Startup Readies for Cubesat Plasma
Thruster Tests (Source: Aerospace America)
In the coming months, a cubesat is slated to arrive at the
International Space Station equipped with a novel kind of thruster:
Unlike today’s liquid- or gas-propelled designs that require fuel
tanks, it will rely on plasma. This thruster is the work of JivaJet, a
Washington, D.C., startup. For the ISS demo, the thruster will be
tested at an altitude of 415 kilometers, but the company’s long-term
goal is for its plasma propulsion to enable satellites to operate for
extended periods at altitudes below 200 km — dubbed very low-Earth
orbit, or VLEO. (7/1)
Private Companies Could Ruin the Night
Sky, and International Law Can't Stop Them (Source: Space.com)
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can single-handedly
green-light massive spaceflight projects that could completely change
the view of the night sky for the entire world. Despite the outcry
these projects have caused, space law experts say there is very little
other nations and the international community can do to thwart them if
the FCC were to grant them licenses.
On top of Reflect Orbital's plans, companies including SpaceX, Blue
Origin and Starcloud are awaiting the FCC's decisions on respective
applications to deploy their own massive fleets of orbiting data
centers and internet-beaming satellites. If all those projects come to
fruition, the view of the night sky could change beyond recognition all
over the world. (7/27)
Orbital Construction Pioneers and
ExoScientific Launch Interplanetary Regen Network (IRN) (Source:
OCP)
Orbital Construction Pioneers, Inc. (OCP) and ExoScientific LLC
(ExoSci) announced the formation of the Interplanetary Regen Network
(IRN), a multi-party consortium focused on the collaborative
development of bioregenerative systems, advanced in-space construction
techniques, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technologies to
sustain human presence beyond Earth.
Sustainable long-duration human presence on the Moon, Mars, and in
cislunar space requires the integration of closed-loop life support,
regenerative habitats, advanced construction methods, and the ability
to use local resources. No single organization holds all the necessary
expertise. IRN brings complementary capabilities together under a
focused, commercially oriented framework designed to accelerate
technology maturation, enable joint proposals to government and
commercial customers, and create practical, scalable pathways for lunar
and Mars settlement that strengthen the New Space economy.
By combining ExoSci’s expertise in marine-derived bioware and
closed-loop ecological systems with OCP’s patent-pending orbital
fabrication processes and advanced materials, IRN advances integrated
life support systems, regenerative habitats, novel composites and
structural materials, and technologies optimized for cislunar, lunar,
and Mars environments. (7/28)
PA Chamber, Keystone Space
Collaborative Form Tri-State Space Council (Source: CPBJ)
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and Keystone Space
Collaborative have formed an alliance to advance aerospace and space
economy in Pennsylvania. The alliance includes the formation of a
first-of-its-kind Tri-State Space Council in partnership with the Ohio
Chamber of Commerce and West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The
affiliation strengthens Pennsylvania’s ability to compete in the
growing space economy and advances the commonwealth’s leadership in
aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, research, technology
innovation, and commercial space development. (7/16)
Starfighters Space Advances "Wind
Tunnel in the Sky" Mach 2+ Flight-Testing Platform (Source:
Starfighters Space)
Starfighters Space announced the next phase in development of “Wind
Tunnel in the Sky,” a reusable airborne platform designed to help
commercial, government, defense, and research customers evaluate
advanced technologies during sustained Mach 2+ flight in real-world
atmospheric conditions. The underwing platform is modular, reusable,
and able to host a variety of sensors, test articles, and other
payloads for long-duration exposure to both high-speed and low-gravity
conditions.
This underwing platform is expected to support aerodynamic test
articles, avionics, sensors, communications systems, electronic
equipment, advanced materials, and other technologies for hypersonic
programs and microgravity research. A typical 45-minute mission can
include up to a 10-minute Mach 2+ test window, providing significantly
longer exposure than traditional wind tunnel test runs—which typically
can last only seconds at a time—and compressing what could otherwise
take days of facility scheduling into a single flight. (7/28)
Sphinx Defense Wins $287 Million From
Space Force for SatCom Software (Source: Space News)
Sphinx Defense won a $287 million Space Force contract to develop
ground software for the next generation of military satellite
communications. The award, announced Monday, covers the mission
planning application for the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications
(ESS) program, a software component that will plan, allocate and manage
communications across the future satellite constellation being built by
Boeing to replace the current Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)
strategic communications system. Sphinx Defense develops software for
satellite ground systems, including mission planning, communications
scheduling and network optimization. (7/28)
FCC C-Band Move Could Mean Billions
for Space Users (Source: Space News)
Satellite operators stand to gain more than $6 billion from the FCC's
decision to clear some C-band spectrum for terrestrial applications.
SES is in line for about $5.6 billion if it can meet clearing deadlines
in 2030 and 2031 so companies can use the band for wireless services.
Eutelsat would receive $504 million and Telesat would receive $189
million. The operators would need to move services to the remaining 40
megahertz of upper C-band, or other spectrum such as Ku-band. SES said
it expects to spend $2.62 billion to build and launch new satellites as
part of the C-band clearing process, while Eutelsat and Telesat said
they are assessing if they will need new satellites. (7/28)
Advanced Space Approved for CAPSTONE
02 Cislunar Mission (Source: Space News)
NASA has selected Advanced Space to fly a successor to its CAPSTONE
lunar smallsat mission. The CAPSTONE 02 mission, scheduled for launch
in 2027, would fly twin 400-kilogram satellites built by Terran Orbital
to test rendezvous and proximity operations in cislunar space. The
spacecraft would also perform navigation and communications experiments
and measure the radiation environment around the moon. NASA said
CAPSTONE 02 will be a risk-reduction activity for future Artemis
missions where Orion will dock with landers in lunar orbit. NASA last
month concluded its use of CAPSTONE, an Advanced Space cubesat launched
in 2022 to test the use of the near-rectilinear halo orbit around the
moon. (7/28)
Exploration Company Seeks $2 Billion
Valuation (Source: Financial Times)
The Exploration Company is seeking a $2 billion valuation in its next
funding round. The European spacecraft developer, currently working on
the Nyx cargo spacecraft, is reportedly working to raise $300 million
in a round that could include investment from a new European Commission
fund, Scaleup Europe. In addition to Nyx, The Exploration Company is
working on a large rocket engine, called Storm, that could be used on a
future launch vehicle the company has hinted it will develop. (7/28)
Antares Raises $470 Million for
Nuclear Microreactors (Source: Antares)
Antares, a company developing nuclear reactors for military and space
applications, raised $470 million. The company announced Monday a
Series C round co-led by Paradigm and Caffeinated Capital. Antares is
working on small "microreactors" and recently achieved criticality on
its first design. The firm is primarily developing reactors for the
military but also has proposed using them for in-space applications.
(7/28)
Starlab Space Picks SES for Space
Station Comms (Source: SES)
Commercial space station developer Starlab Space will use SES
satellites for communications services. SES Space and Defense announced
Monday it signed an agreement with Starlab Space to provide
connectivity for the Starlab space station. SES will provide data relay
services through its O3b mPower satellite network in medium Earth
orbit. The agreement comes after what the companies called "a
comprehensive engineering collaboration" to study performance
requirements and model performance using those satellites. Another
commercial space station developer, Vast, previously announced it would
use SpaceX's Starlink constellation for broadband communications.
(7/28)
UKRI to End Funding for Jodrell Bank
Observatory (Source: BBC)
Budget cuts could force the closure of a major British radio telescope.
The agency that funds the Jodrell Bank Observatory, U.K. Research and
Innovation (UKRI), said Monday it would no longer fund the observatory
when its current agreement ends in March 2028. The observatory is
home to the 76-meter Lovell Telescope, one of the largest steerable
radio telescopes in the world, and UKRI spends about £2.8 million ($3.7
million) on the telescope annually. UKRI said escalating costs of
running research facilities required it to make cuts, which also
include reductions to other observatories and physics labs. (7/28)
UCF Researchers are Tackling Moon Dust
for NASA Lunar Missions (Source: Florida Today)
Shielded by white protective suits and powered air-purifying
respirators, four college students dug into dusty, sharp-edged
simulated moon soil amid the otherworldly environment of the University
of Central Florida's Regolith Bin. This airlock-equipped 10-by-10-meter
enclosure at UCF's Exolith Lab serves as a rare space-hardware test bed
where researchers can help refine NASA's vision of building humanity's
first lunar base near the moon's south pole from ground level. Exolith
Lab is helping advance the future of lunar exploration by recreating
the Moon's abrasive regolith to test technologies that will support
future missions. (7/26)
VLEO Satellites: Global Investment to
Near $10 Billion by 2031; Driven by Falling Launch Costs
(Source: Juniper Research)
A new study by Juniper Research found that global investment in
Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites will reach nearly $10 billion by
2031; rising from $5.2 billion in 2026. This growth of almost 100% will
be driven by: 1) Expanding commercial interest in launching
next-generation VLEO satellite constellations; 2) Increasing demand for
low-latency connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation; and 3)
Advances in propulsion, onboard computing, and materials that improve
the commercial viability of VLEO missions. (7/28)
July 27, 2026
Musk Touts ‘Successful’ Starship Test,
Says Rocket Was 'Intentionally' Launched Faster To Test Heat
(Source: Benzinga)
“This flight intentionally had much higher acceleration,” Musk said, “to test how well the heat shield tiles would remain attached at high dynamic pressure,” the billionaire added. “Test was successful,” Musk said. (7/27)
Rocket Lab Rallies as SpaceX Slides. Wall Street Is Rewarding Execution Again (Source: Benzinga)
Rocket Lab shares climbed Monday after the company secured its largest missile defense launch contract to date, while SpaceX stock continued its post-IPO slide, underscoring what investors appear to be rewarding in the space sector: tangible execution over future promise. Rocket Lab stock rose more than 2% after announcing a $266 million U.S. Space Force contract for up to 18 HASTE suborbital launches supporting missile defense testing. At the same time, SpaceX stock fell nearly 4% to around $110.61, leaving the stock about 18% below its $135 IPO price and roughly 51% below its post-IPO high. (7/27)
General Dynamics Receives $400M SDA Contract for PWSA (Source: GovConWire)
General Dynamics Mission Systems has secured a $400.4 million sole-source letter contract from the US Space Development Agency for ground segment development under Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The contract includes software development, testing, integration and maintenance, leveraging applications previously delivered by General Dynamics. The project will run through September 2030. (7/27)
share-text
Space Force Staffing Shortfall Could Delay Key Missions (Source: SatNews)
A report from the Government Accountability Office says the US Space Force faces a 25% staffing shortfall as it prepares to double its workforce. This deficit affects operational readiness, particularly in satellite operations and engineering units, and raises concerns about the service's ability to support space domain awareness. (7/26)
Amazon Plans 5000+ Satellite Constellation for D2D (Source: Space News)
Amazon has filed plans for a constellation of more than 5,100 satellites for direct-to-device (D2D) services. The company filed an application with the FCC late Friday for the 5,105-satellite system, which would primarily use 1.6 and 2.4 gigahertz spectrum currently assigned to Globalstar. Amazon announced in April it would acquire Globalstar for about $11 billion. The satellites, operating in orbits at altitudes of 510 to 580 kilometers, would provide D2D data and messaging services and work in conjunction with Globalstar's existing satellites and the Amazon Leo broadband satellite constellation. (7/27)
Ground Stations in Spain Escape Major Damage from Wildfires (Source: Space News)
NASA and ESA ground stations in Spain escaped major damage from wildfires there. NASA said Friday it evacuated its Deep Space Network (DSN) facility west of Madrid because of fires in the area. NASA said Saturday that initial inspections of the facility after the fires passed showed no sign of significant damage to the equipment there. The site is one of three DSN facilities, with a 70-meter and several 34-meter antennas for communicating with spacecraft. ESA also closed a ground station with a 35-meter antenna west of Madrid because of fires, but said the facility was undamaged and would resume operations on Monday. (7/27)
FAA Aerospace Medical Chief Joins UCF Center for Aerospace/Extreme Environments Medicine (Source: SPACErePORT)
Last year UCF's College of Medicine established a new UCF center that will lead research and technology development for improving health in extreme environments such as space. The new center will leverage UCF’s location near Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, and it has already attracted internationally known aerospace medicine experts from NASA. Now the university adds another renowned aerospace medical expert, the former director of the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. Dr. Melchor Antunano will serve as the UCF center's Chief Technologist & Medical Innovation Officer. (7/26)
Intel Debuts New Chip for Space Computing (Source: Space News)
Intel Corp., one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, has spent the past several years quietly developing a processor for satellites as the company looks to tap growing demand for onboard artificial intelligence and data processing in a market long served by specialized aerospace chip makers. The new processor, named Starfire, is undergoing testing. (7/27)
Aerospace Fights for Young Recruits as AI Drains Talent Pool (Source: Reuters)
The UK aerospace and defense sector is facing a shortage of around 10,000 specialized engineers a year — with AI and other newer technologies sucking up talent. More than 50% of licensed aerospace engineers are older than 50 in Britain; fewer than 10% are under 30, a March report by the Royal Aeronautical Society showed. The UK sector has grown 31% in the last decade, but the talent pipeline has not kept pace, trade group ADS said. (7/24)
Two Galileo Satellites Enter Service for Europe (Source: Via Satellite)
Two new Galileo satellites, SAT 33 and SAT 34, have entered service, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on Friday. These satellites are now adding capability, resilience, and autonomy to Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation constellation. Arianespace launched the two satellites in December of 2025 on an Ariane 6 rocket with two boosters, providing what ESA called the “most precise orbital injection ever achieved for Galileo.”
Since that launch, the satellites have been in commissioning phase including in-orbit testing with satellite operations led by Galileo Control Centre in Germany (GCC-D). ESA designed the test cases and payload configurations executed throughout the test campaign. (7/24)
Io Gets a Checkup (Source: Space.com)
Scientists have measured temperatures beneath the surface of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, offering the first-ever glimpse of the hidden heat driving the most volcanically active world in the solar system.
During close flybys of Io in late 2023 and early 2024, NASA's Juno spacecraft turned its Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument toward the moon, probing roughly six to 20 feet (two to six meters) beneath its surface. Originally designed to peer through Jupiter's thick clouds, the instrument instead revealed a powerful new way to study how heat moves through planetary crusts, according to a statement from the space agency. (7/24)
Protecting Future Astronauts: Embry‑Riddle Researchers Study Radiation Effects on Micro Human Organs (Source: ERAU)
Researchers at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University have designed and built a micro-scale brain, liver and gut system and exposed it to radiation to investigate the effects of one of the most dangerous health risks associated with space travel. “Our research can use human cells, modifying them to develop various organ tissues, and model the organs’ response to radiation,” said Dr. Cassandra Juran.
Space radiation can put astronauts at risk for radiation sickness associated with cell damage, especially affecting the gastrointestinal system, as well as increased incidence of cancer, central nervous system damage and degenerative disease. The experiments will also support testing countermeasures to space radiation, such as pharmaceutical treatments, to maintain the health and well-being of future astronauts. (7/7)
“This flight intentionally had much higher acceleration,” Musk said, “to test how well the heat shield tiles would remain attached at high dynamic pressure,” the billionaire added. “Test was successful,” Musk said. (7/27)
Rocket Lab Rallies as SpaceX Slides. Wall Street Is Rewarding Execution Again (Source: Benzinga)
Rocket Lab shares climbed Monday after the company secured its largest missile defense launch contract to date, while SpaceX stock continued its post-IPO slide, underscoring what investors appear to be rewarding in the space sector: tangible execution over future promise. Rocket Lab stock rose more than 2% after announcing a $266 million U.S. Space Force contract for up to 18 HASTE suborbital launches supporting missile defense testing. At the same time, SpaceX stock fell nearly 4% to around $110.61, leaving the stock about 18% below its $135 IPO price and roughly 51% below its post-IPO high. (7/27)
General Dynamics Receives $400M SDA Contract for PWSA (Source: GovConWire)
General Dynamics Mission Systems has secured a $400.4 million sole-source letter contract from the US Space Development Agency for ground segment development under Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The contract includes software development, testing, integration and maintenance, leveraging applications previously delivered by General Dynamics. The project will run through September 2030. (7/27)
share-text
Space Force Staffing Shortfall Could Delay Key Missions (Source: SatNews)
A report from the Government Accountability Office says the US Space Force faces a 25% staffing shortfall as it prepares to double its workforce. This deficit affects operational readiness, particularly in satellite operations and engineering units, and raises concerns about the service's ability to support space domain awareness. (7/26)
Amazon Plans 5000+ Satellite Constellation for D2D (Source: Space News)
Amazon has filed plans for a constellation of more than 5,100 satellites for direct-to-device (D2D) services. The company filed an application with the FCC late Friday for the 5,105-satellite system, which would primarily use 1.6 and 2.4 gigahertz spectrum currently assigned to Globalstar. Amazon announced in April it would acquire Globalstar for about $11 billion. The satellites, operating in orbits at altitudes of 510 to 580 kilometers, would provide D2D data and messaging services and work in conjunction with Globalstar's existing satellites and the Amazon Leo broadband satellite constellation. (7/27)
Ground Stations in Spain Escape Major Damage from Wildfires (Source: Space News)
NASA and ESA ground stations in Spain escaped major damage from wildfires there. NASA said Friday it evacuated its Deep Space Network (DSN) facility west of Madrid because of fires in the area. NASA said Saturday that initial inspections of the facility after the fires passed showed no sign of significant damage to the equipment there. The site is one of three DSN facilities, with a 70-meter and several 34-meter antennas for communicating with spacecraft. ESA also closed a ground station with a 35-meter antenna west of Madrid because of fires, but said the facility was undamaged and would resume operations on Monday. (7/27)
FAA Aerospace Medical Chief Joins UCF Center for Aerospace/Extreme Environments Medicine (Source: SPACErePORT)
Last year UCF's College of Medicine established a new UCF center that will lead research and technology development for improving health in extreme environments such as space. The new center will leverage UCF’s location near Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, and it has already attracted internationally known aerospace medicine experts from NASA. Now the university adds another renowned aerospace medical expert, the former director of the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. Dr. Melchor Antunano will serve as the UCF center's Chief Technologist & Medical Innovation Officer. (7/26)
Intel Debuts New Chip for Space Computing (Source: Space News)
Intel Corp., one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, has spent the past several years quietly developing a processor for satellites as the company looks to tap growing demand for onboard artificial intelligence and data processing in a market long served by specialized aerospace chip makers. The new processor, named Starfire, is undergoing testing. (7/27)
Aerospace Fights for Young Recruits as AI Drains Talent Pool (Source: Reuters)
The UK aerospace and defense sector is facing a shortage of around 10,000 specialized engineers a year — with AI and other newer technologies sucking up talent. More than 50% of licensed aerospace engineers are older than 50 in Britain; fewer than 10% are under 30, a March report by the Royal Aeronautical Society showed. The UK sector has grown 31% in the last decade, but the talent pipeline has not kept pace, trade group ADS said. (7/24)
Two Galileo Satellites Enter Service for Europe (Source: Via Satellite)
Two new Galileo satellites, SAT 33 and SAT 34, have entered service, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on Friday. These satellites are now adding capability, resilience, and autonomy to Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation constellation. Arianespace launched the two satellites in December of 2025 on an Ariane 6 rocket with two boosters, providing what ESA called the “most precise orbital injection ever achieved for Galileo.”
Since that launch, the satellites have been in commissioning phase including in-orbit testing with satellite operations led by Galileo Control Centre in Germany (GCC-D). ESA designed the test cases and payload configurations executed throughout the test campaign. (7/24)
Io Gets a Checkup (Source: Space.com)
Scientists have measured temperatures beneath the surface of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, offering the first-ever glimpse of the hidden heat driving the most volcanically active world in the solar system.
During close flybys of Io in late 2023 and early 2024, NASA's Juno spacecraft turned its Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument toward the moon, probing roughly six to 20 feet (two to six meters) beneath its surface. Originally designed to peer through Jupiter's thick clouds, the instrument instead revealed a powerful new way to study how heat moves through planetary crusts, according to a statement from the space agency. (7/24)
Protecting Future Astronauts: Embry‑Riddle Researchers Study Radiation Effects on Micro Human Organs (Source: ERAU)
Researchers at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University have designed and built a micro-scale brain, liver and gut system and exposed it to radiation to investigate the effects of one of the most dangerous health risks associated with space travel. “Our research can use human cells, modifying them to develop various organ tissues, and model the organs’ response to radiation,” said Dr. Cassandra Juran.
Space radiation can put astronauts at risk for radiation sickness associated with cell damage, especially affecting the gastrointestinal system, as well as increased incidence of cancer, central nervous system damage and degenerative disease. The experiments will also support testing countermeasures to space radiation, such as pharmaceutical treatments, to maintain the health and well-being of future astronauts. (7/7)
July 26, 2026
Germany's Defense Minister Visits
Isar, Talks Sovereign Space Access, Spaceports (Source: Isar
Aerospace)
German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius today visited the production facility of Isar Aerospace in Ottobrunn, underscoring the strategic priority Germany places on sovereign access to space as a prerequisite for defense and deterrence. During the visit, the Minister toured the development and manufacturing operations of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch vehicle – designed, produced, and tested almost entirely in-house.
Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-Founder of Isar Aerospace, said: “Today’s visit by Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius sends an important message: the defense of our free world begins in space. We stand alongside the German Federal Government as a reliable partner in ensuring sovereign access to space, so that satellites for military reconnaissance and communications can be launched into orbit. This will be achieved using the necessary rockets from our series production and a strategic network of spaceports.” (7/23)
NASA Boss Praises Rise of Women in Science (Source: BBC)
The head of science at NASA has praised the "fantastic" rise of women in science. Dr Nicola Fox, who grew up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, said she had been struck by the number of women now graduating in physics and engineering when she returned to the University of Surrey. The 57-year-old graduated from university with a masters in telematics and satellite engineering in 1991 and was one of only four women on the course of more than 200 students.
She said: "I was at the physics graduation and the engineering graduation... It was amazing to see the number of girls that were graduating." The scientist explained she had grown up unaware a passion for science was "unusual" for girls. Her advice to young women today is to follow their curiosity and ignore claims that science is not for them: "If somebody says girls don't do that, then that's just not true." (7/26)
Space Force Needs to Measure Workforce Needs, as it Prepares to Double in Size (Source: The Gazette)
The Space Force needs more people. It’s just not precisely sure how many more. A Government Accountability Office report released earlier this month found that the youngest and smallest military branch does not have a process to consistently or accurately determine how many people it needs. The Space Force agreed and said it would work on a process to measure its manpower needs, but it did not provide a timeline.
The leader of Combat Forces Command, Gen. Greg Gagnon, addressed the staffing needs broadly during an online appearance last week hosted by The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Gagnon, who works at Peterson Space Force Base, ensures guardians across all the operational fields are ready when combatant commanders like those in the Middle East need them. Much of his work is focused on training events for guardians and accepting new systems, he said.
Editor's Note: GAO's criticism isn't just about workforce numbers. It's that the Space Force lacks the data infrastructure to build a relationship between skills, competencies, and headcounts. The DoD's Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, where I used to work in Orlando, is developing tools and technologies for this, with an enterprise-level competency/credentials registry, a learner record repository, an interoperable course catalog, and an over-arching enterprise-level workforce data system. It's a DoD-sponsored existing answer to the Space Force's workforce data problem. (7/25)
NASA Astronaut, 2 Cosmonauts Return to Earth From ISS (Source: Space.com)
A U.S.-Russian crew returned to Earth from the International Space Station early Sunday morning. A Soyuz spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan about 3.5 hours after undocking. (7/26)
Does SpaceX’s Plan for a Data Center in Space Add Up? (Source: The Economist)
With every passing day, it seems like a slightly less crazy idea to put data centers into space. Progress in artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing demand for these facilities, but opposition to building them on Earth is growing. “There’s not some magic that’s necessary, that doesn’t exist, for AI satellites,” said Elon Musk.
SpaceX’s AI1 satellite will have two wing-like solar arrays on either side of the core, each of them 30 meters by 10 meters in size, delivering a peak power of 150 kilowatts (kW). This is a bit larger than the solar arrays on the forthcoming Starlink v3 satellite, which are 19 meters long. The solar cells will deliver 250 watts per square meter, a plausible figure, and will be manufactured by SpaceX at its facility in Bastrop, Texas. SpaceX plans to put its AI1 satellites into special orbits that keep them in daylight 98% of the time.
Then there are the chips. The AI1 reference design, with a peak power of 150kW, can accommodate 72 of the most advanced AI chips made by Nvidia (equivalent to a single server rack in a terrestrial data center). But other chips could also be used, and SpaceX plans to start manufacturing its own at a giant factory called Terafab. To test some of the new technologies needed for AI1, SpaceX intends to launch modified versions of its Starlink v2 satellites, which the company calls “canary sats”, in the coming months. (7/22)
China is Gaining Troubling Military Know-How From Russia (Source: The Economist)
The help China gives Russia in the war in Ukraine has long caused dismay in Western countries. Exports of ostensibly civilian components such as engines and electronics end up in drones and other weapons that kill Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, abetting Russia’s war of attrition. Yet recently it is the other end of this trade that has stirred alarm in Western capitals. China appears to be receiving training, intelligence and advanced military technology from Russia. That could give China an edge in a future war over Taiwan, tilting the balance of power at the opposite extreme of Eurasia. (7/23)
SpaceX Eyes Tower Catch for Next Starship (Source: Ars Technica)
Encouraged by the picture-perfect end to Friday’s flight, SpaceX is likely to take the next leap with Starship on the next launch, according to Elon Musk. That would entail hurling Starship on a longer-range trajectory, perhaps into low-Earth orbit, to bring the vehicle back to the launch site. Mechanical arms on the launch tower will attempt to capture the ship as it slows to a hover. SpaceX has already done this with the rocket’s massive Super Heavy booster, which is larger and heavier than Starship itself, but comes back at a fraction of the speed. (7/25)
NASA is Preparing Astronauts for Mars’ Dusty Hazards (Source: WRAL)
Dust is expected to be among the biggest hazards for astronauts, prompting NASA to establish its first recommended exposure limits for airborne Martian dust as the agency prepares for future human missions to the red planet. The new recommendation sets continuous exposure limits four times lower than lunar dust. The conservative threshold reflects not just the dangers already known but also what researchers still don’t know about how prolonged exposure to Martian dust could affect the human body.
One approach to limiting astronaut exposure to lunar or Martian dust is to leave it outside their living spaces. NASA has spent years developing “suitports,” which keep spacesuits attached to the outside of a habitat or rover. Instead of bringing a dusty suit indoors, astronauts climb into it through a hatch in the back, complete their day’s exploration, then dock the suit back onto the vehicle before reentering the habitat, helping keep dust out of the crew’s living space.
When you think of Martian dust, don’t think beach sand, think finer than baby powder, with particles about the size of those that make wildfire smoke hazardous to breathe. That allows the dust to remain suspended in the atmosphere and penetrate deep into the lungs. Unlike lunar regolith, Martian dust also contains perchlorates, reactive salts that researchers are studying for their potential health effects during the months or years astronauts could spend on the red planet. (7/25)
NASA Announces New Spacecraft Technology Demonstration Mission at Moon (Source: NASA)
NASA is working with industry to advance the next phase of cislunar infrastructure for the agency’s Artemis program and Moon Base, including orbital assets and demonstrations. Under a contract awarded to Advanced Space, the agency’s CAPSTONE 02 mission will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations, autonomous navigation, and cislunar communication capabilities while continuing to characterize the radiation environment at the Moon. The CAPSTONE 02 mission, targeted for launch in 2027, will use two small spacecraft in lunar orbit to facilitate these demonstrations to support future NASA lunar and deep space missions. (7/26)
Arianespace to Launch Weather Satellite MTG-I2 on Aug. 27 GEO Mission (Source: Arianespace)
On August 27, 2026, Arianespace will place into orbit the 2nd Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite, MTG-I2, with a dedicated Ariane 62, the two-booster configuration of Ariane 6. Building on a long-standing partnership between ESA and EUMETSAT, MTG-I2 is part of Europe's next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite system, providing enhanced imagery for the early detection of fast-developing severe storms, weather forecasting and climate monitoring. This mission, designated VA270, will mark Ariane 6's fourth mission of the year and the first flight to geostationary transfer orbit. (7/20)
Voyager Wins Contract with Sandia National Laboratories (Source: Voyager)
Voyager Technologies was awarded a new mission management contract with Sandia National Laboratories to fly their Big Boy demonstration aboard the ISS in 2027. The contract underscores the continued and growing demand for access to low-Earth orbit for national security research, with additional contracts expected to follow. Voyager will provide end-to-end mission management, including experiment design, payload integration, safety review, manifest and mission planning, and on-orbit operations. The payload will integrate with the company’s NEL, an external payload platform mountable on Voyager’s Bishop Airlock, the first and only permanent commercially owned module on the ISS. (7/28)
Sidus Space Shifts Gears Toward Commercialization (Source: Sidus Space)
In a July 21 letter to shareholders, Sidus Space detailed the company's transition from technology development to commercialization. "Today, our focus is shifting from proving our technology to scaling its commercial application and that distinction is important," said Carol Craig, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Sidus Space. "Success is no longer measured simply by launching satellites or demonstrating technical capability. It will increasingly be measured by customer adoption, recurring revenue, operating leverage, and long-term shareholder value." (7/21)
IHI Advances Domestic Satellite Assembly and Testing Capability in Japan (Source: IHI)
IHI Corp is taking a further step toward building Japan-based industrial capability for sovereign Earth-observation, as its engineers and technicians start training with ICEYE ahead of the planned assembly and testing of two synthetic aperture radar (“SAR”) satellites in Japan.
International collaboration sits at the heart of IHI’s planned multi-sensor Earth-observation constellation, which aims to bring Japan and its allies closer together through shared data and industrial partnership. By working with trusted partners, IHI aims to strengthen Japan’s sovereign access to space-based intelligence while supporting closer security and industrial cooperation with like-minded countries. (7/22)
North Texas' Exos Aerospace Helps Fuel Texas' Private Space Industry (Source: NBCDFW)
Texas continues to grow as a major hub for space travel, with the launch of the Texas Space Commission and a growing private space industry helping companies expand their reach. On the outskirts of Greenville, Exos Aerospace is preparing for a spring launch of its Block 3 rocket. The mission will carry a payload 62 miles above Earth from Spaceport America in New Mexico, giving research customers several minutes of microgravity before returning to the ground.
Operations Manager Phil Eaton said the rocket uses an ethanol-based propulsion system. "It’s an ethanol 190 proof system. And it’s all denatured, but it’s very similar to Everclear," Eaton said. Eaton said the company is assembling the rocket with Scorpius Aerospace propulsion tanks to provide researchers with four to five minutes of microgravity on the edge of space. (7/24)
Want to be an Astronaut Without Leaving Houston? This Yearlong Mission Might Be for You (Source: ABC13)
If you've ever wanted to be an astronaut but don't want to go to deep space, this mission might be for you. Right now, you can apply to live inside a deep space simulator. If selected, your meals and sleeping quarters are covered. You even get paid. Once inside, it's only you and three others for a year. NASA is looking for its next group to live inside a moon and Mars simulator at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
It's not new. NASA has had two missions where crew members lived inside the simulator, including one right now. However, this time it's different because they've added a 650-square-foot vehicle simulator. "We have gotten a ton of applicants," NASA deputy element scientist Sarah Whiting said. (7/24)
Major NASA Site in Spain Hit by Wildfire (Source: Straits Times)
Massive wildfires in Europe on July 24 forced NASA to evacuate one of its three global deep space communications facilities in Spain, impacting the agency’s ability to communicate with space probes. The Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) is located in Robledo, about 65km west of central Madrid, a NASA spokesperson told AFP in a statement. “The wildfire has passed through the MDSCC. Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so,” the US space agency said, adding all personnel were “safely evacuated”. (7/25)
SpaceX at $100 Would Imply Zero AI Value, Morgan Stanley Says (Source; Bloomberg)
The selloff in SpaceX shares has driven the stock near a level that would imply investors are assigning no value to its artificial intelligence business, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. The rocket, space and artificial intelligence company has had a rocky trading debut after its record $86 billion offering in mid-June. Shares initially surged nearly 50% in first three sessions, but have tumbled since. They touched a low of $110.85, or 18% below the IPO price, earlier this week. (7/24)
Ukraine Plans $1.1 Billion Satellite Constellation to Reduce Starlink Reliance (Source: Kyiv Post)
Ukrainian satellite communications company Stetman is advancing a $1.1 billion plan to deploy a nationally controlled 360-satellite constellation beginning in 2027, a project aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on foreign-operated services like SpaceX’s Starlink. The proposed network is designed to place satellite communications directly under the control of Ukraine’s government and armed forces.
The system is being developed to withstand electronic warfare and ensure secure connectivity independent of external providers. Stetman aims to launch the first 120 satellites with SpaceX in 2027, with full deployment of the 360 satellites expected by 2030. No formal arrangements have been announced for the launch of the remaining 240 satellites. (7/25)
German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius today visited the production facility of Isar Aerospace in Ottobrunn, underscoring the strategic priority Germany places on sovereign access to space as a prerequisite for defense and deterrence. During the visit, the Minister toured the development and manufacturing operations of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch vehicle – designed, produced, and tested almost entirely in-house.
Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-Founder of Isar Aerospace, said: “Today’s visit by Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius sends an important message: the defense of our free world begins in space. We stand alongside the German Federal Government as a reliable partner in ensuring sovereign access to space, so that satellites for military reconnaissance and communications can be launched into orbit. This will be achieved using the necessary rockets from our series production and a strategic network of spaceports.” (7/23)
NASA Boss Praises Rise of Women in Science (Source: BBC)
The head of science at NASA has praised the "fantastic" rise of women in science. Dr Nicola Fox, who grew up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, said she had been struck by the number of women now graduating in physics and engineering when she returned to the University of Surrey. The 57-year-old graduated from university with a masters in telematics and satellite engineering in 1991 and was one of only four women on the course of more than 200 students.
She said: "I was at the physics graduation and the engineering graduation... It was amazing to see the number of girls that were graduating." The scientist explained she had grown up unaware a passion for science was "unusual" for girls. Her advice to young women today is to follow their curiosity and ignore claims that science is not for them: "If somebody says girls don't do that, then that's just not true." (7/26)
Space Force Needs to Measure Workforce Needs, as it Prepares to Double in Size (Source: The Gazette)
The Space Force needs more people. It’s just not precisely sure how many more. A Government Accountability Office report released earlier this month found that the youngest and smallest military branch does not have a process to consistently or accurately determine how many people it needs. The Space Force agreed and said it would work on a process to measure its manpower needs, but it did not provide a timeline.
The leader of Combat Forces Command, Gen. Greg Gagnon, addressed the staffing needs broadly during an online appearance last week hosted by The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Gagnon, who works at Peterson Space Force Base, ensures guardians across all the operational fields are ready when combatant commanders like those in the Middle East need them. Much of his work is focused on training events for guardians and accepting new systems, he said.
Editor's Note: GAO's criticism isn't just about workforce numbers. It's that the Space Force lacks the data infrastructure to build a relationship between skills, competencies, and headcounts. The DoD's Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, where I used to work in Orlando, is developing tools and technologies for this, with an enterprise-level competency/credentials registry, a learner record repository, an interoperable course catalog, and an over-arching enterprise-level workforce data system. It's a DoD-sponsored existing answer to the Space Force's workforce data problem. (7/25)
NASA Astronaut, 2 Cosmonauts Return to Earth From ISS (Source: Space.com)
A U.S.-Russian crew returned to Earth from the International Space Station early Sunday morning. A Soyuz spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan about 3.5 hours after undocking. (7/26)
Does SpaceX’s Plan for a Data Center in Space Add Up? (Source: The Economist)
With every passing day, it seems like a slightly less crazy idea to put data centers into space. Progress in artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing demand for these facilities, but opposition to building them on Earth is growing. “There’s not some magic that’s necessary, that doesn’t exist, for AI satellites,” said Elon Musk.
SpaceX’s AI1 satellite will have two wing-like solar arrays on either side of the core, each of them 30 meters by 10 meters in size, delivering a peak power of 150 kilowatts (kW). This is a bit larger than the solar arrays on the forthcoming Starlink v3 satellite, which are 19 meters long. The solar cells will deliver 250 watts per square meter, a plausible figure, and will be manufactured by SpaceX at its facility in Bastrop, Texas. SpaceX plans to put its AI1 satellites into special orbits that keep them in daylight 98% of the time.
Then there are the chips. The AI1 reference design, with a peak power of 150kW, can accommodate 72 of the most advanced AI chips made by Nvidia (equivalent to a single server rack in a terrestrial data center). But other chips could also be used, and SpaceX plans to start manufacturing its own at a giant factory called Terafab. To test some of the new technologies needed for AI1, SpaceX intends to launch modified versions of its Starlink v2 satellites, which the company calls “canary sats”, in the coming months. (7/22)
China is Gaining Troubling Military Know-How From Russia (Source: The Economist)
The help China gives Russia in the war in Ukraine has long caused dismay in Western countries. Exports of ostensibly civilian components such as engines and electronics end up in drones and other weapons that kill Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, abetting Russia’s war of attrition. Yet recently it is the other end of this trade that has stirred alarm in Western capitals. China appears to be receiving training, intelligence and advanced military technology from Russia. That could give China an edge in a future war over Taiwan, tilting the balance of power at the opposite extreme of Eurasia. (7/23)
SpaceX Eyes Tower Catch for Next Starship (Source: Ars Technica)
Encouraged by the picture-perfect end to Friday’s flight, SpaceX is likely to take the next leap with Starship on the next launch, according to Elon Musk. That would entail hurling Starship on a longer-range trajectory, perhaps into low-Earth orbit, to bring the vehicle back to the launch site. Mechanical arms on the launch tower will attempt to capture the ship as it slows to a hover. SpaceX has already done this with the rocket’s massive Super Heavy booster, which is larger and heavier than Starship itself, but comes back at a fraction of the speed. (7/25)
NASA is Preparing Astronauts for Mars’ Dusty Hazards (Source: WRAL)
Dust is expected to be among the biggest hazards for astronauts, prompting NASA to establish its first recommended exposure limits for airborne Martian dust as the agency prepares for future human missions to the red planet. The new recommendation sets continuous exposure limits four times lower than lunar dust. The conservative threshold reflects not just the dangers already known but also what researchers still don’t know about how prolonged exposure to Martian dust could affect the human body.
One approach to limiting astronaut exposure to lunar or Martian dust is to leave it outside their living spaces. NASA has spent years developing “suitports,” which keep spacesuits attached to the outside of a habitat or rover. Instead of bringing a dusty suit indoors, astronauts climb into it through a hatch in the back, complete their day’s exploration, then dock the suit back onto the vehicle before reentering the habitat, helping keep dust out of the crew’s living space.
When you think of Martian dust, don’t think beach sand, think finer than baby powder, with particles about the size of those that make wildfire smoke hazardous to breathe. That allows the dust to remain suspended in the atmosphere and penetrate deep into the lungs. Unlike lunar regolith, Martian dust also contains perchlorates, reactive salts that researchers are studying for their potential health effects during the months or years astronauts could spend on the red planet. (7/25)
NASA Announces New Spacecraft Technology Demonstration Mission at Moon (Source: NASA)
NASA is working with industry to advance the next phase of cislunar infrastructure for the agency’s Artemis program and Moon Base, including orbital assets and demonstrations. Under a contract awarded to Advanced Space, the agency’s CAPSTONE 02 mission will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations, autonomous navigation, and cislunar communication capabilities while continuing to characterize the radiation environment at the Moon. The CAPSTONE 02 mission, targeted for launch in 2027, will use two small spacecraft in lunar orbit to facilitate these demonstrations to support future NASA lunar and deep space missions. (7/26)
Arianespace to Launch Weather Satellite MTG-I2 on Aug. 27 GEO Mission (Source: Arianespace)
On August 27, 2026, Arianespace will place into orbit the 2nd Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite, MTG-I2, with a dedicated Ariane 62, the two-booster configuration of Ariane 6. Building on a long-standing partnership between ESA and EUMETSAT, MTG-I2 is part of Europe's next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite system, providing enhanced imagery for the early detection of fast-developing severe storms, weather forecasting and climate monitoring. This mission, designated VA270, will mark Ariane 6's fourth mission of the year and the first flight to geostationary transfer orbit. (7/20)
Voyager Wins Contract with Sandia National Laboratories (Source: Voyager)
Voyager Technologies was awarded a new mission management contract with Sandia National Laboratories to fly their Big Boy demonstration aboard the ISS in 2027. The contract underscores the continued and growing demand for access to low-Earth orbit for national security research, with additional contracts expected to follow. Voyager will provide end-to-end mission management, including experiment design, payload integration, safety review, manifest and mission planning, and on-orbit operations. The payload will integrate with the company’s NEL, an external payload platform mountable on Voyager’s Bishop Airlock, the first and only permanent commercially owned module on the ISS. (7/28)
Sidus Space Shifts Gears Toward Commercialization (Source: Sidus Space)
In a July 21 letter to shareholders, Sidus Space detailed the company's transition from technology development to commercialization. "Today, our focus is shifting from proving our technology to scaling its commercial application and that distinction is important," said Carol Craig, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Sidus Space. "Success is no longer measured simply by launching satellites or demonstrating technical capability. It will increasingly be measured by customer adoption, recurring revenue, operating leverage, and long-term shareholder value." (7/21)
IHI Advances Domestic Satellite Assembly and Testing Capability in Japan (Source: IHI)
IHI Corp is taking a further step toward building Japan-based industrial capability for sovereign Earth-observation, as its engineers and technicians start training with ICEYE ahead of the planned assembly and testing of two synthetic aperture radar (“SAR”) satellites in Japan.
International collaboration sits at the heart of IHI’s planned multi-sensor Earth-observation constellation, which aims to bring Japan and its allies closer together through shared data and industrial partnership. By working with trusted partners, IHI aims to strengthen Japan’s sovereign access to space-based intelligence while supporting closer security and industrial cooperation with like-minded countries. (7/22)
North Texas' Exos Aerospace Helps Fuel Texas' Private Space Industry (Source: NBCDFW)
Texas continues to grow as a major hub for space travel, with the launch of the Texas Space Commission and a growing private space industry helping companies expand their reach. On the outskirts of Greenville, Exos Aerospace is preparing for a spring launch of its Block 3 rocket. The mission will carry a payload 62 miles above Earth from Spaceport America in New Mexico, giving research customers several minutes of microgravity before returning to the ground.
Operations Manager Phil Eaton said the rocket uses an ethanol-based propulsion system. "It’s an ethanol 190 proof system. And it’s all denatured, but it’s very similar to Everclear," Eaton said. Eaton said the company is assembling the rocket with Scorpius Aerospace propulsion tanks to provide researchers with four to five minutes of microgravity on the edge of space. (7/24)
Want to be an Astronaut Without Leaving Houston? This Yearlong Mission Might Be for You (Source: ABC13)
If you've ever wanted to be an astronaut but don't want to go to deep space, this mission might be for you. Right now, you can apply to live inside a deep space simulator. If selected, your meals and sleeping quarters are covered. You even get paid. Once inside, it's only you and three others for a year. NASA is looking for its next group to live inside a moon and Mars simulator at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
It's not new. NASA has had two missions where crew members lived inside the simulator, including one right now. However, this time it's different because they've added a 650-square-foot vehicle simulator. "We have gotten a ton of applicants," NASA deputy element scientist Sarah Whiting said. (7/24)
Major NASA Site in Spain Hit by Wildfire (Source: Straits Times)
Massive wildfires in Europe on July 24 forced NASA to evacuate one of its three global deep space communications facilities in Spain, impacting the agency’s ability to communicate with space probes. The Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) is located in Robledo, about 65km west of central Madrid, a NASA spokesperson told AFP in a statement. “The wildfire has passed through the MDSCC. Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so,” the US space agency said, adding all personnel were “safely evacuated”. (7/25)
SpaceX at $100 Would Imply Zero AI Value, Morgan Stanley Says (Source; Bloomberg)
The selloff in SpaceX shares has driven the stock near a level that would imply investors are assigning no value to its artificial intelligence business, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. The rocket, space and artificial intelligence company has had a rocky trading debut after its record $86 billion offering in mid-June. Shares initially surged nearly 50% in first three sessions, but have tumbled since. They touched a low of $110.85, or 18% below the IPO price, earlier this week. (7/24)
Ukraine Plans $1.1 Billion Satellite Constellation to Reduce Starlink Reliance (Source: Kyiv Post)
Ukrainian satellite communications company Stetman is advancing a $1.1 billion plan to deploy a nationally controlled 360-satellite constellation beginning in 2027, a project aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on foreign-operated services like SpaceX’s Starlink. The proposed network is designed to place satellite communications directly under the control of Ukraine’s government and armed forces.
The system is being developed to withstand electronic warfare and ensure secure connectivity independent of external providers. Stetman aims to launch the first 120 satellites with SpaceX in 2027, with full deployment of the 360 satellites expected by 2030. No formal arrangements have been announced for the launch of the remaining 240 satellites. (7/25)
July 25, 2026
SpaceX Starship Megarocket Hits Key
Milestones in ‘Lucky 13’ Test Flight as Big Hurdles Loom
(Source: CNN)
SpaceX completed a test flight of its Starship megarocket, following an aborted launch attempt last week in which several engines failed to ignite at liftoff. The test flight, called Flight 13, hit several key milestones before concluding with a controlled splashdown of the upper Starship spacecraft in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy rocket booster, which detached from Starship two minutes into the flight, made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.
Flight 13 marked the second, and a more successful, test for this version of Starship, called V3. During the first flight of a Starship V3 rocket in May, a series of engine outages caused the rocket to underperform. SpaceX is facing intense pressure to get Starship ready for a crucial NASA test flight next year that could pave the way for the next moon landing. (7/24)
FAA Rule Could Unlock U.S. High-Speed Flight Testing (Source: Aviation Week)
Support for the FAA’s proposal to lift the ban on overland supersonic flight and replace it with a sonic boom noise limit is not just coming from the nascent U.S. commercial high-speed aircraft market. Starfighters Space operates a fleet of seven ex-military Lockheed F-104 supersonic fighters. The company operates from two locations. At NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it can fly supersonically 12-18 mi. offshore and comply with the existing ban. But the second base at Midland International Air and Space Port in Texas requires overland flights.
“This [proposed rule] really helps us at Midland, and that’s important because there are eight locations around Midland where we can do business, including Spaceport America and White Sands Missile Range [New Mexico], and the Utah Test and Training Range and Nellis AFB [Nevada],” says CEO Tim Franta. Starfighters is working with Texas to gain certification for a high-speed corridor, a triangle linking Midland to White Sands and Spaceport America, continuing across the top of the state and back to Midland.
“One of the problems with U.S. testing for hypersonics is oftentimes we are getting single points of data,” he says. “[With the new rule] we can fly two, four flights in the same day and get more data points. That’s better for the customer. It’s better for us.” Starfighters Space’s F-104s can fly for another 12 years, Franta says, but the company is in the process of acquiring a second supersonic type, which it dubs Platform 2. (7/24)
Air Force Assumes Control of GPS Receiver Program (Source: Space News)
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has taken over the Military GPS User Equipment program to address delays and technical issues in fielding jam-resistant GPS receivers. The program, previously managed by the Space Force, has faced years of setbacks in developing and integrating M-code receivers, which provide secure positioning, navigation and timing. The Air Force's management aims to streamline development and integration across military platforms. (7/24)
NASA to Support New Glenn Hot Fire Testing at Stennis Space Center (Source: Via Satellite)
NASA and Blue Origin have agreed to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to advance work on the Artemis program. NASA announced Friday the agreement is an annex to a reimbursable Space Act Agreement signed earlier this month. Blue Origin will conduct hot fire testing at the B-2 test stand, targeted to begin this fall. The stand has a long history of supporting Moon missions and was built to test the Saturn V rocket stages used during the Apollo Program. (7/24)
ULA Deals with Financial Challenges Caused by Vulcan Grounding (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance’s corporate parents have provided a guaranteed loan to help the company address “financial challenges” tied to the ongoing Vulcan grounding. The support is intended to bridge the period of constrained launch activity and associated cost pressures. Last year those parent companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, were seeking a buyer for ULA, which has been struggling to win launch contracts in competition with SpaceX. (7/24)
European Union Grants US Request to Restrict Satellite Images of Iran War Region (Source: Ars Technica)
The European Union has granted a U.S. request to restrict access to satellite images covering the Iran war region. The move comes amid reports of delays to Copernicus satellite pictures as tensions escalate and Washington steps up its posture involving Iran. (7/24)
Lockheed Martin Interested in Venus Aerospace's RDRE Engine Tech (Source: Ars Technica)
Venus Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have entered a collaboration agreement for the evaluation of Houston-based Venus’s rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) technology. The companies hope to achieve “precision fire” capabilities with efficiencies that translate into longer flight ranges and higher speeds. Lockheed Martin is the Pentagon’s largest contractor, responsible for supplying the military with thousands of tactical and strategic missiles.
Venus Aerospace’s RDRE tech works by generating thrust as a wave of detonation travels around a circular channel, sustained by the injection of fuel and oxidizer to produce a supersonic shockwave. The company completed a low-altitude flight test of the RDRE last year. The RDRE architecture has the potential to improve propulsion efficiency while reducing complexity. There’s a lot of work to do to scale Venus’s engine from an experimental prototype to a combat-ready missile platform. (7/24)
Lightning Strikes Chinese Rocket After Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
China launched one of its most successful rockets Thursday, sending a Long March 3B launcher to orbit with a Tianlian data relay support to link Mission Control with the country’s Tiangong space station. The Long March 3B is a dependable rocket, with nearly 120 flights since entering service in 1996. But the rocket was tested on Thursday when a bolt of lightning struck the vehicle shortly after liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China. The rocket continued the climb into space without incident. (7/24)
Lunar Outpost Plans to Send NVIDIA Chips to the Moon (Source: Payload)
The chip race and the race back to the Moon race have just crossed paths. Lunar Outpost, the Colorado-based lunar rover startup, announced plans to fly NVIDIA chips on its upcoming lunar missions. Lunar Outpost will carry an NVIDIA Jetson AI chip on its MAPP rover for the company’s Lunar Voyage 2 mission, which is planning to launch this year. Lunar Outpost is relying on NVIDIA chips to give more autonomy to its rovers, and greater onboard processing power to compress and send large data files. (7/24)
ESA Awards ispace €65M Contract to Build and Deliver MAGPIE Rover to the Moon (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has awarded a contract to Luxembourg-based ispace-Europe to complete the development of the MAGPIE lunar rover and deliver it to the surface of the Moon in 2029. The Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration (MAGPIE) is being developed under ESA’s Small Missions for Exploration initiative. The rover will explore the Moon’s south pole, characterizing volatile deposits and searching for water ice that could be used to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. (7/24)
Firefly Aerospace Selects Blue Origin’s Honeybee Robotics to Provide Rover for Lunar Mission (Source: Blue Origin)
Firefly Aerospace and Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin company, today announced Honeybee was contracted by Firefly to provide the lunar rover for the company’s recently awarded NASA task order to explore the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon’s near side in 2028. Once deployed on the Moon by Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, Honeybee’s rover will carry NASA instruments to investigate the unique composition of the Gruithuisen Domes – a part of the Moon that has never been explored. (7/24)
Office of Space Commerce to Move Ahead on Mission Authorization (Source: Space News)
The Commerce Department is moving ahead with plans to implement a voluntary mission authorization system for novel space activities that are not regulated by other agencies. Multiple Congresses and administrations have failed to agree on a “mission authorization” regime for space activities not already regulated by existing law. This new Space Commerce Certification could make it easier for industry to navigate the complex government environment, but does not appear to be a complete solution. The process is built on a “presumption of approval” to “keep regulations out of the way and make it easy and fast” for companies to get through government requirements. (7/24)
Sacknoff Prize Offered for Space History (Source: Space 3.0)
The Sacknoff Prize is an annual award that encourages original research by university students in the field of space history. The winner receives an $850 cash prize, publication in the peer-reviewed journal Quest, a one-year Quest subscription, and an invitation to present at the Society for the History of Technology's Aerospace Special Interest Group (Albatross) annual meeting. Full details and the application/flyer are here. (7/24)
SpaceX Progress on Florida Starship Launches (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
When enough Starship test missions have flown that the spacecraft is at an acceptable working level, it will then shift to Florida with the first missions flying from Launch Complex 39-A. The launch tower has been nearing completion adjacent to the complex’s existing launch pad, now reserved solely for Falcon Heavy missions. SpaceX had been using the launch site for Falcon 9 rockets until this year, shifting all of their flights over to Launch Complex 40 to allow more focus on completing the initial Starship launch infrastructure at KSC.
SpaceX ultimately is aiming for as many as 120 flights a year from across the three launch pads in Florida, a number that has raised criticism for its impact on commercial airspace. Also of concern has been its sonic boom potential during both booster landings and upper stage Starship return-to-launch-site flights that would bring it across Central Florida similar to how the space shuttle used to land back at KSC.
Meanwhile, work continues on the massive Gigabay manufacturing plant that will pump out Starship upper stages and Super Heavy boosters right on KSC property, adjacent to the Hangar X where it preps Falcon 9 rockets for launch. The first rocket hardware will be shipped over from Texas, but be processed at Gigabay before it gets into the manufacturing side of things. (7/23)
Lockheed Martin Posts Revenue/Earnings Growth with Missile Production Strength (Source: Defense Daily)
Higher sales of air defense interceptors and a surface-to-surface missile, coupled with the absence of losses on several contracts that hit the company a year ago, helped drive revenue and earnings growth at Lockheed Martin [LMT] in the second quarter, the company reported on Thursday. The company’s Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) segment posted strong double-digit top and bottom-line increases. (7/23)
Retired Astronauts Promote Voting and Democracy (Source: Space.com)
This past year, a group of retired NASA astronauts teamed up for a single cause: to defend the U.S. constitution. They banded together as part of a non-profit, non-partisan activist organization called Astronauts for America. So far, they have been speaking out, using their astronaut expertise, platforms, cultural relevance and role model status to speak out in support of "science, evidence-based decision-making, public service and the rule of law," their website reads. Now, as the group announced at an event at the California Science Center's new air and space center — home to the shuttle Endeavour — they're hitting the road on a campaign tour of colleges called "Vote for Freedom." (7/23)
Whipsmart to Fund Space Ventures (Source: Space News)
Space startup veteran Mark Matossian has joined forces with a software engineer and a best-selling author to establish Whipsmart Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on space and deep tech. Whipsmart will identify “pivotal technologies that can close a business plan” and help companies make the leap from laboratories to scaling up, said Matossian, who led Iceye U.S., program management, satellite production and launch for Terra Bella, and co-founded Lonestar Data Holdings. (7/23)
SpaceX completed a test flight of its Starship megarocket, following an aborted launch attempt last week in which several engines failed to ignite at liftoff. The test flight, called Flight 13, hit several key milestones before concluding with a controlled splashdown of the upper Starship spacecraft in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy rocket booster, which detached from Starship two minutes into the flight, made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.
Flight 13 marked the second, and a more successful, test for this version of Starship, called V3. During the first flight of a Starship V3 rocket in May, a series of engine outages caused the rocket to underperform. SpaceX is facing intense pressure to get Starship ready for a crucial NASA test flight next year that could pave the way for the next moon landing. (7/24)
FAA Rule Could Unlock U.S. High-Speed Flight Testing (Source: Aviation Week)
Support for the FAA’s proposal to lift the ban on overland supersonic flight and replace it with a sonic boom noise limit is not just coming from the nascent U.S. commercial high-speed aircraft market. Starfighters Space operates a fleet of seven ex-military Lockheed F-104 supersonic fighters. The company operates from two locations. At NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it can fly supersonically 12-18 mi. offshore and comply with the existing ban. But the second base at Midland International Air and Space Port in Texas requires overland flights.
“This [proposed rule] really helps us at Midland, and that’s important because there are eight locations around Midland where we can do business, including Spaceport America and White Sands Missile Range [New Mexico], and the Utah Test and Training Range and Nellis AFB [Nevada],” says CEO Tim Franta. Starfighters is working with Texas to gain certification for a high-speed corridor, a triangle linking Midland to White Sands and Spaceport America, continuing across the top of the state and back to Midland.
“One of the problems with U.S. testing for hypersonics is oftentimes we are getting single points of data,” he says. “[With the new rule] we can fly two, four flights in the same day and get more data points. That’s better for the customer. It’s better for us.” Starfighters Space’s F-104s can fly for another 12 years, Franta says, but the company is in the process of acquiring a second supersonic type, which it dubs Platform 2. (7/24)
Air Force Assumes Control of GPS Receiver Program (Source: Space News)
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has taken over the Military GPS User Equipment program to address delays and technical issues in fielding jam-resistant GPS receivers. The program, previously managed by the Space Force, has faced years of setbacks in developing and integrating M-code receivers, which provide secure positioning, navigation and timing. The Air Force's management aims to streamline development and integration across military platforms. (7/24)
NASA to Support New Glenn Hot Fire Testing at Stennis Space Center (Source: Via Satellite)
NASA and Blue Origin have agreed to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to advance work on the Artemis program. NASA announced Friday the agreement is an annex to a reimbursable Space Act Agreement signed earlier this month. Blue Origin will conduct hot fire testing at the B-2 test stand, targeted to begin this fall. The stand has a long history of supporting Moon missions and was built to test the Saturn V rocket stages used during the Apollo Program. (7/24)
ULA Deals with Financial Challenges Caused by Vulcan Grounding (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance’s corporate parents have provided a guaranteed loan to help the company address “financial challenges” tied to the ongoing Vulcan grounding. The support is intended to bridge the period of constrained launch activity and associated cost pressures. Last year those parent companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, were seeking a buyer for ULA, which has been struggling to win launch contracts in competition with SpaceX. (7/24)
European Union Grants US Request to Restrict Satellite Images of Iran War Region (Source: Ars Technica)
The European Union has granted a U.S. request to restrict access to satellite images covering the Iran war region. The move comes amid reports of delays to Copernicus satellite pictures as tensions escalate and Washington steps up its posture involving Iran. (7/24)
Lockheed Martin Interested in Venus Aerospace's RDRE Engine Tech (Source: Ars Technica)
Venus Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have entered a collaboration agreement for the evaluation of Houston-based Venus’s rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) technology. The companies hope to achieve “precision fire” capabilities with efficiencies that translate into longer flight ranges and higher speeds. Lockheed Martin is the Pentagon’s largest contractor, responsible for supplying the military with thousands of tactical and strategic missiles.
Venus Aerospace’s RDRE tech works by generating thrust as a wave of detonation travels around a circular channel, sustained by the injection of fuel and oxidizer to produce a supersonic shockwave. The company completed a low-altitude flight test of the RDRE last year. The RDRE architecture has the potential to improve propulsion efficiency while reducing complexity. There’s a lot of work to do to scale Venus’s engine from an experimental prototype to a combat-ready missile platform. (7/24)
Lightning Strikes Chinese Rocket After Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
China launched one of its most successful rockets Thursday, sending a Long March 3B launcher to orbit with a Tianlian data relay support to link Mission Control with the country’s Tiangong space station. The Long March 3B is a dependable rocket, with nearly 120 flights since entering service in 1996. But the rocket was tested on Thursday when a bolt of lightning struck the vehicle shortly after liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China. The rocket continued the climb into space without incident. (7/24)
Lunar Outpost Plans to Send NVIDIA Chips to the Moon (Source: Payload)
The chip race and the race back to the Moon race have just crossed paths. Lunar Outpost, the Colorado-based lunar rover startup, announced plans to fly NVIDIA chips on its upcoming lunar missions. Lunar Outpost will carry an NVIDIA Jetson AI chip on its MAPP rover for the company’s Lunar Voyage 2 mission, which is planning to launch this year. Lunar Outpost is relying on NVIDIA chips to give more autonomy to its rovers, and greater onboard processing power to compress and send large data files. (7/24)
ESA Awards ispace €65M Contract to Build and Deliver MAGPIE Rover to the Moon (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has awarded a contract to Luxembourg-based ispace-Europe to complete the development of the MAGPIE lunar rover and deliver it to the surface of the Moon in 2029. The Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration (MAGPIE) is being developed under ESA’s Small Missions for Exploration initiative. The rover will explore the Moon’s south pole, characterizing volatile deposits and searching for water ice that could be used to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. (7/24)
Firefly Aerospace Selects Blue Origin’s Honeybee Robotics to Provide Rover for Lunar Mission (Source: Blue Origin)
Firefly Aerospace and Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin company, today announced Honeybee was contracted by Firefly to provide the lunar rover for the company’s recently awarded NASA task order to explore the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon’s near side in 2028. Once deployed on the Moon by Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, Honeybee’s rover will carry NASA instruments to investigate the unique composition of the Gruithuisen Domes – a part of the Moon that has never been explored. (7/24)
Office of Space Commerce to Move Ahead on Mission Authorization (Source: Space News)
The Commerce Department is moving ahead with plans to implement a voluntary mission authorization system for novel space activities that are not regulated by other agencies. Multiple Congresses and administrations have failed to agree on a “mission authorization” regime for space activities not already regulated by existing law. This new Space Commerce Certification could make it easier for industry to navigate the complex government environment, but does not appear to be a complete solution. The process is built on a “presumption of approval” to “keep regulations out of the way and make it easy and fast” for companies to get through government requirements. (7/24)
Sacknoff Prize Offered for Space History (Source: Space 3.0)
The Sacknoff Prize is an annual award that encourages original research by university students in the field of space history. The winner receives an $850 cash prize, publication in the peer-reviewed journal Quest, a one-year Quest subscription, and an invitation to present at the Society for the History of Technology's Aerospace Special Interest Group (Albatross) annual meeting. Full details and the application/flyer are here. (7/24)
SpaceX Progress on Florida Starship Launches (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
When enough Starship test missions have flown that the spacecraft is at an acceptable working level, it will then shift to Florida with the first missions flying from Launch Complex 39-A. The launch tower has been nearing completion adjacent to the complex’s existing launch pad, now reserved solely for Falcon Heavy missions. SpaceX had been using the launch site for Falcon 9 rockets until this year, shifting all of their flights over to Launch Complex 40 to allow more focus on completing the initial Starship launch infrastructure at KSC.
SpaceX ultimately is aiming for as many as 120 flights a year from across the three launch pads in Florida, a number that has raised criticism for its impact on commercial airspace. Also of concern has been its sonic boom potential during both booster landings and upper stage Starship return-to-launch-site flights that would bring it across Central Florida similar to how the space shuttle used to land back at KSC.
Meanwhile, work continues on the massive Gigabay manufacturing plant that will pump out Starship upper stages and Super Heavy boosters right on KSC property, adjacent to the Hangar X where it preps Falcon 9 rockets for launch. The first rocket hardware will be shipped over from Texas, but be processed at Gigabay before it gets into the manufacturing side of things. (7/23)
Lockheed Martin Posts Revenue/Earnings Growth with Missile Production Strength (Source: Defense Daily)
Higher sales of air defense interceptors and a surface-to-surface missile, coupled with the absence of losses on several contracts that hit the company a year ago, helped drive revenue and earnings growth at Lockheed Martin [LMT] in the second quarter, the company reported on Thursday. The company’s Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) segment posted strong double-digit top and bottom-line increases. (7/23)
Retired Astronauts Promote Voting and Democracy (Source: Space.com)
This past year, a group of retired NASA astronauts teamed up for a single cause: to defend the U.S. constitution. They banded together as part of a non-profit, non-partisan activist organization called Astronauts for America. So far, they have been speaking out, using their astronaut expertise, platforms, cultural relevance and role model status to speak out in support of "science, evidence-based decision-making, public service and the rule of law," their website reads. Now, as the group announced at an event at the California Science Center's new air and space center — home to the shuttle Endeavour — they're hitting the road on a campaign tour of colleges called "Vote for Freedom." (7/23)
Whipsmart to Fund Space Ventures (Source: Space News)
Space startup veteran Mark Matossian has joined forces with a software engineer and a best-selling author to establish Whipsmart Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on space and deep tech. Whipsmart will identify “pivotal technologies that can close a business plan” and help companies make the leap from laboratories to scaling up, said Matossian, who led Iceye U.S., program management, satellite production and launch for Terra Bella, and co-founded Lonestar Data Holdings. (7/23)
July 24, 2026
SpaceX Is Turning Away Falcon
Customers in Major Bet on Starship (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX has started to turn away satellite operators seeking dedicated rides to orbit aboard its staple Falcon 9 rocket beyond 2028, people familiar with the matter said, underscoring the massive bet Elon Musk is making on its unproven Starship. Musk’s rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence juggernaut has also stopped building some non-reusable components for the Falcon family, such as the rocket’s massive upper stage, said one of the people. (7/24)
US Aerospace/Defense Contractors Confront Europe's Drive for Local Control (Source: Reuters)
As U.S. defense companies descended on Britain's Farnborough Airshow this week hoping to tap Europe's military spending boom, they encountered increased concern among customers about reliance on American suppliers. European governments are demanding greater control over defense equipment, more local production and a bigger share of industrial benefits. In response, U.S. arms makers are expanding manufacturing in Europe, forming joint ventures and offering more tailored products. (7/24)
House NDAA Rejects Civilian Workforce Cuts, Anti-Union Proposals (Source: FNN)
The House narrowly passed its version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill on Wednesday evening despite strong Democratic opposition over the bill’s massive price tag, the war with Iran and a provision that would expand military partnership between the United States and Israel.
While the $1.15 trillion defense bill backs President Donald Trump’s request to raise all service members’ pay by 5 to 7%, it does not mention a pay raise for DoD civilians in fiscal 2027. While civilian pay is addressed outside the annual defense authorization process, some Democrats argued that House lawmakers missed an opportunity to provide a pay increase for the department’s civilian workforce. (7/23)
Florida Economy Surpasses Australia's (Source: Fox Business)
New data from the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows the Sunshine State's $1.8 trillion economy has climbed to No. 14 globally, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation. The chamber says the ranking demonstrates the state's emphasis on lower taxes, streamlined regulations and free enterprise.
Last week, the chamber announced Florida had climbed to No. 14 among the world's largest economies by gross domestic product (GDP). The state's economy reached $1.8 trillion after growing 6.3% over the past year, surpassing Australia and Mexico, according to the chamber. Florida now ranks behind South Korea at No. 13 and would need roughly 2% additional growth to surpass it and about 21% more growth to overtake Canada, which ranks No. 10. (7/23)
Rivers of Magma Once Bubbled Beneath Crust of Mars (Source: Guardian)
Mars once had rivers of magma bubbling beneath its crust, new research suggests. The surprise find makes it more probable that Mars could have supported life and widens the selection of rocky planets that may once have been habitable. Researchers at the University of Oxford studied data gathered by NASA’s Insight Lander, which recorded seismic waves caused by meteorite impacts and Martian quakes. They used the seismic data to analyze a mysterious boundary 15 miles below the surface of Mars. Their findings showed that the most likely cause for this boundary was molten rock pooling deep underground and stretching sideways for hundreds or even thousands of miles. (7/23)
SpaceX Plans Texas Data Center Expansion (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is preparing for at least one new large-scale data center in Texas, according to people familiar with the matter. The expansion would significantly increase the company's AI computing capacity beyond its existing Memphis-area hub, where it operates two data centers with about 1 gigawatt of compute capacity. SpaceX has explored several potential data center sites in Texas in recent months, aiming for a Texas expansion on a similar or larger scale than its existing Memphis-area facilities. (7/22)
Congress Seeks Details on NASA Workforce Plan (Source: Politico)
Lawmakers wanted more information on NASA’s plans to convert a chunk of its contractor-heavy workforce into full-time government employees. Isaacman has said the move will save NASA overhead costs and bring core functions in-house. As of May, NASA has approved the “hiring of 3,664 contractor positions to civil servant roles,” according to a document NASA sent in response to questions from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. The move will generate $140 million in annual savings. (7/23)
Sidus Space Appoints Chief Financial Officer (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU) announced the appointment of Alan Khalili as Chief Financial Officer, effective July 27. Mr. Khalili brings more than two decades of executive financial leadership across the space, satellite, and technology sectors, spanning publicly traded and high growth companies. (7/24)
Council on Foreign Relations visits Cape Canaveral Spaceport to Discuss the Future of Launch (Source: USSF)
On June 26, 2026, the Council on Foreign Relations visited Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Members of the CFR met with Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, to discuss the scale of Space Coast operations, spaceport logistics and ways to ensure Cape Canaveral Space Force Station remains the “Premier Gateway to Space.”
The CFR is a nonpartisan, United States-based think tank with its headquarters in New York City. The council focuses on international affairs and their relation to U.S. interests. Members discuss these global challenges with government officials and scholars to advocate for policy changes that are better postured to address international and national issues. (7/23)
From Farnborough to Florida (Source: Florida High Tech Corridor)
Florida’s innovation ecosystem and the Florida High Tech Corridor Region are having a standout week at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow in England, one of the world’s premier aerospace and technology events. Leading a business development mission to the United Kingdom, Florida officials are showcasing the state’s strengths in aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing and space commerce while highlighting new investment opportunities. Click here. (7/23)
Space Florida and Seraphim Showcase Second Investment Readiness Cohort at Farnborough (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida and Seraphim Space, the world's leading SpaceTech investment group, today announced the second cohort of their Investment Readiness Program at the Farnborough International Airshow. Building on the successful launch of the program in 2025, the announcement adds to the momentum behind the new Space Florida-UK Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The growing collaboration between the two regions continues to strengthen innovation, investment, and commercial growth across the space sector. (7/23)
NASA Programs Feel Effects of Workforce Reductions (Source: Space News)
More than two dozen major NASA projects say they’ve been affected by the loss of roughly a fifth of the agency’s civil servant workforce over the past year. The impact signals operational strain across program execution and delivery timelines, as multiple initiatives contend with reduced staffing capacity. (7/23)
Space Is Coming for Silicon (Source: Via Satellite)
Orbital data centers are now taking shape enough to have brand names. SpaceX has put Starmind on the map, with Elon Musk describing it as an AI satellite megaconstellation that could eventually operate as “orbital data centers” at enormous scale. While that is the headline, the footnote is more interesting. Reuters reported that SpaceX has warned investors its orbital AI compute plans remain technically complex, unproven, exposed to the harsh space environment, and may not become commercially viable.
That contradiction is the real story. The public pitch is simple: AI needs power, space has sunlight, vacuum is cold, and launch costs are falling. It is a good slide. It is also incomplete. Physics does not care that the renderings look clean. A hyperscale cloud in orbit still has to survive radiation, thermal cycling, launch vibration, orbital debris, limited servicing, short technology refresh cycles, and a communications architecture that does not turn every workload into an expensive round trip. (7/23)
Thales Space Division Reports Growing Sales and Profit Despite $174.5M Cost of Cancellation of Two Satellites for SES (Source: Space Intel Report)
Thales’ space business—run largely through Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio—posted continued recovery in the three months ended June 30, with both sales and profit increasing. The improvement held even after a customer cancellation of two geostationary-orbit telecommunications satellites, costing €174.5M for Thales’ accounts. Satellite fleet operator SES in May cancelled the IS-41 and IS44 satellites, both designed with Thales Alenia Space’s SpaceInspire software-defined platform, in May. (7/23)
Frequency Electronics Reports Increased Demand From Proliferated Satellite Programs (Source: Via Satellite)
Frequency Electronics reports $18 million in recent contract wins, including an $11 million award from an undisclosed major aerospace prime contractor to support a proliferated satellite program. Under the contract, Frequency Electronics will provide on-board precision frequency-generation systems. The company also secured $7 million in follow-on production contracts for both space oscillators and non-space U.S. government programs. (7/23)
Intel Authorization Act Proposes Limiting Commercial EO Access (Source: Payload)
A proposed provision in the US Intel Authorization Act would treat commercial Earth Observation (EO) data access as a controlled privilege rather than a right, seeking to limit what Earth-observation satellite operators can publicly share. The measure frames data dissemination as something the government should govern for security reasons. (7/23)
Vulcan Centaur Swapped Out Again: NASA Goes with SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket for Launch of Space Weather Mission (Source: Space.com)
NASA is shaking things up for its next mission to research the sun. The six satellites of NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission are poised to launch to Earth orbit soon, to serve as an early warning system for incoming solar storms. They were originally slated to lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket but have now been assigned a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, according to a NASA mission update.
SunRISE will fly to space as part of a rideshare mission sponsored by the U.S. Space Force's (USSF's) Space Systems Command (SSC). Though it's not stated specifically in the NASA release, that may be a hint as to why the mission's rocket was changed. On its most recent launch, USSF-87, Vulcan experienced an anomaly in one of its solid rocket boosters — the second such incident to occur during the rocket's four launches to date. (7/23)
Canadian Consul General Visits Vandenberg to Strengthen U.S.- Canada Space Partnerships (Source: USSF)
Sylvie Bédard, Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles, visited Vandenberg Space Force Base July 16 and 17 to observe the installation’s launch operations and reinforce the U.S.-Canada commitment to advancing security and cooperation in the space domain. Bédard met with Space Launch Delta 30 leadership to learn how Vandenberg supports national security, civil and commercial space launches. (7/22)
Louisiana State Senator Addresses Space X, Blue Origin Rumors (Source: KATC)
For months, speculation has circulated about a space exploration company coming to Vermilion Parish. State Sen. Bob Hensgens addressed those rumors directly with parish residents at a meeting, though no questions were taken from the public during or after the meeting. "I hold no details of a possible SpaceX or Blue Origin purchase of property in Vermilion Parish," Hensgens said. He said the parish's access to the Intracoastal Waterway, which provides direct access to the Gulf Coast, is a factor that makes the possibility appear real. (7/22)
New Mexico County Adopts Data Center Moratorium as Residents Protest Spaceport Proposal (Source: SourceNM)
This week, another New Mexico county commission unanimously approved a data center moratorium. The Sierra County Commission met in Truth or Consequences Tuesday to vote on a resolution opposing the development of large-scale data centers within the confines of the county. By the end of the roughly three-hour meeting, commissioners had amended the item into an 18-month moratorium on data centers.
This week’s vote in Sierra County, which follows similar approvals in Santa Fe and Socorro counties, came as residents scrutinized a proposal from a Canadian company to build a data center and solar array at Spaceport America. In a statement Tuesday, Spaceport spokesperson Charlie Hurley said leaders at Spaceport were not in talks with other data center developers and had not signed a lease, construction agreement or development agreement with Green Data. (7/22)
South Australia Signs MoU with Space Florida to Expand Launch and Spaceport Cooperation (Source: Space and Defense)
The South Australian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Space Florida aimed at increasing international cooperation and engagement in the space sector, with a focus on spaceport development and launch-related activity. The agreement, entered into through the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC), was announced at the 19th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. It sets out a framework for collaboration across areas including spaceport development, space trade, economic opportunity, research and development, and workforce development. (7/23)
A Talent Race ISRO Can't Lose (Source: Deccan Herald)
More than 100 scientists are reported to have resigned or taken voluntary retirement from ISRO. India is entering the most ambitious phase of its space program just as its institutional core is being thinned by an exodus of experience. Since the space sector was opened to private participation in 2020, startups such as Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace, Dhruva Space, and Digantara have transformed India’s aerospace landscape. They offer higher salaries, stock options, quicker career progression, and a faster, less bureaucratic work environment. For technically ambitious scientists, the attraction is obvious. (7/22)
USRA Boosts Transatlantic Space Research Collaboration with Leicester Presence (Source: USRA)
The Universities Space Research Association, an organisation dedicated to international co-operation on space and advanced aeronautics research, is to establish a new corporate entity at Space Park Leicester. The news was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow. The University of Leicester's £100 million science and innovation park will host the USRA's UK presence, supporting the space economy across Europe and strengthening transatlantic space collaboration. (7/22)
SpaceX has started to turn away satellite operators seeking dedicated rides to orbit aboard its staple Falcon 9 rocket beyond 2028, people familiar with the matter said, underscoring the massive bet Elon Musk is making on its unproven Starship. Musk’s rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence juggernaut has also stopped building some non-reusable components for the Falcon family, such as the rocket’s massive upper stage, said one of the people. (7/24)
US Aerospace/Defense Contractors Confront Europe's Drive for Local Control (Source: Reuters)
As U.S. defense companies descended on Britain's Farnborough Airshow this week hoping to tap Europe's military spending boom, they encountered increased concern among customers about reliance on American suppliers. European governments are demanding greater control over defense equipment, more local production and a bigger share of industrial benefits. In response, U.S. arms makers are expanding manufacturing in Europe, forming joint ventures and offering more tailored products. (7/24)
House NDAA Rejects Civilian Workforce Cuts, Anti-Union Proposals (Source: FNN)
The House narrowly passed its version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill on Wednesday evening despite strong Democratic opposition over the bill’s massive price tag, the war with Iran and a provision that would expand military partnership between the United States and Israel.
While the $1.15 trillion defense bill backs President Donald Trump’s request to raise all service members’ pay by 5 to 7%, it does not mention a pay raise for DoD civilians in fiscal 2027. While civilian pay is addressed outside the annual defense authorization process, some Democrats argued that House lawmakers missed an opportunity to provide a pay increase for the department’s civilian workforce. (7/23)
Florida Economy Surpasses Australia's (Source: Fox Business)
New data from the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows the Sunshine State's $1.8 trillion economy has climbed to No. 14 globally, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation. The chamber says the ranking demonstrates the state's emphasis on lower taxes, streamlined regulations and free enterprise.
Last week, the chamber announced Florida had climbed to No. 14 among the world's largest economies by gross domestic product (GDP). The state's economy reached $1.8 trillion after growing 6.3% over the past year, surpassing Australia and Mexico, according to the chamber. Florida now ranks behind South Korea at No. 13 and would need roughly 2% additional growth to surpass it and about 21% more growth to overtake Canada, which ranks No. 10. (7/23)
Rivers of Magma Once Bubbled Beneath Crust of Mars (Source: Guardian)
Mars once had rivers of magma bubbling beneath its crust, new research suggests. The surprise find makes it more probable that Mars could have supported life and widens the selection of rocky planets that may once have been habitable. Researchers at the University of Oxford studied data gathered by NASA’s Insight Lander, which recorded seismic waves caused by meteorite impacts and Martian quakes. They used the seismic data to analyze a mysterious boundary 15 miles below the surface of Mars. Their findings showed that the most likely cause for this boundary was molten rock pooling deep underground and stretching sideways for hundreds or even thousands of miles. (7/23)
SpaceX Plans Texas Data Center Expansion (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is preparing for at least one new large-scale data center in Texas, according to people familiar with the matter. The expansion would significantly increase the company's AI computing capacity beyond its existing Memphis-area hub, where it operates two data centers with about 1 gigawatt of compute capacity. SpaceX has explored several potential data center sites in Texas in recent months, aiming for a Texas expansion on a similar or larger scale than its existing Memphis-area facilities. (7/22)
Congress Seeks Details on NASA Workforce Plan (Source: Politico)
Lawmakers wanted more information on NASA’s plans to convert a chunk of its contractor-heavy workforce into full-time government employees. Isaacman has said the move will save NASA overhead costs and bring core functions in-house. As of May, NASA has approved the “hiring of 3,664 contractor positions to civil servant roles,” according to a document NASA sent in response to questions from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. The move will generate $140 million in annual savings. (7/23)
Sidus Space Appoints Chief Financial Officer (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU) announced the appointment of Alan Khalili as Chief Financial Officer, effective July 27. Mr. Khalili brings more than two decades of executive financial leadership across the space, satellite, and technology sectors, spanning publicly traded and high growth companies. (7/24)
Council on Foreign Relations visits Cape Canaveral Spaceport to Discuss the Future of Launch (Source: USSF)
On June 26, 2026, the Council on Foreign Relations visited Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Members of the CFR met with Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, to discuss the scale of Space Coast operations, spaceport logistics and ways to ensure Cape Canaveral Space Force Station remains the “Premier Gateway to Space.”
The CFR is a nonpartisan, United States-based think tank with its headquarters in New York City. The council focuses on international affairs and their relation to U.S. interests. Members discuss these global challenges with government officials and scholars to advocate for policy changes that are better postured to address international and national issues. (7/23)
From Farnborough to Florida (Source: Florida High Tech Corridor)
Florida’s innovation ecosystem and the Florida High Tech Corridor Region are having a standout week at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow in England, one of the world’s premier aerospace and technology events. Leading a business development mission to the United Kingdom, Florida officials are showcasing the state’s strengths in aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing and space commerce while highlighting new investment opportunities. Click here. (7/23)
Space Florida and Seraphim Showcase Second Investment Readiness Cohort at Farnborough (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida and Seraphim Space, the world's leading SpaceTech investment group, today announced the second cohort of their Investment Readiness Program at the Farnborough International Airshow. Building on the successful launch of the program in 2025, the announcement adds to the momentum behind the new Space Florida-UK Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The growing collaboration between the two regions continues to strengthen innovation, investment, and commercial growth across the space sector. (7/23)
NASA Programs Feel Effects of Workforce Reductions (Source: Space News)
More than two dozen major NASA projects say they’ve been affected by the loss of roughly a fifth of the agency’s civil servant workforce over the past year. The impact signals operational strain across program execution and delivery timelines, as multiple initiatives contend with reduced staffing capacity. (7/23)
Space Is Coming for Silicon (Source: Via Satellite)
Orbital data centers are now taking shape enough to have brand names. SpaceX has put Starmind on the map, with Elon Musk describing it as an AI satellite megaconstellation that could eventually operate as “orbital data centers” at enormous scale. While that is the headline, the footnote is more interesting. Reuters reported that SpaceX has warned investors its orbital AI compute plans remain technically complex, unproven, exposed to the harsh space environment, and may not become commercially viable.
That contradiction is the real story. The public pitch is simple: AI needs power, space has sunlight, vacuum is cold, and launch costs are falling. It is a good slide. It is also incomplete. Physics does not care that the renderings look clean. A hyperscale cloud in orbit still has to survive radiation, thermal cycling, launch vibration, orbital debris, limited servicing, short technology refresh cycles, and a communications architecture that does not turn every workload into an expensive round trip. (7/23)
Thales Space Division Reports Growing Sales and Profit Despite $174.5M Cost of Cancellation of Two Satellites for SES (Source: Space Intel Report)
Thales’ space business—run largely through Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio—posted continued recovery in the three months ended June 30, with both sales and profit increasing. The improvement held even after a customer cancellation of two geostationary-orbit telecommunications satellites, costing €174.5M for Thales’ accounts. Satellite fleet operator SES in May cancelled the IS-41 and IS44 satellites, both designed with Thales Alenia Space’s SpaceInspire software-defined platform, in May. (7/23)
Frequency Electronics Reports Increased Demand From Proliferated Satellite Programs (Source: Via Satellite)
Frequency Electronics reports $18 million in recent contract wins, including an $11 million award from an undisclosed major aerospace prime contractor to support a proliferated satellite program. Under the contract, Frequency Electronics will provide on-board precision frequency-generation systems. The company also secured $7 million in follow-on production contracts for both space oscillators and non-space U.S. government programs. (7/23)
Intel Authorization Act Proposes Limiting Commercial EO Access (Source: Payload)
A proposed provision in the US Intel Authorization Act would treat commercial Earth Observation (EO) data access as a controlled privilege rather than a right, seeking to limit what Earth-observation satellite operators can publicly share. The measure frames data dissemination as something the government should govern for security reasons. (7/23)
Vulcan Centaur Swapped Out Again: NASA Goes with SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket for Launch of Space Weather Mission (Source: Space.com)
NASA is shaking things up for its next mission to research the sun. The six satellites of NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission are poised to launch to Earth orbit soon, to serve as an early warning system for incoming solar storms. They were originally slated to lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket but have now been assigned a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, according to a NASA mission update.
SunRISE will fly to space as part of a rideshare mission sponsored by the U.S. Space Force's (USSF's) Space Systems Command (SSC). Though it's not stated specifically in the NASA release, that may be a hint as to why the mission's rocket was changed. On its most recent launch, USSF-87, Vulcan experienced an anomaly in one of its solid rocket boosters — the second such incident to occur during the rocket's four launches to date. (7/23)
Canadian Consul General Visits Vandenberg to Strengthen U.S.- Canada Space Partnerships (Source: USSF)
Sylvie Bédard, Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles, visited Vandenberg Space Force Base July 16 and 17 to observe the installation’s launch operations and reinforce the U.S.-Canada commitment to advancing security and cooperation in the space domain. Bédard met with Space Launch Delta 30 leadership to learn how Vandenberg supports national security, civil and commercial space launches. (7/22)
Louisiana State Senator Addresses Space X, Blue Origin Rumors (Source: KATC)
For months, speculation has circulated about a space exploration company coming to Vermilion Parish. State Sen. Bob Hensgens addressed those rumors directly with parish residents at a meeting, though no questions were taken from the public during or after the meeting. "I hold no details of a possible SpaceX or Blue Origin purchase of property in Vermilion Parish," Hensgens said. He said the parish's access to the Intracoastal Waterway, which provides direct access to the Gulf Coast, is a factor that makes the possibility appear real. (7/22)
New Mexico County Adopts Data Center Moratorium as Residents Protest Spaceport Proposal (Source: SourceNM)
This week, another New Mexico county commission unanimously approved a data center moratorium. The Sierra County Commission met in Truth or Consequences Tuesday to vote on a resolution opposing the development of large-scale data centers within the confines of the county. By the end of the roughly three-hour meeting, commissioners had amended the item into an 18-month moratorium on data centers.
This week’s vote in Sierra County, which follows similar approvals in Santa Fe and Socorro counties, came as residents scrutinized a proposal from a Canadian company to build a data center and solar array at Spaceport America. In a statement Tuesday, Spaceport spokesperson Charlie Hurley said leaders at Spaceport were not in talks with other data center developers and had not signed a lease, construction agreement or development agreement with Green Data. (7/22)
South Australia Signs MoU with Space Florida to Expand Launch and Spaceport Cooperation (Source: Space and Defense)
The South Australian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Space Florida aimed at increasing international cooperation and engagement in the space sector, with a focus on spaceport development and launch-related activity. The agreement, entered into through the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC), was announced at the 19th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. It sets out a framework for collaboration across areas including spaceport development, space trade, economic opportunity, research and development, and workforce development. (7/23)
A Talent Race ISRO Can't Lose (Source: Deccan Herald)
More than 100 scientists are reported to have resigned or taken voluntary retirement from ISRO. India is entering the most ambitious phase of its space program just as its institutional core is being thinned by an exodus of experience. Since the space sector was opened to private participation in 2020, startups such as Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace, Dhruva Space, and Digantara have transformed India’s aerospace landscape. They offer higher salaries, stock options, quicker career progression, and a faster, less bureaucratic work environment. For technically ambitious scientists, the attraction is obvious. (7/22)
USRA Boosts Transatlantic Space Research Collaboration with Leicester Presence (Source: USRA)
The Universities Space Research Association, an organisation dedicated to international co-operation on space and advanced aeronautics research, is to establish a new corporate entity at Space Park Leicester. The news was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow. The University of Leicester's £100 million science and innovation park will host the USRA's UK presence, supporting the space economy across Europe and strengthening transatlantic space collaboration. (7/22)
July 23, 2026
British Business Bank to Develop a
£100 Million Aerospace Supply Chain Fund with the UK Government
(Source: Aerospace Global News)
The British Business Bank has announced that it has made a firm proposal to the UK Government to set up a £100m aerospace supply chain fund to support UK suppliers and strengthen manufacturing capability across the sector. The proposed fund will help strengthen the aerospace supply chain, giving high-potential UK suppliers the capital they need to scale, invest and compete. The fund has been specifically designed to bring together public and private sector investment to support this strategically important sector of the UK economy. (7/20)
UK Government to Invest £62M More to Boost National Space Sector (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.K. government is to invest a further 62 million pounds ($83.4 million) to help boost the space sector in the country. This funding will support new satellite communications systems and space innovation projects, helping turn early-stage ideas into commercial products, with the aim of strengthening the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, and build a more resilient domestic space sector.
The funds announced Monday includes 42 million pounds ($56.5 million) to develop new British satellite communications technologies and 20 million pounds ($26.9 million) to support space innovation projects across industry and universities. (7/23)
FCC Votes to Adopt New Licensing Process for Satellites (Source: Aerospace America)
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to overhaul its satellite licensing process, despite a request to postpone the vote by U.S. House space policy leaders. The FCC on July 1 published the Space Modernization Order outlining the changes, which include establishing “a licensing assembly line” to process applications for satellite licenses, potentially in batches as opposed to separate approvals for each satellite in a large constellation. The order is among several planned overhauls to U.S. space licensing that were prompted by various 2025 White House executive orders. (7/22)
FIU Study Challenges Leading Explanation for Why Galaxies Stop Forming Stars (Source: FIU)
Understanding why galaxies stop forming stars is one of the biggest questions in galaxy evolution because it helps scientists explain how galaxies change over billions of years.
FIU research found galaxy mergers are neither necessary nor sufficient to stop galaxies from forming new stars — a process astronomers call quenching. Instead, the findings suggest slower internal processes play a much larger role than galaxy mergers in shutting down star formation. This suggests most galaxies don’t “die” in spectacular cosmic pileups after all. (7/21)
BAE, Trimble to Help Develop Space Force GPS Receiver (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded BAE Systems and Trimble agreements to develop the Maritime and Aviation Receiver Card, a next-generation military GPS receiver. The first phase involves advancing requirements and design work, while the second will focus on prototyping and integration. The receiver aims to enhance positioning, navigation and timing in contested environments, building on the Military GPS User Equipment Increment 1 program. (7/21)
Northrop Grumman Satellite Servicer Reaches Orbit (Source: Via Satellite)
The Mission Robotics Vehicle, developed by Northrop Grumman in partnership with NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory, has reached orbit to provide advanced refueling and life-extension services for satellites. Equipped with robotic arms, the MRV is designed to set a new standard for in-orbit servicing and lay the groundwork for future satellite repairs, inspections and assembly. (7/21)
NASA’s Isaacman Isn’t Asking the GOP for More Money (Source: Politico)
NASA wants to return to the moon and go even further, but the new agency head said he’s got the cash to get there. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman spoke to an influential group of House Republicans on Wednesday — but he didn’t make a pitch for more money when he walked through his agency’s ambitious plans for space. “I’m not here asking for money,” Isaacman told GOP members during the weekly Republican Study Committee lunch, according to five people who were in the room. RSC Chair August Pfluger (R-TX) also confirmed Isaacman’s comments while leaving the meeting Wednesday. (7/22)
Another Trillion-Plus Pentagon Budget Authorization Passed by Republican-Led House (Source: NPR)
House Republicans passed $1.1 trillion in funding for the military on Wednesday, in a final flurry of activity before leaving Washington for a more than month-long recess. The funding, an annual military policy bill called the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, passed by a vote of 216 to 212, with six Democrats joining Republicans to support the bill. It now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain path forward.
The bill — typically advanced with broad bipartisan majorities — has become a largely party-line effort this year. Republicans call the bill "a generational investment in America's national defense" that "builds the fighting force of the future by prioritizing innovation, lethality, and readiness." (7/22)
Electra Picks Ohio for $850M Aircraft Plant (Source: WLWT)
Electra, an advanced air mobility company, will build an $850 million aircraft manufacturing plant in Springfield, Ohio. The facility, expected to create 1,975 jobs, will produce the EL9 Ultra Short aircraft. The project is expected to be supported by state and local incentives tied to job creation and workforce development. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a proposed Job Creation Tax Credit at a future meeting. (7/22)
Rocket Lab Wins $266M From Space Force for Alaska Suborbital Launches (Source: Tech Times)
Rocket Lab has secured a $266 million contract from the Space Force for 12 suborbital launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska, with options for six more by 2028. This contract, the largest in Rocket Lab's history, leverages the unique geographic advantages of the Alaska spaceport, which can access a wide range of orbital inclinations without fuel-wasting maneuvers. The contract likely involves the Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, a variant of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, and is independent of Neutron development. (7/22)
Iridium Reports 4% Revenue Growth in Q2 Amid Rocket Lab Acquisition Deal (Source: Via Satellite)
Iridium grew revenue and subscribers in the second quarter, while the company is in the midst of a deal to be acquired by Rocket Lab. The satellite operator reported $225.2 million in Q2 revenue, up 4% year-over-year. Commercial revenue of $133.7 million was up 4% from the same time last year, with Commercial IoT data delivering a 9% increase in billable subscribers. Iridium noted that increases in commercial services were partially offset by a decrease in commercial broadband revenue. (7/22)
Launch of 500 U.S. Space Force Satellites Planned By End Of 2027 (Source: Defense Daily)
By the end of next year, U.S. Space Force (USSF) is planning a multi-fold increase in the service's launches and its number of orbiting satellites. Military officials announced they were tripling the maximum value of one of the service’s National Security Space Launch contracts to $17 billion. It seems as though $5.6 billion wasn’t enough. (7/22)
China's Shijian-31 Surveys Entire GEO Belt From Custom Orbit (Source: KeepTrack)
Shijian-31, launched by China in June, is flying a non-standard orbit that gives it a sweeping vantage point across the geostationary belt rather than parking at a single longitude. Analysts tracking the satellite say the geometry lets it pass by multiple GEO slots over time instead of the fixed-position monitoring typical of most Chinese inspector satellites. This matters for anyone watching China’s GEO surveillance buildup. A satellite that can survey the entire belt from one bus, rather than requiring multiple assets at fixed slots, changes the math on how many spacecraft China needs to keep tabs on US and allied GEO assets. (7/23)
Musk Says Tesla And SpaceX ‘Can’t Talk About’ Merging On Earnings Call (Source: Forbes)
Musk, in response to a question from Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan about a possible merger between Tesla and SpaceX, said: “We can’t talk about, you know, combining companies and that kind of thing on an earnings call—it has got to be done with the appropriate process.” There is “more and more overlap” between Tesla and SpaceX, Musk said, referencing Starlink’s integration into Cybertrucks—and later inclusion in all Tesla vehicles, according to Musk—and TeraFab, a proposed AI chip manufacturing venture between Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, which is now a SpaceX subsidiary. (7/22)
ONERA Selects Belgium's AMOS to Build French Space Surveillance Telescope (Source: European Spaceflight)
Belgium’s AMOS has been selected by the French aerospace research agency ONERA to build PROVIDENCE, a 2.5-metre ground-based telescope that will provide detailed images of satellites in low Earth orbit for the French Air and Space Force. The telescope is expected to enter service in early 2029. (7/22)
Extra $11 Billion to Fund Huge Leap in Space Force Launches (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force’s move to increase the contract ceiling for less complex, less critical launches by $11.4 billion will cover an additional 110 launches, raising the total number of expected missions to 170 over the next decade. The Space Force on July 17 announced the tripling of its original $5.6 billion ceiling for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, bringing the total to $17 billion. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract has a five-year base plus a five-year option between 2025 and 2034. (7/22)
Next Space Force Chief Throws Cold Water on the Idea of Space Privateers (Source: Ars Technica)
In the early years of the United States, when the nascent US Navy was still getting its sea legs, several presidents used privateers to capture or destroy enemy warships when armed naval vessels were unable to do so. President John Adams was one of the most vigorous proponents of commissioning private vessels for national ends. His administration issued letters of marque and reprisal during the so-called “Quasi-War” with France in the final years of the 18th century. These letters created the legal distinction between privateering and piracy.
Fast forward to today. Privateering is now prohibited under international law, and although it remains enshrined in the Constitution, the US government hasn’t used the practice since the War of 1812. Still, some present-day lawmakers want to bring it back. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) authored a bill last year seeking to allow privateering in the fight against drug cartels. Lee and Burchett introduced a separate bill earlier this month calling for the government to use letters of marque and reprisal for cyber warfare.
Sen Jack Reed (D-RI) asked Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess, the nominee for the next Chief of Space Operations, about it. “There are definitely different mission areas where having commercial leasing, different ways to do that, makes sense,” Schiess said. “Satellite communications, space domain awareness, things like that. But I also agree when it is a weapon system or a capability that would be able to harm another person’s equipment, their assets, or even people, that needs to be completely owned by the Space Force and needs to be controlled.” (7/22)
Saltzman: No Avoiding the War Zone in Space (Source: Space.com)
"If a conflict extends into space, none of us will be able to avoid the war zone. Unlike a combat zone in the air, land or sea, we will not be able to steer clear," Gen. Chance Saltzman said in his remarks at the conference, published by the Space Force. "Whether we want to be in the combat zone or not, orbital mechanics will put all of our space capabilities into the space war zone." (7/22)
Vast Establishes Division for National Security Projects (Source: Space News)
Vast, the commercial space station and spacecraft developer, has established a dedicated division focused on work in national security space. The new unit is intended to support and execute national security-oriented projects alongside the company’s commercial space station and spacecraft efforts. (7/22)
UK Scraps the Department in Charge of UKSA (Source: Payload)
As the UK touted its aerospace achievements at the Farnborough Air Show, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham saw the perfect opportunity to scrap the department responsible. Burnham, who took office Monday, announced that the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT)—which housed the UK Space Agency (UKSA) after a shakeup last year—is no longer. DSIT will be replaced by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; and the Cabinet Office. Officials from UKSA declined to comment on the reorganization. (7/22)
Breaking Down the $686 Billion Space Economy (Source: Payload)
The Space Foundation’s latest reporting breaks down the global space economy at $686B and outlines its growth trajectory. The update provides a consolidated view of the sector’s scale and direction, useful for benchmarking investment plans and capacity across space segments. Government space spending hit $141B across 53 budgets, up 7.4% YoY. The US accounted for 57% of the total, but the real movement came from allies building domestic capabilities—Canada more than doubled its spending to $612M, and the UK, France, and South Korea each grew their space budgets more than 40%.
Commercial activity reached $544.3B, or 79% of the space economy—almost quadruple what all 53 governments spent combined. PNT services generated about 41% of the total commercial revenue and, with ground equipment, account for more than three-quarters. Upstream commercial sectors are far smaller, but moving much faster, by revenue: Satellite manufacturing is up 67.2%; Launch is up 49.4%; and In-space servicing and SSA are both up 42.9%. (7/22)
MDA Space UK Selected by OHB to Provide Advanced Lunar Landing Sensors for ESA’s Argonaut Mission (Source: MDA)
MDA Space has received a Pre-Authorization to Proceed (PATP) contract from OHB System AG (OHB), a leading European space systems provider, to deliver critical lunar landing sensors for the European Space Agency's (ESA) Argonaut spacecraft. The Argonaut program, led by ESA, represents Europe’s first independent lunar landing capability. (7/21)
Space Force Orders 36 More Golden Dome Missile-Tracking Satellites, for $1.75 Billion (Source: Space.com)
The U.S. Space Force is adding three dozen spacecraft to its growing constellation designed to detect and track incoming missiles from orbit. The Space Development Agency (SDA) announced the agreements, worth a combined $1.75 billion, on July 14, naming L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space as the recipients.
Each company will provide 18 Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) spacecraft, for a total of 36 satellites that will grow the SDA Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation, part of the Trump Administration's Golden Dome initiative. All 36 are expected to be ready for launch by the end of 2028, according to an SDA statement. (7/21)
Relativity to Expand Terran R Production in Florida with $134 Million Incentive (Source: Space News)
Relativity Space will expand production of its Terran R rocket in Florida. The company and Space Florida announced a deal Tuesday where the state will help finance development of a new rocket production facility in Florida along with upgrades to test and launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. The state will provide up to $134 million toward those projects. Relativity said the Florida factory would be in addition to its existing facility in Long Beach, California. The medium-lift rocket remains in development and the company has not announced a date for its first launch from Cape Canaveral. (7/22)
Northrop Grumman Takes Hits From Flawed Solid Motors for Vulcan (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman is taking another charge related to the redesign of the solid rocket motor it produces for United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur. The company said Tuesday as part of its second quarter financial results that it took a $91 million unfavorable adjustment to its earnings at completion on its GEM 63XL motor program, after reporting a $71 million unfavorable adjustment in the first quarter.
The motor suffered what ULA called a "significant performance anomaly" on a February launch, leading to changes in the design of the booster. Northrop said it expects to begin delivering the redesigned motors by the end of the year. Vulcan has not launched since that February mission, although the Space Force said this spring it was considering revamping its launch manifest to bring forward missions that could use Vulcan without any solid rocket boosters. (7/22)
Glover: First Artemis Human Lunar Landing Should Target Non-Polar Region (Source: Space News)
An Artemis 2 astronaut says NASA should reconsider plans to immediately go to the south polar region of the moon on the first crewed Artemis landings. Speaking at a conference Tuesday, Victor Glover said the first landings should target more familiar regions of the moon, like those closer to the equator used on the Apollo missions, citing safety concerns and less challenging terrain and lighting conditions there.
Landing in equatorial regions, he said, could allow NASA to gain experience with landers and "work our way to the south pole" on later missions. NASA officials said at the meeting that they continue to target the south polar regions for the Artemis 4 and 5 missions, scheduled for 2028, but added that exact landing sites would be determined only after better understanding the capabilities of the landers under development. (7/22)
China's Orienspace Launches Nine Satellites From Ship (Source: Space News)
A Chinese commercial rocket placed nine satellites in orbit after launching from a ship. Orienspace's Gravity-1 rocket lifted off at 10:54 p.m. Eastern Tuesday from a ship offshore from Shanghai. The launch carried nine payloads including six Dongpo satellites for the Huantian optical and radar imaging constellation. This was the third launch of the solid-fuel Gravity-1 rocket as Orienspace works on Gravity-2, a liquid-fuel reusable rocket set to make its debut late this year. (7/22)
SpaceX Launches Wednesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites a day after a last-second abort. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday, putting 24 satellites into orbit. The launch came 24 hours after the vehicle aborted a liftoff immediately after igniting its Merlin engines. SpaceX did not disclose the issue that caused the scrub. (7/22)
South Korea's Innospace Plans Orbital Launch in November (Source: Innospace)
South Korean launch startup Innospace expects to make another orbital launch attempt in November. The company said Wednesday it expects to fly its Hanbit-Nano rocket from the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil in November, 11 months after the rocket's inaugural flight there failed shortly after liftoff. That will come after the launch of a suborbital rocket, Sebit, from Alcântara on Aug. 19. Innospace developed Sebit to provide testing and technology demonstration services. (7/22)
1960s Fighter Jet Could Crack Open Small Payload Launch Market (Source: Simply Wall Street)
Starfighters Space is a U.S.-based aerospace company focused on launch services for space payloads, aerospace testing, and defense research. In the past, the company generated revenue from pilot training and in-flight testing. But now, they’re moving to something far more ambitious.
Starfighters Space owns a fleet of supersonic F-104 aircraft (they call Starfighters) and plans to use them as a reusable first stage for space launches. That means they don’t have to build entire multi-stage rockets from scratch like other space launch companies do, easily getting around the massive development price tags that often come with such endeavors. That initiative is called STARLAUNCH, and management believes it could become the company's biggest long-term revenue driver. STARLAUNCH, however, is still in development. (7/7)
The British Business Bank has announced that it has made a firm proposal to the UK Government to set up a £100m aerospace supply chain fund to support UK suppliers and strengthen manufacturing capability across the sector. The proposed fund will help strengthen the aerospace supply chain, giving high-potential UK suppliers the capital they need to scale, invest and compete. The fund has been specifically designed to bring together public and private sector investment to support this strategically important sector of the UK economy. (7/20)
UK Government to Invest £62M More to Boost National Space Sector (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.K. government is to invest a further 62 million pounds ($83.4 million) to help boost the space sector in the country. This funding will support new satellite communications systems and space innovation projects, helping turn early-stage ideas into commercial products, with the aim of strengthening the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, and build a more resilient domestic space sector.
The funds announced Monday includes 42 million pounds ($56.5 million) to develop new British satellite communications technologies and 20 million pounds ($26.9 million) to support space innovation projects across industry and universities. (7/23)
FCC Votes to Adopt New Licensing Process for Satellites (Source: Aerospace America)
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to overhaul its satellite licensing process, despite a request to postpone the vote by U.S. House space policy leaders. The FCC on July 1 published the Space Modernization Order outlining the changes, which include establishing “a licensing assembly line” to process applications for satellite licenses, potentially in batches as opposed to separate approvals for each satellite in a large constellation. The order is among several planned overhauls to U.S. space licensing that were prompted by various 2025 White House executive orders. (7/22)
FIU Study Challenges Leading Explanation for Why Galaxies Stop Forming Stars (Source: FIU)
Understanding why galaxies stop forming stars is one of the biggest questions in galaxy evolution because it helps scientists explain how galaxies change over billions of years.
FIU research found galaxy mergers are neither necessary nor sufficient to stop galaxies from forming new stars — a process astronomers call quenching. Instead, the findings suggest slower internal processes play a much larger role than galaxy mergers in shutting down star formation. This suggests most galaxies don’t “die” in spectacular cosmic pileups after all. (7/21)
BAE, Trimble to Help Develop Space Force GPS Receiver (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded BAE Systems and Trimble agreements to develop the Maritime and Aviation Receiver Card, a next-generation military GPS receiver. The first phase involves advancing requirements and design work, while the second will focus on prototyping and integration. The receiver aims to enhance positioning, navigation and timing in contested environments, building on the Military GPS User Equipment Increment 1 program. (7/21)
Northrop Grumman Satellite Servicer Reaches Orbit (Source: Via Satellite)
The Mission Robotics Vehicle, developed by Northrop Grumman in partnership with NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory, has reached orbit to provide advanced refueling and life-extension services for satellites. Equipped with robotic arms, the MRV is designed to set a new standard for in-orbit servicing and lay the groundwork for future satellite repairs, inspections and assembly. (7/21)
NASA’s Isaacman Isn’t Asking the GOP for More Money (Source: Politico)
NASA wants to return to the moon and go even further, but the new agency head said he’s got the cash to get there. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman spoke to an influential group of House Republicans on Wednesday — but he didn’t make a pitch for more money when he walked through his agency’s ambitious plans for space. “I’m not here asking for money,” Isaacman told GOP members during the weekly Republican Study Committee lunch, according to five people who were in the room. RSC Chair August Pfluger (R-TX) also confirmed Isaacman’s comments while leaving the meeting Wednesday. (7/22)
Another Trillion-Plus Pentagon Budget Authorization Passed by Republican-Led House (Source: NPR)
House Republicans passed $1.1 trillion in funding for the military on Wednesday, in a final flurry of activity before leaving Washington for a more than month-long recess. The funding, an annual military policy bill called the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, passed by a vote of 216 to 212, with six Democrats joining Republicans to support the bill. It now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain path forward.
The bill — typically advanced with broad bipartisan majorities — has become a largely party-line effort this year. Republicans call the bill "a generational investment in America's national defense" that "builds the fighting force of the future by prioritizing innovation, lethality, and readiness." (7/22)
Electra Picks Ohio for $850M Aircraft Plant (Source: WLWT)
Electra, an advanced air mobility company, will build an $850 million aircraft manufacturing plant in Springfield, Ohio. The facility, expected to create 1,975 jobs, will produce the EL9 Ultra Short aircraft. The project is expected to be supported by state and local incentives tied to job creation and workforce development. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a proposed Job Creation Tax Credit at a future meeting. (7/22)
Rocket Lab Wins $266M From Space Force for Alaska Suborbital Launches (Source: Tech Times)
Rocket Lab has secured a $266 million contract from the Space Force for 12 suborbital launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska, with options for six more by 2028. This contract, the largest in Rocket Lab's history, leverages the unique geographic advantages of the Alaska spaceport, which can access a wide range of orbital inclinations without fuel-wasting maneuvers. The contract likely involves the Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, a variant of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, and is independent of Neutron development. (7/22)
Iridium Reports 4% Revenue Growth in Q2 Amid Rocket Lab Acquisition Deal (Source: Via Satellite)
Iridium grew revenue and subscribers in the second quarter, while the company is in the midst of a deal to be acquired by Rocket Lab. The satellite operator reported $225.2 million in Q2 revenue, up 4% year-over-year. Commercial revenue of $133.7 million was up 4% from the same time last year, with Commercial IoT data delivering a 9% increase in billable subscribers. Iridium noted that increases in commercial services were partially offset by a decrease in commercial broadband revenue. (7/22)
Launch of 500 U.S. Space Force Satellites Planned By End Of 2027 (Source: Defense Daily)
By the end of next year, U.S. Space Force (USSF) is planning a multi-fold increase in the service's launches and its number of orbiting satellites. Military officials announced they were tripling the maximum value of one of the service’s National Security Space Launch contracts to $17 billion. It seems as though $5.6 billion wasn’t enough. (7/22)
China's Shijian-31 Surveys Entire GEO Belt From Custom Orbit (Source: KeepTrack)
Shijian-31, launched by China in June, is flying a non-standard orbit that gives it a sweeping vantage point across the geostationary belt rather than parking at a single longitude. Analysts tracking the satellite say the geometry lets it pass by multiple GEO slots over time instead of the fixed-position monitoring typical of most Chinese inspector satellites. This matters for anyone watching China’s GEO surveillance buildup. A satellite that can survey the entire belt from one bus, rather than requiring multiple assets at fixed slots, changes the math on how many spacecraft China needs to keep tabs on US and allied GEO assets. (7/23)
Musk Says Tesla And SpaceX ‘Can’t Talk About’ Merging On Earnings Call (Source: Forbes)
Musk, in response to a question from Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan about a possible merger between Tesla and SpaceX, said: “We can’t talk about, you know, combining companies and that kind of thing on an earnings call—it has got to be done with the appropriate process.” There is “more and more overlap” between Tesla and SpaceX, Musk said, referencing Starlink’s integration into Cybertrucks—and later inclusion in all Tesla vehicles, according to Musk—and TeraFab, a proposed AI chip manufacturing venture between Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, which is now a SpaceX subsidiary. (7/22)
ONERA Selects Belgium's AMOS to Build French Space Surveillance Telescope (Source: European Spaceflight)
Belgium’s AMOS has been selected by the French aerospace research agency ONERA to build PROVIDENCE, a 2.5-metre ground-based telescope that will provide detailed images of satellites in low Earth orbit for the French Air and Space Force. The telescope is expected to enter service in early 2029. (7/22)
Extra $11 Billion to Fund Huge Leap in Space Force Launches (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force’s move to increase the contract ceiling for less complex, less critical launches by $11.4 billion will cover an additional 110 launches, raising the total number of expected missions to 170 over the next decade. The Space Force on July 17 announced the tripling of its original $5.6 billion ceiling for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, bringing the total to $17 billion. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract has a five-year base plus a five-year option between 2025 and 2034. (7/22)
Next Space Force Chief Throws Cold Water on the Idea of Space Privateers (Source: Ars Technica)
In the early years of the United States, when the nascent US Navy was still getting its sea legs, several presidents used privateers to capture or destroy enemy warships when armed naval vessels were unable to do so. President John Adams was one of the most vigorous proponents of commissioning private vessels for national ends. His administration issued letters of marque and reprisal during the so-called “Quasi-War” with France in the final years of the 18th century. These letters created the legal distinction between privateering and piracy.
Fast forward to today. Privateering is now prohibited under international law, and although it remains enshrined in the Constitution, the US government hasn’t used the practice since the War of 1812. Still, some present-day lawmakers want to bring it back. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) authored a bill last year seeking to allow privateering in the fight against drug cartels. Lee and Burchett introduced a separate bill earlier this month calling for the government to use letters of marque and reprisal for cyber warfare.
Sen Jack Reed (D-RI) asked Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess, the nominee for the next Chief of Space Operations, about it. “There are definitely different mission areas where having commercial leasing, different ways to do that, makes sense,” Schiess said. “Satellite communications, space domain awareness, things like that. But I also agree when it is a weapon system or a capability that would be able to harm another person’s equipment, their assets, or even people, that needs to be completely owned by the Space Force and needs to be controlled.” (7/22)
Saltzman: No Avoiding the War Zone in Space (Source: Space.com)
"If a conflict extends into space, none of us will be able to avoid the war zone. Unlike a combat zone in the air, land or sea, we will not be able to steer clear," Gen. Chance Saltzman said in his remarks at the conference, published by the Space Force. "Whether we want to be in the combat zone or not, orbital mechanics will put all of our space capabilities into the space war zone." (7/22)
Vast Establishes Division for National Security Projects (Source: Space News)
Vast, the commercial space station and spacecraft developer, has established a dedicated division focused on work in national security space. The new unit is intended to support and execute national security-oriented projects alongside the company’s commercial space station and spacecraft efforts. (7/22)
UK Scraps the Department in Charge of UKSA (Source: Payload)
As the UK touted its aerospace achievements at the Farnborough Air Show, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham saw the perfect opportunity to scrap the department responsible. Burnham, who took office Monday, announced that the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT)—which housed the UK Space Agency (UKSA) after a shakeup last year—is no longer. DSIT will be replaced by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; and the Cabinet Office. Officials from UKSA declined to comment on the reorganization. (7/22)
Breaking Down the $686 Billion Space Economy (Source: Payload)
The Space Foundation’s latest reporting breaks down the global space economy at $686B and outlines its growth trajectory. The update provides a consolidated view of the sector’s scale and direction, useful for benchmarking investment plans and capacity across space segments. Government space spending hit $141B across 53 budgets, up 7.4% YoY. The US accounted for 57% of the total, but the real movement came from allies building domestic capabilities—Canada more than doubled its spending to $612M, and the UK, France, and South Korea each grew their space budgets more than 40%.
Commercial activity reached $544.3B, or 79% of the space economy—almost quadruple what all 53 governments spent combined. PNT services generated about 41% of the total commercial revenue and, with ground equipment, account for more than three-quarters. Upstream commercial sectors are far smaller, but moving much faster, by revenue: Satellite manufacturing is up 67.2%; Launch is up 49.4%; and In-space servicing and SSA are both up 42.9%. (7/22)
MDA Space UK Selected by OHB to Provide Advanced Lunar Landing Sensors for ESA’s Argonaut Mission (Source: MDA)
MDA Space has received a Pre-Authorization to Proceed (PATP) contract from OHB System AG (OHB), a leading European space systems provider, to deliver critical lunar landing sensors for the European Space Agency's (ESA) Argonaut spacecraft. The Argonaut program, led by ESA, represents Europe’s first independent lunar landing capability. (7/21)
Space Force Orders 36 More Golden Dome Missile-Tracking Satellites, for $1.75 Billion (Source: Space.com)
The U.S. Space Force is adding three dozen spacecraft to its growing constellation designed to detect and track incoming missiles from orbit. The Space Development Agency (SDA) announced the agreements, worth a combined $1.75 billion, on July 14, naming L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space as the recipients.
Each company will provide 18 Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) spacecraft, for a total of 36 satellites that will grow the SDA Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture's Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation, part of the Trump Administration's Golden Dome initiative. All 36 are expected to be ready for launch by the end of 2028, according to an SDA statement. (7/21)
Relativity to Expand Terran R Production in Florida with $134 Million Incentive (Source: Space News)
Relativity Space will expand production of its Terran R rocket in Florida. The company and Space Florida announced a deal Tuesday where the state will help finance development of a new rocket production facility in Florida along with upgrades to test and launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. The state will provide up to $134 million toward those projects. Relativity said the Florida factory would be in addition to its existing facility in Long Beach, California. The medium-lift rocket remains in development and the company has not announced a date for its first launch from Cape Canaveral. (7/22)
Northrop Grumman Takes Hits From Flawed Solid Motors for Vulcan (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman is taking another charge related to the redesign of the solid rocket motor it produces for United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur. The company said Tuesday as part of its second quarter financial results that it took a $91 million unfavorable adjustment to its earnings at completion on its GEM 63XL motor program, after reporting a $71 million unfavorable adjustment in the first quarter.
The motor suffered what ULA called a "significant performance anomaly" on a February launch, leading to changes in the design of the booster. Northrop said it expects to begin delivering the redesigned motors by the end of the year. Vulcan has not launched since that February mission, although the Space Force said this spring it was considering revamping its launch manifest to bring forward missions that could use Vulcan without any solid rocket boosters. (7/22)
Glover: First Artemis Human Lunar Landing Should Target Non-Polar Region (Source: Space News)
An Artemis 2 astronaut says NASA should reconsider plans to immediately go to the south polar region of the moon on the first crewed Artemis landings. Speaking at a conference Tuesday, Victor Glover said the first landings should target more familiar regions of the moon, like those closer to the equator used on the Apollo missions, citing safety concerns and less challenging terrain and lighting conditions there.
Landing in equatorial regions, he said, could allow NASA to gain experience with landers and "work our way to the south pole" on later missions. NASA officials said at the meeting that they continue to target the south polar regions for the Artemis 4 and 5 missions, scheduled for 2028, but added that exact landing sites would be determined only after better understanding the capabilities of the landers under development. (7/22)
China's Orienspace Launches Nine Satellites From Ship (Source: Space News)
A Chinese commercial rocket placed nine satellites in orbit after launching from a ship. Orienspace's Gravity-1 rocket lifted off at 10:54 p.m. Eastern Tuesday from a ship offshore from Shanghai. The launch carried nine payloads including six Dongpo satellites for the Huantian optical and radar imaging constellation. This was the third launch of the solid-fuel Gravity-1 rocket as Orienspace works on Gravity-2, a liquid-fuel reusable rocket set to make its debut late this year. (7/22)
SpaceX Launches Wednesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites a day after a last-second abort. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday, putting 24 satellites into orbit. The launch came 24 hours after the vehicle aborted a liftoff immediately after igniting its Merlin engines. SpaceX did not disclose the issue that caused the scrub. (7/22)
South Korea's Innospace Plans Orbital Launch in November (Source: Innospace)
South Korean launch startup Innospace expects to make another orbital launch attempt in November. The company said Wednesday it expects to fly its Hanbit-Nano rocket from the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil in November, 11 months after the rocket's inaugural flight there failed shortly after liftoff. That will come after the launch of a suborbital rocket, Sebit, from Alcântara on Aug. 19. Innospace developed Sebit to provide testing and technology demonstration services. (7/22)
1960s Fighter Jet Could Crack Open Small Payload Launch Market (Source: Simply Wall Street)
Starfighters Space is a U.S.-based aerospace company focused on launch services for space payloads, aerospace testing, and defense research. In the past, the company generated revenue from pilot training and in-flight testing. But now, they’re moving to something far more ambitious.
Starfighters Space owns a fleet of supersonic F-104 aircraft (they call Starfighters) and plans to use them as a reusable first stage for space launches. That means they don’t have to build entire multi-stage rockets from scratch like other space launch companies do, easily getting around the massive development price tags that often come with such endeavors. That initiative is called STARLAUNCH, and management believes it could become the company's biggest long-term revenue driver. STARLAUNCH, however, is still in development. (7/7)
July 22, 2026
Australian Space Agency Outlines New
Strategic Direction for Industry Growth (Source: SpaceQ)
The Australian Space Agency has released an updated framework titled the Statement on Space. Minister Tim Ayres and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton introduced the document at the ongoing Australian Space Forum, detailing a government vision aimed at securing national capability and boosting industrial participation in the global market.
The strategy arrives as the domestic sector looks to expand beyond its current base of 275 small and medium enterprises, which generated $4.6 billion Australian (about $4.5 billion Cdn) in 2021. Since it’s 2026, it seems odd the government does not have updated financial figures of the impact the space sector has on the Australian economy. (7/21)
Western Range Supports its 50th Launch of the Year (Source: USSF)
Vandenberg Space Force Base Guardians and Airmen supported the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 17-39 mission to low-Earth orbit Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 7:49 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4). Today's mission marks the 50th launch supported from Vandenberg Space Force Base for 2026 from the U.S. Space Force’s West Coast Spaceport and Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Every launch approved by the Vandenberg Space Force Base range is designated by the federal government to advance economic growth, strengthen national security, and achieve critical national space objectives — reinforcing the Central Coast’s role as a global gateway to space. (7/21)
Poland Joins Mission to Free Europe From Starlink Dependence (Source: TVP World)
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński and EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius signed an agreement in Warsaw on Tuesday, making Poland one of six key contributors behind the €10.6 billion IRIS2 project. IRIS2 is an EU-backed satellite network designed to provide secure, encrypted communications under European control for governments, emergency responders and critical infrastructure.
The project reflects Europe’s growing determination to safeguard critical communications following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amid geopolitical tensions with the Donald Trump administration in the US. Concerns have also grown over dependence on privately owned satellite services after Musk suggested earlier this year that he could restrict Starlink access to Ukraine. (7/21)
ESA Seeks Novel Concepts for a Fast Asteroid Reconnaissance Mission (Source: ESA)
NASA's DART mission proved that a spacecraft can alter an asteroid's trajectory. But it also taught us something equally important: to do so efficiently, you first need to understand your target. That makes reconnaissance the essential first step in any deflection effort – and right now, even the fastest mission ESA can mount takes several years from the start of construction to launch.
ESA is preparing to set a new benchmark for rapid asteroid reconnaissance with RAMSES, which will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis just 3.5 years after the start of construction. Yet even this pace could, in a real-world scenario, mean missing the window to reach a threatening asteroid in time. So ESA is launching a new SysNova challenge calling for novel and advanced concepts for a fast asteroid reconnaissance mission, open now on the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). (7/22)
Space Force Could Cap Launch Support Without Extra Funding (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is warning lawmakers that the Space Force may eventually have to limit the number of launches it can support each year without additional resources to manage surging demand at its spaceports.
Demand for rides to space for both commercial and military payloads has risen dramatically in recent years, and the Space Force is responsible for facilitating the bulk of U.S. launch operations at its two coastal ranges, which together supported 180 missions in 2025. Annual launch rates at the two ranges are projected to grow to more than 700 over the next five to 10 years, and leaders say more funding is essential to further prepare its spaceport infrastructure for that higher throughput. (7/21)
Auxilium Biotechnologies Prints Kidney and Liver Tissues in Orbit (Source: Douglas Messier)
Auxilium Biotechnologies has announced a major milestone in space biomanufacturing with the successful bioprinting of kidney and liver tissues aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking the first time either tissue type has been manufactured in space. Auxilium’s bioprinted biological tissues and nerve repair implants returned to earth on Mission AXLM-3 that flew on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-34 and splashed down off the California coast on June 17th, 2026, at 5:11 am Pacific.
During the mission, Auxilium’s AMP-1 orbital bioprinter successfully manufactured kidney, liver, and cartilage tissues while also producing 28 nerve repair implants. The achievement represents the first demonstration of kidney tissue manufacturing in space, the first demonstration of liver tissue manufacturing in space, and the first mission to manufacture three distinct tissue types during a single spaceflight. The production of multiple tissue types and clinically relevant nerve repair implants represents the first demonstration of a scalable, multi-product biomanufacturing platform in space. (7/21)
Raytheon Leads $423M USSF Radar Modernization Effort (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded contracts totaling $423.4 million to Raytheon, SciTec Innovations and WildStar to modernize six legacy ground-based radar systems. Raytheon received $309.5 million, SciTec $93.7 million and WildStar $20.2 million. The project aims to enhance battlespace situational awareness by improving radar tracking, range and object classification. (7/20)
NASA’s Nuclear Mars Mission to Cost Over $2 Billion (Source: Politico)
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman’s ambitious plans to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft and fly it to Mars will cost over $2 billion, the agency confirmed this week. The new cost estimate for the mission, dubbed Space Reactor-1 Freedom, comes as the agency juggles a number of high-profile missions — including returning humans to the Moon and building a lunar outpost — all while operating under what is expected to be a flat budget.
“Early cost estimates are approximately $2.1 billion, and NASA will continue refining that figure through the acquisition process,” the agency confirmed. The agency plans to spend $640 million in fiscal 2026, $890 million in 2027, $415 million in 2028, and $180 million in 2029 on the program, according to a document sent to Congress and viewed by POLITICO. NASA will pull that money from the agency’s exploration account and from funding it received through the party-line reconciliation bill passed last year. (7/21)
Space Lasers to Beam 4K Video for Artemis III (Source: Space.com)
NASA is partnering with SpaceX to equip the Artemis III Orion spacecraft with Starlink laser communications terminals. The upgrade is intended to support high-definition—reported as 4K—video transmission and enable higher-throughput, data-heavy mission downlinks during the Artemis III timeframe. (7/21)
SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two dozen Starlink V2 Mini broadband internet satellites to its massive low Earth orbit constellation on Tuesday, a day after liftoff was scrubbed Monday by a rare abort during engine ignition. (7/21)
NASA is Flying Planes Into Wildfires to Try and Figure Out How They Make Their Own Thunderstorms (Source: Independent)
NASA says it’s planning to fly planes into dangerous wildfire-generated storms this summer to help improve forecasting – and potentially save lives. Major wildfires across the U.S. West have produced clouds that can shoot choking smoke high into Earth’s atmosphere, generate thousands of fire-causing lightning strikes in a matter of just hours, and even spawn destructive, whirling firenadoes. These clouds and their impacts complicate firefighting efforts and threaten Americans living near the fire and those thousands of miles away. (7/21)
SpaceX Snaps 7-Day Losing Streak, Sets Earnings Date That Triggers First Big Share Unlock (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX’s stock gained 3% on Tuesday, snapping a seven-day losing streak after setting its maiden earnings report, which coincides with a major share lock-up expiration. The contractor announced Aug. 4 as its debut earnings report after its record initial public offering. The date also triggers the company’s unique lock-up period, which allows insiders to begin selling shares earlier than the typical 180-day period.
SpaceX took a staggered approach, allowing insiders to sell portions of their stock at earlier intervals to prevent massive selling and price volatility. The first earnings report paves the way for investors to sell 20% of their eligible locked-up stock, a total of up to 911.5 million shares, on the second full trading day immediately following the first earnings release date, Aug. 6. An additional 10% could be freed up if the stock closes at least 30% above the IPO price for five of the ten trading days heading into the report. (7/21)
New Zealand's Zenno Astronautics to Relocate to the United States (Source: Space News)
Zenno Astronautics, a New Zealand-founded space company pioneering superconducting technologies for space, today announced its intent to redomicile to the United States. While maintaining its presence in New Zealand, the company is establishing its headquarters in Los Angeles as part of its long-term strategy to expand its presence in the world's largest aerospace and defense market and evaluate future investments in manufacturing, testing and operational infrastructure. (7/21)
FCC Eyes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Bands for Satellites (Source: Payload)
The FCC announced last week that it will consider a proposal on Aug. 6 to allow unlicensed Part 15 wireless devices to communicate directly with satellites. More than $40B has moved through D2D spectrum deals since 2024, from SpaceX’s $19.6B EchoStar spectrum purchase to the Amazon-Globalstar and Rocket Lab-Iridium acquisitions. The new FCC proposal would open more than 225 MHz of unlicensed spectrum—over three times what SpaceX bought—for free.
The spectrum the FCC wants to open was never anyone’s to sell. Part 15 governs devices that operate without a license—think Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth speakers, garage door openers, and smart meters. Rather than applying for spectrum rights, these devices simply comply with technical limitations. (7/21)
Spectrum and RFA One, Two Bavarian Launchers Neck and Neck (Source: AeroSpatium)
Which small European private launcher will be the first to reach orbit? Isar Aerospace, with the second flight of its Spectrum, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), with the inaugural flight of its RFA One, are both aiming for the beginning of August. Of the five startups selected last year by the ESA for its European Launcher Challenge , one – Orbex – has gone out of business, and two are preparing to launch from Kourou at the end of this year or next (PLD Space and MaiaSpace). But the other two Bavarian companies, Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg (Germany), both intend to reach orbit next month, launching from Northern Europe. (7/13)
Making Progress: Relativity’s Terran R, Rocket Lab’s Neutron, and PLD Space’s Miura 5 (Source: NSF)
Three companies developing new orbital rockets — Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and PLD Space — announced key testing milestones for vehicles targeted for debut flights later in 2026. Click here. (7/20)
Vikram-1: A Success for India’s Entire Space Ecosystem (Source: Space Review)
On Saturday, Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace successfully reached orbit on the first flight of its Vikram-1 rocket. Ajey Lele says this is a milestone not just for the company but the emerging Indian commercial space field. Click here. (7/21)
Getting to Yes—or No (Source: Space Review)
The US commercial space industry has pushed for years for a “mission authorization” system to approve novel space activities. Jeff Foust reports on the latest attempt to develop such a system, and how it could also become an avenue to block such efforts. Click here. (7/21)
The Arsenal’s New Owners (Source: Space Review)
The space industrial base is undergoing major changes with new players and new investment. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant argue that those companies would also benefit from reforms on how the government communicates its demand for space systems. Click here. (7/21)
Superstar in the Smithsonian: the FARRAH Satellite (Source: Space Review)
Among the new exhibits in the National Air and Space Museum is a half-scale model of a formerly top-secret signals intelligence satellite from the Cold War known as FARRAH. Dwayne Day discusses the history of that program. Click here. (7/21)
SpaceX Limits Future Commercial Rideshare Bookings Past 2028 Amid Severe Manifest Saturation (Source: SatNews)
Small satellite operators and mission integrators confirmed that SpaceX has stopped accepting new commercial launch bookings for both its Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Transporter series and mid-inclination Bandwagon missions beyond late 2028. The unexpected capacity freeze has triggered industry-wide logistical concerns as capital-constrained startups confront a sudden bottleneck to space access.
The sudden suspension of future commercial rideshare slots stems from a broader reallocation of internal launch infrastructure. Industry analysts report that SpaceX is increasingly prioritizing its internal Falcon 9 and Starship launch capacity to accelerate the deployment of the next-generation Starlink constellation.
Since the program’s inception in 2020, SpaceX’s sub-$300,000 baseline price point for standard CubeSat slots completely transformed NewSpace business models, rendering legacy, dedicated small-lift launch vehicles economically non-viable. The halt on new bookings past 2028 leaves a massive supply vacuum in the market. Startups that have raised capital based on ultra-cheap, highly predictable Transporter flight cadences must now face significantly higher launch costs or prolonged deployment delays, altering the economic baseline for emerging remote sensing and communications constellations. (7/20)
UK Misses Deadline to Award Contract for Space Debris Removal Mission (Source: European Spaceflight)
The UK Space Agency has missed a deadline to award a £75.6 million contract for the country’s first mission to capture and remove dead satellites from low Earth orbit. A call for Phase 3 of the mission’s development was published in July 2025, with the contract initially expected to be awarded by 30 March 2026. However, in its final annual report as an independent entity, published on 14 July, UKSA admitted that the contract award had been delayed. The agency is now targeting summer 2026 but has not explained the reason for the delay or provided a more precise timetable.
The Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission is expected to capture and remove two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit by the end of 2028. Neither satellite was designed to be removed from orbit, demonstrating the capture of unprepared, uncooperative objects in an increasingly congested orbital environment. In the initial call for tenders, the agency estimated the total value of Phase 3 at £63 million before VAT, or £75.6 million including VAT. However, separate spending-control records published by DSIT, the department that now oversees the UK Space Agency, show that £83.93 million excluding VAT was approved for the Phase 3 mission in June 2025. (7/20)
A SpaceX Rocket is About to Crash Onto the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Astronomers are gearing up for a unique moon observation event: a stray piece of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on track to hit the lunar surface on August 5. The collision and its aftermath, which may be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes, present an opportunity for some singular science. The crash could reveal new information about what happens in the immediate aftermath of an impact on the lunar surface and offer insights into the hazards of errant space junk to the moon. (7/20)
The Australian Space Agency has released an updated framework titled the Statement on Space. Minister Tim Ayres and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton introduced the document at the ongoing Australian Space Forum, detailing a government vision aimed at securing national capability and boosting industrial participation in the global market.
The strategy arrives as the domestic sector looks to expand beyond its current base of 275 small and medium enterprises, which generated $4.6 billion Australian (about $4.5 billion Cdn) in 2021. Since it’s 2026, it seems odd the government does not have updated financial figures of the impact the space sector has on the Australian economy. (7/21)
Western Range Supports its 50th Launch of the Year (Source: USSF)
Vandenberg Space Force Base Guardians and Airmen supported the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 17-39 mission to low-Earth orbit Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 7:49 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4). Today's mission marks the 50th launch supported from Vandenberg Space Force Base for 2026 from the U.S. Space Force’s West Coast Spaceport and Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Every launch approved by the Vandenberg Space Force Base range is designated by the federal government to advance economic growth, strengthen national security, and achieve critical national space objectives — reinforcing the Central Coast’s role as a global gateway to space. (7/21)
Poland Joins Mission to Free Europe From Starlink Dependence (Source: TVP World)
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński and EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius signed an agreement in Warsaw on Tuesday, making Poland one of six key contributors behind the €10.6 billion IRIS2 project. IRIS2 is an EU-backed satellite network designed to provide secure, encrypted communications under European control for governments, emergency responders and critical infrastructure.
The project reflects Europe’s growing determination to safeguard critical communications following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and amid geopolitical tensions with the Donald Trump administration in the US. Concerns have also grown over dependence on privately owned satellite services after Musk suggested earlier this year that he could restrict Starlink access to Ukraine. (7/21)
ESA Seeks Novel Concepts for a Fast Asteroid Reconnaissance Mission (Source: ESA)
NASA's DART mission proved that a spacecraft can alter an asteroid's trajectory. But it also taught us something equally important: to do so efficiently, you first need to understand your target. That makes reconnaissance the essential first step in any deflection effort – and right now, even the fastest mission ESA can mount takes several years from the start of construction to launch.
ESA is preparing to set a new benchmark for rapid asteroid reconnaissance with RAMSES, which will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis just 3.5 years after the start of construction. Yet even this pace could, in a real-world scenario, mean missing the window to reach a threatening asteroid in time. So ESA is launching a new SysNova challenge calling for novel and advanced concepts for a fast asteroid reconnaissance mission, open now on the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). (7/22)
Space Force Could Cap Launch Support Without Extra Funding (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is warning lawmakers that the Space Force may eventually have to limit the number of launches it can support each year without additional resources to manage surging demand at its spaceports.
Demand for rides to space for both commercial and military payloads has risen dramatically in recent years, and the Space Force is responsible for facilitating the bulk of U.S. launch operations at its two coastal ranges, which together supported 180 missions in 2025. Annual launch rates at the two ranges are projected to grow to more than 700 over the next five to 10 years, and leaders say more funding is essential to further prepare its spaceport infrastructure for that higher throughput. (7/21)
Auxilium Biotechnologies Prints Kidney and Liver Tissues in Orbit (Source: Douglas Messier)
Auxilium Biotechnologies has announced a major milestone in space biomanufacturing with the successful bioprinting of kidney and liver tissues aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking the first time either tissue type has been manufactured in space. Auxilium’s bioprinted biological tissues and nerve repair implants returned to earth on Mission AXLM-3 that flew on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-34 and splashed down off the California coast on June 17th, 2026, at 5:11 am Pacific.
During the mission, Auxilium’s AMP-1 orbital bioprinter successfully manufactured kidney, liver, and cartilage tissues while also producing 28 nerve repair implants. The achievement represents the first demonstration of kidney tissue manufacturing in space, the first demonstration of liver tissue manufacturing in space, and the first mission to manufacture three distinct tissue types during a single spaceflight. The production of multiple tissue types and clinically relevant nerve repair implants represents the first demonstration of a scalable, multi-product biomanufacturing platform in space. (7/21)
Raytheon Leads $423M USSF Radar Modernization Effort (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
The US Space Force has awarded contracts totaling $423.4 million to Raytheon, SciTec Innovations and WildStar to modernize six legacy ground-based radar systems. Raytheon received $309.5 million, SciTec $93.7 million and WildStar $20.2 million. The project aims to enhance battlespace situational awareness by improving radar tracking, range and object classification. (7/20)
NASA’s Nuclear Mars Mission to Cost Over $2 Billion (Source: Politico)
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman’s ambitious plans to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft and fly it to Mars will cost over $2 billion, the agency confirmed this week. The new cost estimate for the mission, dubbed Space Reactor-1 Freedom, comes as the agency juggles a number of high-profile missions — including returning humans to the Moon and building a lunar outpost — all while operating under what is expected to be a flat budget.
“Early cost estimates are approximately $2.1 billion, and NASA will continue refining that figure through the acquisition process,” the agency confirmed. The agency plans to spend $640 million in fiscal 2026, $890 million in 2027, $415 million in 2028, and $180 million in 2029 on the program, according to a document sent to Congress and viewed by POLITICO. NASA will pull that money from the agency’s exploration account and from funding it received through the party-line reconciliation bill passed last year. (7/21)
Space Lasers to Beam 4K Video for Artemis III (Source: Space.com)
NASA is partnering with SpaceX to equip the Artemis III Orion spacecraft with Starlink laser communications terminals. The upgrade is intended to support high-definition—reported as 4K—video transmission and enable higher-throughput, data-heavy mission downlinks during the Artemis III timeframe. (7/21)
SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two dozen Starlink V2 Mini broadband internet satellites to its massive low Earth orbit constellation on Tuesday, a day after liftoff was scrubbed Monday by a rare abort during engine ignition. (7/21)
NASA is Flying Planes Into Wildfires to Try and Figure Out How They Make Their Own Thunderstorms (Source: Independent)
NASA says it’s planning to fly planes into dangerous wildfire-generated storms this summer to help improve forecasting – and potentially save lives. Major wildfires across the U.S. West have produced clouds that can shoot choking smoke high into Earth’s atmosphere, generate thousands of fire-causing lightning strikes in a matter of just hours, and even spawn destructive, whirling firenadoes. These clouds and their impacts complicate firefighting efforts and threaten Americans living near the fire and those thousands of miles away. (7/21)
SpaceX Snaps 7-Day Losing Streak, Sets Earnings Date That Triggers First Big Share Unlock (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX’s stock gained 3% on Tuesday, snapping a seven-day losing streak after setting its maiden earnings report, which coincides with a major share lock-up expiration. The contractor announced Aug. 4 as its debut earnings report after its record initial public offering. The date also triggers the company’s unique lock-up period, which allows insiders to begin selling shares earlier than the typical 180-day period.
SpaceX took a staggered approach, allowing insiders to sell portions of their stock at earlier intervals to prevent massive selling and price volatility. The first earnings report paves the way for investors to sell 20% of their eligible locked-up stock, a total of up to 911.5 million shares, on the second full trading day immediately following the first earnings release date, Aug. 6. An additional 10% could be freed up if the stock closes at least 30% above the IPO price for five of the ten trading days heading into the report. (7/21)
New Zealand's Zenno Astronautics to Relocate to the United States (Source: Space News)
Zenno Astronautics, a New Zealand-founded space company pioneering superconducting technologies for space, today announced its intent to redomicile to the United States. While maintaining its presence in New Zealand, the company is establishing its headquarters in Los Angeles as part of its long-term strategy to expand its presence in the world's largest aerospace and defense market and evaluate future investments in manufacturing, testing and operational infrastructure. (7/21)
FCC Eyes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Bands for Satellites (Source: Payload)
The FCC announced last week that it will consider a proposal on Aug. 6 to allow unlicensed Part 15 wireless devices to communicate directly with satellites. More than $40B has moved through D2D spectrum deals since 2024, from SpaceX’s $19.6B EchoStar spectrum purchase to the Amazon-Globalstar and Rocket Lab-Iridium acquisitions. The new FCC proposal would open more than 225 MHz of unlicensed spectrum—over three times what SpaceX bought—for free.
The spectrum the FCC wants to open was never anyone’s to sell. Part 15 governs devices that operate without a license—think Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth speakers, garage door openers, and smart meters. Rather than applying for spectrum rights, these devices simply comply with technical limitations. (7/21)
Spectrum and RFA One, Two Bavarian Launchers Neck and Neck (Source: AeroSpatium)
Which small European private launcher will be the first to reach orbit? Isar Aerospace, with the second flight of its Spectrum, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), with the inaugural flight of its RFA One, are both aiming for the beginning of August. Of the five startups selected last year by the ESA for its European Launcher Challenge , one – Orbex – has gone out of business, and two are preparing to launch from Kourou at the end of this year or next (PLD Space and MaiaSpace). But the other two Bavarian companies, Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg (Germany), both intend to reach orbit next month, launching from Northern Europe. (7/13)
Making Progress: Relativity’s Terran R, Rocket Lab’s Neutron, and PLD Space’s Miura 5 (Source: NSF)
Three companies developing new orbital rockets — Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and PLD Space — announced key testing milestones for vehicles targeted for debut flights later in 2026. Click here. (7/20)
Vikram-1: A Success for India’s Entire Space Ecosystem (Source: Space Review)
On Saturday, Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace successfully reached orbit on the first flight of its Vikram-1 rocket. Ajey Lele says this is a milestone not just for the company but the emerging Indian commercial space field. Click here. (7/21)
Getting to Yes—or No (Source: Space Review)
The US commercial space industry has pushed for years for a “mission authorization” system to approve novel space activities. Jeff Foust reports on the latest attempt to develop such a system, and how it could also become an avenue to block such efforts. Click here. (7/21)
The Arsenal’s New Owners (Source: Space Review)
The space industrial base is undergoing major changes with new players and new investment. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant argue that those companies would also benefit from reforms on how the government communicates its demand for space systems. Click here. (7/21)
Superstar in the Smithsonian: the FARRAH Satellite (Source: Space Review)
Among the new exhibits in the National Air and Space Museum is a half-scale model of a formerly top-secret signals intelligence satellite from the Cold War known as FARRAH. Dwayne Day discusses the history of that program. Click here. (7/21)
SpaceX Limits Future Commercial Rideshare Bookings Past 2028 Amid Severe Manifest Saturation (Source: SatNews)
Small satellite operators and mission integrators confirmed that SpaceX has stopped accepting new commercial launch bookings for both its Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Transporter series and mid-inclination Bandwagon missions beyond late 2028. The unexpected capacity freeze has triggered industry-wide logistical concerns as capital-constrained startups confront a sudden bottleneck to space access.
The sudden suspension of future commercial rideshare slots stems from a broader reallocation of internal launch infrastructure. Industry analysts report that SpaceX is increasingly prioritizing its internal Falcon 9 and Starship launch capacity to accelerate the deployment of the next-generation Starlink constellation.
Since the program’s inception in 2020, SpaceX’s sub-$300,000 baseline price point for standard CubeSat slots completely transformed NewSpace business models, rendering legacy, dedicated small-lift launch vehicles economically non-viable. The halt on new bookings past 2028 leaves a massive supply vacuum in the market. Startups that have raised capital based on ultra-cheap, highly predictable Transporter flight cadences must now face significantly higher launch costs or prolonged deployment delays, altering the economic baseline for emerging remote sensing and communications constellations. (7/20)
UK Misses Deadline to Award Contract for Space Debris Removal Mission (Source: European Spaceflight)
The UK Space Agency has missed a deadline to award a £75.6 million contract for the country’s first mission to capture and remove dead satellites from low Earth orbit. A call for Phase 3 of the mission’s development was published in July 2025, with the contract initially expected to be awarded by 30 March 2026. However, in its final annual report as an independent entity, published on 14 July, UKSA admitted that the contract award had been delayed. The agency is now targeting summer 2026 but has not explained the reason for the delay or provided a more precise timetable.
The Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission is expected to capture and remove two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit by the end of 2028. Neither satellite was designed to be removed from orbit, demonstrating the capture of unprepared, uncooperative objects in an increasingly congested orbital environment. In the initial call for tenders, the agency estimated the total value of Phase 3 at £63 million before VAT, or £75.6 million including VAT. However, separate spending-control records published by DSIT, the department that now oversees the UK Space Agency, show that £83.93 million excluding VAT was approved for the Phase 3 mission in June 2025. (7/20)
A SpaceX Rocket is About to Crash Onto the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Astronomers are gearing up for a unique moon observation event: a stray piece of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on track to hit the lunar surface on August 5. The collision and its aftermath, which may be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes, present an opportunity for some singular science. The crash could reveal new information about what happens in the immediate aftermath of an impact on the lunar surface and offer insights into the hazards of errant space junk to the moon. (7/20)
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