day Highlights NASA’s Growing Economic Impact On Eastern Shore (Source: WMDT)
The Maryland Economic Development Corp. hosted the third annual Wallops Industry Day at Salisbury University, bringing together companies including Firefly Aerospace, Rocket Lab and Northrop Grumman, along with representatives from Salisbury University, Wor-Wic Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. David Pierce, director of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, said building connections with the community is an important part of Wallops’ mission.
“NASA Wallops is now becoming part of the Kennedy Space Center. With that, we are going to increase the number of launches from Wallops as we go back to the moon to stay,” Pierce said. “This is going to require us developing that next generation of scientists and engineers who are going to come and work at Wallops.” Pierce said the agency is focused on working with academic and corporate partners to build the next generation of the aerospace workforce.
“It’s an exciting future for us as we work with our partners and academia and our corporate partners and launch to build that next generation of workforce, which is what we need, and we want to attract them here,” he said. Keeping workers and businesses on the Eastern Shore was another focus of the event. Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano said partnerships with NASA could help create more opportunities and keep people working in the region. (8/12)
Moon Base Invite a Golden Ticket for ISRO, Startups (Source: Baltimore Sun)
NASA has officially invited the Indian Space Research Organisation to participate in the ambitious Moon Base Mission, which aims to set up a permanent manned station near the lunar south pole sometime after 2032. Also known as the Artemis Base Camp, it will be humanity’s first lunar outpost. It is planned to be built in phases, beginning with robotic missions to test new technologies, followed by building systems and infrastructure required to sustain long-term human presence on the moon. (8/12)
Northrop Grumman to Repurpose Canceled HALO Lunar-Station Technology for Artemis Moon Base (Source: Space.com)
Northrop Grumman plans to adapt technology developed for HALO, the habitation and logistics module originally intended for NASA’s canceled lunar space station, to support development of the Artemis moon base. The move preserves existing hardware and design work within NASA’s evolving lunar architecture. (8/13)
Stoke Space Seeks $1 Billion to Accelerate Development and Production of Fully Reusable Nova Rocket (Source: Bloomberg)
Stoke Space is raising $1 billion to accelerate development and production of a fully reusable rocket to challenge Elon Musk’s SpaceX, people familiar with the matter said. The closely held startup is raising money at a valuation of around $9 billion, excluding the new funds, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Stoke aims to close the round this month, the people said. (8/13)
Space Command Elevates Anti-Satellite Weapons as a Top Priority (Source: War Zone)
The head of U.S. Space Command says American space assets must be able to “shoot, move, and communicate” alongside the broader joint force, signaling a heightened emphasis on offensive and survivable capabilities in military space operations. (8/13)
Maritime Satellite Service Revenues Forecast to Reach $3.79 Billion by 2035 (Source: Space News)
The maritime satellite communications market is entering a new growth phase, with service revenues forecast to reach $3.79 billion by 2035. Next-generation non-geostationary satellite networks are expected to reshape how vessels and maritime operators access connectivity at sea. (8/13)
Firefly Aerospace Forecasts $435 Million in 2026 Revenue (Source: Space Intel Report)
Firefly Aerospace expects $435 million in revenue in 2026, with rocket launches accounting for roughly 10% of the total. The company, whose business is heavily weighted toward satellite systems for U.S. civil and government customers, plans two more Alpha launches this year and has five lunar missions in development. (8/13)
U.S. Expands Missile Production as Army Seeks More Depth in its Arsenal (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon is pressing defense contractors to increase production of missile interceptors as recent conflicts expose a longstanding weakness in U.S. air and missile defense: inventories of the most capable weapons can be depleted faster than industry can replace them. Army leaders say increasing production is only part of the answer. “The future of missile defense is a mix of high end and lower cost interceptors,” said Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. (8/13)
Musk Says AI Will Be SpaceX's Biggest Business by September (Source: Benzinga)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says artificial intelligence will overtake everything else the company sells as soon as next month. In an all-hands meeting, Musk said AI revenue “will exceed all other SpaceX revenue probably in September, like next month,” and will “significantly exceed” the rest of the business in the fourth quarter. (8/12)
Taxpayers Funded a $533 Aerospace/Defense Plant That Made Nothing (Source: Pro Publica)
In a rushed process exempted from normal rules, the Army hired General Dynamics, which brought on a Turkish subcontractor with little vetting, to make artillery shells. Despite being paid $533 million, General Dynamics did not produce a single usable shell at its new factory — and has not been held publicly accountable. Since the Army halted two production lines at the factory, the General Dynamics unit responsible for the debacle has received contract awards totaling $2.5 billion. (8/12)
African Lunar Probes Readied for 2029 Mission (Source: Africa2Moon)
Africa is preparing to make space history. In 2029, the continent is expected to send its first lunar mission using three spherical lunar probes. The mission is being developed by South Africa's space company, CubeSpace. Instead of one large spacecraft, the mission will deploy three compact spherical probes designed to explore different parts of the Moon and collect valuable scientific data.
These probes could study the Moon's surface, measure radiation, test new technologies, and demonstrate how small, low-cost spacecraft can perform complex deep-space missions.
If successful, this won't just be a victory for South Africa—it will represent a huge step forward for the entire African continent, inspiring a new generation of scientists, engineers, and future astronauts. (8/9)
Black Hole Star (Source: 1440)
Scientists say they have identified a new type of cosmic object, a supermassive black hole surrounded by a dense gas cloud, resembling a star. The so-called “black hole star” could explain similar objects, red dots that have until now remained unidentified. See illustration; scroll for image.
While searching for the oldest possible galaxies, researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope noticed an extremely bright red spot—the reddest hue it has ever documented. They say the object—named “MoM-BH*-1”—formed about 660 million years after the Big Bang. They posited that a powerful star surrounded by a dense cloud of hydrogen could explain the red hue, among other phenomena. However, it was only when researchers incorporated a black hole into their simulation that it explained the object’s brightness, radiating 100 billion times the energy of a star. (8/13)
Blue Origin Begins Global Rollout of Quartz Ground Station Network (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin's first three Quartz ground stations are installed and successfully tested in Bermuda, New Zealand, and Australia, as part of a phased global rollout extending across nine sites by the end of the year. Quartz is Blue Origin's ground communications network, purpose-built to address the fragmented infrastructure, limited contact window availability, and opaque pricing models that have long constrained space operators across every mission type. (8/13)
Space Command to Test Advanced Maneuvers in Live Exercise (Source: Air & Space Forces)
US Space Command is planning a live-fly exercise to test dynamic operations in orbit. The exercise, part of the Apollo Maneuvers series, will involve operational demonstrations with military satellites and a tabletop exercise, and aims to develop tactics for maneuver warfare in space, ensuring the US maintains a strategic advantage. (8/12)
Pentagon Wants to Spend Millions on Palantir with Few Details (Source: FNN)
The Pentagon wants to steer hundreds of millions of dollars to Palantir — with the prospect of more in the coming years — without specifying how the money will be used, according to a draft DoD memo. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg on Aug. 4 instructed the Pentagon’s acquisition boss and comptroller to spend up to $244 million on Palantir’s services until the end of March 2027. The memo also tells the armed forces to find ways to fund the data analytics giant’s work as needed from April 2027 to December 2028. (8/12)
SBA Transforms 8(a) Program to be Race Neutral, Weakening It (Source: FNN)
The Small Business Administration finalized new rules for the 8(a) business development program in record time. In 60 days, SBA went from proposal to reviewing more than 100 comments to final regulation that will transform the 73-year-old program. The fast timeline is one of several concerns experts have about the new 8(a) regulations and why it adds to their questions about the program’s long-term viability.
“I think the SBA turned the 8(a) program into a regular small business program. They spent last month reading comments, but I don’t think they meaningfully responded to them. I think this was all a forgone conclusion,” said Anna Sanders, the director of certification and eligibility for GovConPros, a small business consulting firm. “If you read the new regulations, they moved some things around and added the ability to submit additional documents as evidence, but their explanation for responding to the comments didn’t come through in this regulations.” (8/12)
Defense Spending Soars Along with Debt and Deficits (Sources: CSIS, The Hill)
Defense spending has jumped since Trump returned to office: the FY2026 NDAA he signed set funding at $901 billion (up from the $895.2 billion), and the Pentagon's FY2027 request seeks an unprecedented $1.5 trillion. The Golden Dome missile-defense shield is a major driver of that FY2027 jump, despite its questionable viability.
The spending surge is unfolding alongside a fast-widening debt and deficit. The national debt has climbed by $3.6 trillion since January 2025 to over $39.8 trillion today. The FY2025 deficit hit $1.8 trillion, and CBO projects FY2026 will run even higher — potentially $2 trillion or more. The ballooning debt raises real questions about how long the spending can continue before Congress reins it in. (8/13)
Eight Emerging Startups Selected for ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Accelerator Program (Source: CASIS)
The ISS National Laboratory announced the eight early-stage startups selected for the two tracks of the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator program. Now in its second year, this one-of-a-kind accelerator will provide the selected startups with access to low Earth orbit for research and technology development and $500,000 to $750,000 in private capital funding per startup. Click here. (8/12)
Tallahassee Failing to Leverage National Magnetic Lab (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, located in Tallahassee, is a world-class multi-university collaboration to secure and maintain US leadership in a critical technology arena. Months ago, Tallahassee officials said 7-10 companies are "seriously considering" relocating to the city because of the laboratory. This time last year, Ricardo Schneider said that if Tallahassee didn't secure a commitment from at least two new businesses within 12 months, it would be a "community failure." As of now, none of those 7-10 companies have moved substantial business to Tallahassee. Today Schneider says there has been no change in his assessment. (8/13)
Australia's Optus Completes First Part of Project Aurora (Source: Via Satellite)
Optus, an Australian based telco and satellite player, has achieved a key milestone in the area of satellite life extension. It has completed the first phase of Project Aurora, with the successful undocking of the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from the Optus D3 satellite. Phase two is now underway, Optus is on track to extend the life of Optus D3 by up to six years through the installation of a Mission Extension Pod (MEP) in late 2027. (8/12)
As NASA maps out missions to test nuclear power and propulsion, cost will among the key hurdles. A multi-company team led by Zeno Power in 2023 received a $15 million award from NASA to develop a radioactive generator that can be integrated into lunar landers. The generator is to use the isotope americium-241 instead of plutonium 238, which is in short supply.
“We do not believe that plutonium 238 is going to be made available in sufficient quantities for the number of commercial generators we would need to support Moon Base,” Vince Bilardo said. Americium is expensive and there’s “work that needs to be done across government, NASA, [the Dept of Energy] and commercial industry to try to drive the price down for that material if we’re going to be able to use it in a sustainable fashion on the lunar surface.”
Additionally, he said there is currently no way to insure or indemnify a private commercial mission carrying radioactive material. The White House wants to see initial tests of in-space nuclear power and propulsion in the next two years. Editor's Note: Another long-lead-time bottleneck is the need for nuclear-ready processing facilities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (8/13)
Rocket Lab Enters Europe’s Crowded Launch Market (Source: Payload)
European launch companies are in for a surprise next month when they get back from holiday. While they were out, Rocket Lab moved into their turf with the establishment of a new German subsidiary—Rocket Lab Germany GmbH—which is “intended to not only enable scaled domestic production of satellites and their critical components, but also [deliver] launch services on Electron and Neutron.” (8/14)
ISRO Tests Upgraded SSLV Solid Rocket Motor (Source: India Today)
The Indian space agency ISRO successfully tested an upgraded motor for its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The upgraded solid-fuel motor for the SSLV's first stage completed a static fire this week, ISRO reported. The motor is designed to increase the payload capacity of the SSLV, currently about 500 kilograms, by 100 kilograms. SSLV has only flown a few times amid a push to commercialize the vehicle and its new launch site. (8/14)
UK Suborbital Launcher Gravitlab Aerospace Closes (Source: European Spaceflight)
A British sounding rocket startup has gone out of business. Gravitilab Aerospace Services entered liquidation earlier this month according to financial filings, reporting debts of more than £700,000 ($950,000) but assets of less than £100,000. The company had been working on a sounding rocket using a hybrid engine designed to carry payloads of up to 20 kilograms to an altitude of 170 kilometers. Gravitilab reportedly had lined up a £25 million investment in 2023, but the funding fell through. (8/14)
Blue Origin Files with FCC for Next New Glenn Launch (Source: BlueWire)
Blue Origin filed an Application for Special Temporary Authority (STA) with the FCC for a frequency authorization in support of launch plans for the next New Glenn mission at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The window for this mission is between November 1 2026 and May 1 2026. STAs are not the same as FAA or Eastern Range launch commitments and are subject to revision. (8/10)
Cesium Astro to Buy Jariet Technologies (Source: Space News)
Cesium Astro is buying a semiconductor company to aid its plans for a future satellite constellation. The company announced this week it is acquiring Jariet Technologies, which designs radio-frequency chips used in satellite communications, electronic warfare and radar systems, including technology for digital beamforming and wideband signal processing. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the acquisition. The company said the acquisition is a "big part" of enabling a proposed satellite constellation called Synchronicity. Cesium Astro filed plans with the FCC last month for 737 satellites that would use Ku-, Ka- and V-band spectrum to provide reconfigurable connectivity for fixed and mobile enterprise and government users. (8/14)
Intuitive Machines Wins $600 Million for Three GEO Comsats (Source: Space News)
Intuitive Machines won a $600 million contract to build three commercial GEO communications satellites. The company disclosed the contract Thursday in an earnings call, declining to name the customer. The contract was signed in June and will run for 30 months. Company executives declined to say if the order was linked to plans by satellite operators Eutelsat, SES and Telesat to clear C-band satellite spectrum for terrestrial uses. SES said in June it was in active negotiations for seven replacement satellites. (8/14)
Space Force Awards $60 Million for Mixed-Fleet Satellite Network (Source: Space News)
The Space Force awarded $60 million to five companies to demonstrate how satellites from multiple vendors can connect to its Space Data Network. Amazon LEO for Government, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab and York Space Systems each received $12 million in contracts and prototype agreements, Space Systems Command announced Thursday. The work will test connections between commercial satellite systems and the Space Data Network, a military communications architecture whose core backbone is being supplied by SpaceX. SpaceX won a $2.29 billion contract in May to build the Space Data Network Backbone, or SDN-B, a proliferated constellation using optical crosslinks to route data from satellite to satellite. The latest awards address how systems supplied by other companies will connect to that backbone to reduce the Space Force's reliance on a single company. (8/14)
Bulgaria Developing Space/Defense Innovation Hub (Source: Space News)
The Bulgarian government has advanced plans to develop a space and defense innovation hub in the country. The government signed a draft memorandum of understanding with local company Starbase Europe to develop the hub at Dobroslavtsi Air Base near the capital of Sofia. The hub is intended to help bring together a growing but fragmented space industry in the country. Bulgaria does not have a national space agency but the government said this month it would create a National Center for Observation, Coordination and Management through Space Data. (8/14)
Space Command Expands Alabama Footprint as Headquarters Relocation Advances (Source: Space News)
Five years after a bruising political fight over where U.S. Space Command headquarters should be located, the debate is giving way to bulldozers, construction contracts and the practical challenges of moving one of the U.S. military’s most complex commands. At Redstone Arsenal, where a 64-acre site has been cleared for U.S. Space Command’s future headquarters, Gen. Stephen Whiting now works from a temporary office roughly once every six weeks as he divides his time between Alabama and Colorado Springs, where the command continues to operate.
The arrangement will continue for years. If the current schedule holds, roughly half of the headquarters staff will be based in Huntsville by 2028, with the permanent facility completed in 2031 and the full workforce of about 1,800 personnel moving into the building the following year. (8/13)
Poland May Cut Off Ukraine's Starlink Access Amid Dispute with Musk (Source: RBC)
Poland threatened to review its annual spending on Starlink after the company changed roaming rules for Polish users. Warsaw is demanding that SpaceX explain the reasons behind the new restrictions. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said Warsaw could reconsider its payments for Starlink services, on which it spends about $50 million annually. (8/12)
New Command Center Unveiled in Quebec As Canadian-Made Satellite Prepares To Launch (Source: CTV)
An office in a Montreal suburb building is set to command a made-in-Canada space mission. MDA Space unveiled a control centre in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que., that will issue orders to Chorus, a next-generation Earth-observation satellite system set to be launched in December. “As soon as the satellites separate from the rocket, that’s it. After that we take control and everything is happening here,” said Philippe Rolland, MDA Space principal director of operations for Earth-observation satellites. (8/11)
Wallops Industry Day Highlights NASA’s Growing Economic Impact On Eastern Shore (Source: WMDT)
The Maryland Economic Development Corp. hosted the third annual Wallops Industry Day at Salisbury University, bringing together companies including Firefly Aerospace, Rocket Lab and Northrop Grumman, along with representatives from Salisbury University, Wor-Wic Community College and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. David Pierce, director of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, said building connections with the community is an important part of Wallops’ mission.
“NASA Wallops is now becoming part of the Kennedy Space Center. With that, we are going to increase the number of launches from Wallops as we go back to the moon to stay,” Pierce said. “This is going to require us developing that next generation of scientists and engineers who are going to come and work at Wallops.” Pierce said the agency is focused on working with academic and corporate partners to build the next generation of the aerospace workforce.
“It’s an exciting future for us as we work with our partners and academia and our corporate partners and launch to build that next generation of workforce, which is what we need, and we want to attract them here,” he said. Keeping workers and businesses on the Eastern Shore was another focus of the event. Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano said partnerships with NASA could help create more opportunities and keep people working in the region. (8/12)
Moon Base Invite a Golden Ticket for ISRO, Startups (Source: Baltimore Sun)
NASA has officially invited the Indian Space Research Organisation to participate in the ambitious Moon Base Mission, which aims to set up a permanent manned station near the lunar south pole sometime after 2032. Also known as the Artemis Base Camp, it will be humanity’s first lunar outpost. It is planned to be built in phases, beginning with robotic missions to test new technologies, followed by building systems and infrastructure required to sustain long-term human presence on the moon. (8/12)
Northrop Grumman to Repurpose Canceled HALO Lunar-Station Technology for Artemis Moon Base (Source: Space.com)
Northrop Grumman plans to adapt technology developed for HALO, the habitation and logistics module originally intended for NASA’s canceled lunar space station, to support development of the Artemis moon base. The move preserves existing hardware and design work within NASA’s evolving lunar architecture. (8/13)
Stoke Space Seeks $1 Billion to Accelerate Development and Production of Fully Reusable Nova Rocket (Source: Bloomberg)
Stoke Space is raising $1 billion to accelerate development and production of a fully reusable rocket to challenge Elon Musk’s SpaceX, people familiar with the matter said. The closely held startup is raising money at a valuation of around $9 billion, excluding the new funds, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Stoke aims to close the round this month, the people said. (8/13)
Space Command Elevates Anti-Satellite Weapons as a Top Priority (Source: War Zone)
The head of U.S. Space Command says American space assets must be able to “shoot, move, and communicate” alongside the broader joint force, signaling a heightened emphasis on offensive and survivable capabilities in military space operations. (8/13)
Maritime Satellite Service Revenues Forecast to Reach $3.79 Billion by 2035 (Source: Space News)
The maritime satellite communications market is entering a new growth phase, with service revenues forecast to reach $3.79 billion by 2035. Next-generation non-geostationary satellite networks are expected to reshape how vessels and maritime operators access connectivity at sea. (8/13)
Firefly Aerospace Forecasts $435 Million in 2026 Revenue (Source: Space Intel Report)
Firefly Aerospace expects $435 million in revenue in 2026, with rocket launches accounting for roughly 10% of the total. The company, whose business is heavily weighted toward satellite systems for U.S. civil and government customers, plans two more Alpha launches this year and has five lunar missions in development. (8/13)
U.S. Expands Missile Production as Army Seeks More Depth in its Arsenal (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon is pressing defense contractors to increase production of missile interceptors as recent conflicts expose a longstanding weakness in U.S. air and missile defense: inventories of the most capable weapons can be depleted faster than industry can replace them. Army leaders say increasing production is only part of the answer. “The future of missile defense is a mix of high end and lower cost interceptors,” said Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. (8/13)
Musk Says AI Will Be SpaceX's Biggest Business by September (Source: Benzinga)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says artificial intelligence will overtake everything else the company sells as soon as next month. In an all-hands meeting, Musk said AI revenue “will exceed all other SpaceX revenue probably in September, like next month,” and will “significantly exceed” the rest of the business in the fourth quarter. (8/12)
Taxpayers Funded a $533 Aerospace/Defense Plant That Made Nothing (Source: Pro Publica)
In a rushed process exempted from normal rules, the Army hired General Dynamics, which brought on a Turkish subcontractor with little vetting, to make artillery shells. Despite being paid $533 million, General Dynamics did not produce a single usable shell at its new factory — and has not been held publicly accountable. Since the Army halted two production lines at the factory, the General Dynamics unit responsible for the debacle has received contract awards totaling $2.5 billion. (8/12)
African Lunar Probes Readied for 2029 Mission (Source: Africa2Moon)
Africa is preparing to make space history. In 2029, the continent is expected to send its first lunar mission using three spherical lunar probes. The mission is being developed by South Africa's space company, CubeSpace. Instead of one large spacecraft, the mission will deploy three compact spherical probes designed to explore different parts of the Moon and collect valuable scientific data.
These probes could study the Moon's surface, measure radiation, test new technologies, and demonstrate how small, low-cost spacecraft can perform complex deep-space missions.
If successful, this won't just be a victory for South Africa—it will represent a huge step forward for the entire African continent, inspiring a new generation of scientists, engineers, and future astronauts. (8/9)
Black Hole Star (Source: 1440)
Scientists say they have identified a new type of cosmic object, a supermassive black hole surrounded by a dense gas cloud, resembling a star. The so-called “black hole star” could explain similar objects, red dots that have until now remained unidentified. See illustration; scroll for image.
While searching for the oldest possible galaxies, researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope noticed an extremely bright red spot—the reddest hue it has ever documented. They say the object—named “MoM-BH*-1”—formed about 660 million years after the Big Bang. They posited that a powerful star surrounded by a dense cloud of hydrogen could explain the red hue, among other phenomena. However, it was only when researchers incorporated a black hole into their simulation that it explained the object’s brightness, radiating 100 billion times the energy of a star. (8/13)
Blue Origin Begins Global Rollout of Quartz Ground Station Network (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin's first three Quartz ground stations are installed and successfully tested in Bermuda, New Zealand, and Australia, as part of a phased global rollout extending across nine sites by the end of the year. Quartz is Blue Origin's ground communications network, purpose-built to address the fragmented infrastructure, limited contact window availability, and opaque pricing models that have long constrained space operators across every mission type. (8/13)
Space Command to Test Advanced Maneuvers in Live Exercise (Source: Air & Space Forces)
US Space Command is planning a live-fly exercise to test dynamic operations in orbit. The exercise, part of the Apollo Maneuvers series, will involve operational demonstrations with military satellites and a tabletop exercise, and aims to develop tactics for maneuver warfare in space, ensuring the US maintains a strategic advantage. (8/12)
Pentagon Wants to Spend Millions on Palantir with Few Details (Source: FNN)
The Pentagon wants to steer hundreds of millions of dollars to Palantir — with the prospect of more in the coming years — without specifying how the money will be used, according to a draft DoD memo. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg on Aug. 4 instructed the Pentagon’s acquisition boss and comptroller to spend up to $244 million on Palantir’s services until the end of March 2027. The memo also tells the armed forces to find ways to fund the data analytics giant’s work as needed from April 2027 to December 2028. (8/12)
SBA Transforms 8(a) Program to be Race Neutral, Weakening It (Source: FNN)
The Small Business Administration finalized new rules for the 8(a) business development program in record time. In 60 days, SBA went from proposal to reviewing more than 100 comments to final regulation that will transform the 73-year-old program. The fast timeline is one of several concerns experts have about the new 8(a) regulations and why it adds to their questions about the program’s long-term viability.
“I think the SBA turned the 8(a) program into a regular small business program. They spent last month reading comments, but I don’t think they meaningfully responded to them. I think this was all a forgone conclusion,” said Anna Sanders, the director of certification and eligibility for GovConPros, a small business consulting firm. “If you read the new regulations, they moved some things around and added the ability to submit additional documents as evidence, but their explanation for responding to the comments didn’t come through in this regulations.” (8/12)
Defense Spending Soars Along with Debt and Deficits (Sources: CSIS, The Hill)
Defense spending has jumped since Trump returned to office: the FY2026 NDAA he signed set funding at $901 billion (up from the $895.2 billion), and the Pentagon's FY2027 request seeks an unprecedented $1.5 trillion. The Golden Dome missile-defense shield is a major driver of that FY2027 jump, despite its questionable viability.
The spending surge is unfolding alongside a fast-widening debt and deficit. The national debt has climbed by $3.6 trillion since January 2025 to over $39.8 trillion today. The FY2025 deficit hit $1.8 trillion, and CBO projects FY2026 will run even higher — potentially $2 trillion or more. The ballooning debt raises real questions about how long the spending can continue before Congress reins it in. (8/13)
Eight Emerging Startups Selected for ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Accelerator Program (Source: CASIS)
The ISS National Laboratory announced the eight early-stage startups selected for the two tracks of the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator program. Now in its second year, this one-of-a-kind accelerator will provide the selected startups with access to low Earth orbit for research and technology development and $500,000 to $750,000 in private capital funding per startup. Click here. (8/12)
Tallahassee Failing to Leverage National Magnetic Lab (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, located in Tallahassee, is a world-class multi-university collaboration to secure and maintain US leadership in a critical technology arena. Months ago, Tallahassee officials said 7-10 companies are "seriously considering" relocating to the city because of the laboratory. This time last year, Ricardo Schneider said that if Tallahassee didn't secure a commitment from at least two new businesses within 12 months, it would be a "community failure." As of now, none of those 7-10 companies have moved substantial business to Tallahassee. Today Schneider says there has been no change in his assessment. (8/13)
Australia's Optus Completes First Part of Project Aurora (Source: Via Satellite)
Optus, an Australian based telco and satellite player, has achieved a key milestone in the area of satellite life extension. It has completed the first phase of Project Aurora, with the successful undocking of the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from the Optus D3 satellite. Phase two is now underway, Optus is on track to extend the life of Optus D3 by up to six years through the installation of a Mission Extension Pod (MEP) in late 2027. (8/12)
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