June 13, 2025

FAA Says Probe Closed Into SpaceX Starship Flight 8 (Source: CNA)
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it closed an agency-required investigation into a SpaceX Starship Flight 8 mishap, citing the probable cause as a hardware failure in one of the engines. SpaceX identified eight corrective actions to prevent a re-occurrence and the FAA said it verified SpaceX implemented those prior to the Starship Flight 9 mission in late May. (6/13)

Space Command Plans for Potential Space Conflict (Source: Reuters)
US Space Command is preparing for a potential conflict in space by 2027, driven by concerns that China might invade Taiwan. The preparations involve satellite communications, electronic jamming and autonomous drones. China is considering arming its space station with drones, while the US is developing a missile defense shield. (6/13)

Europe Looks to Space Resilience, Autonomy Amid Global Changes (Source: Space Policy Online)
The European Union and the European Space Agency are emphasizing the need for European readiness to use and protect space assets and ensure autonomy for access to space as global events create a “perfect storm” for Europe. One factor for ESA is the Trump Administration’s proposed deep cuts to NASA’s budget that would impact many NASA-ESA projects. ESA is “doing its homework” and reinforcing relationships with other countries like Canada, India, Japan and the UAE. (6/12)

There's a Giant Problem With SpaceX's Starlink Satellites (Source: Futurism)
Astronomers' attempts to peer into the earliest reaches of the universe could be threatened by thousands of SpaceX Starlink satellites leaking radio emissions that ruin observations made with highly sensitive telescopes. As New Scientist reports, a team of researchers led by Curtin University radio astronomy professor Steven Tingay tracked the signals of almost 2,000 Starlink satellites, with the help of a prototype telescope from the Square Kilometer Array, which is currently under construction in Australia.

They found that a third of the data at specific frequencies was being threatened by the radio emissions released by the Starlink satellites, a worrying sign that the Elon Musk-led space company could be hampering our efforts to study the early universe. (6/12)

Rocket Lab Reserves Two of Nikon SLM’s Ultra-Large-Format Metal Additive Manufacturing Machines (Source: Metal Additive Manufacturing)
Nikon SLM Solutions has announced that Rocket Lab USA, based in California, has reserved two of its upcoming ultra-large-format metal Additive Manufacturing machines. While full technical details of the next-generation machines have not yet been disclosed, Nikon SLM Solutions stated they will be capable of producing significantly larger parts with unmatched productivity. The aim is to help manufacturers such as Rocket Lab reduce part counts, optimize component design, and accelerate time to launch. (6/12)

NASA KSC Announces COMET Staff RIF (Source: NASA Watch)
Sources report that Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering and Test (COMET) contract management at NASA Kennedy sent an email out saying that they’re going to RIF the COMET personnel who support ISS. "We were unfortunately informed yesterday by the Exploration Research and Technology Program Directorate (UB) management that their budget will be cut by 50% before the end of this fiscal year by the ISS program. Currently, our ISS budget supports about 130-140 personnel, including some essential operational support services. While details about the impact on KSC remain limited, we recognize that this cut will lead to a reduction in the COMET work scope and, unfortunately, a reduction in force (RIF)." (6/12)

NASA, Axiom Space Delay Axiom Mission 4 Launch to Space Station (Source: NASA)
NASA and Axiom Space are postponing the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Roscosmos to understand a new pressure signature, after the recent post-repair effort in the aft most segment of the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module.

Cosmonauts aboard the space station recently performed inspections of the pressurized module’s interior surfaces, sealed some additional areas of interest, and measured the current leak rate. Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure. The postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for NASA and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary. NASA defers to Roscosmos to answer specific questions about the Zvezda module. (6/12)

End of an Era: Launch Complex 37 Gets Demolished, Making Way for SpaceX Starship (Source: Spectrum News)
ULA's Delta-4 launch pad infrastructure came tumbling down on Thursday morning. The famed complex was recently home to United Launch Alliance’s Delta rockets until last year with the final launch of Delta IV Heavy rocket. The Air Force recently released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s Starship, where it studied the potential environmental effects in the re-development of LC-37.

“If the Proposed Action were implemented, SpaceX would redevelop SLC-37 at (Cape Canaveral Space Force Station) to support Starship-Super Heavy launch and landing operations,” the report stated. SpaceX plans to construct a new launch pad at the site and hopes to have 76 launches of the Starship-Super Heavy and have 152 landings (76 per Starship the spacecraft and 76 per the Super Heavy rocket booster).

Editor's Note: As this work at LC-37 proceeds, the Environmental Impact Statement that might allow SpaceX Starship operations there is still in draft form and open for public comment. Given the huge potential impacts, as already seen in Texas, some Space Coast residents are concerned. Says one SPACErePORT reader: "I’m a big proponent of space exploration but fear there are many unexpected consequences that will impact our quality of life. We should pause a moment to see what’s really required and what could go wrong. Let’s learn from the lessons of life from Apollo and Shuttle." (6/12)

Giant Jets Bigger Than The Milky Way Seen Shooting From Black Hole (Source: Science Alert)
A supermassive black hole in the early Universe has been spotted blasting out powerful jets of plasma that are at least twice as long as the Milky Way is wide. Its host galaxy is a quasar called J1601+3102, and we're seeing it as it was less than 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang. Spanning 215,000 light-years from end to end, this is the largest structure of its kind seen in those early stages of the Universe's formation. (6/12)

Coating Satellites with Super-Dark Vantablack Paint Could Help Fight Light Pollution Crisis (Source: Space.com)
A new type of super-black, highly resistant satellite paint promises an affordable fix to the satellite light pollution problem that has marred astronomical research since the recent advent of low-Earth-orbit megaconstellations.

One of these, the internet-beaming Starlink constellation, has been a matter of controversy since the launch of the first batch of its satellites in 2019. The constellation's thousands of spacecraft orbit so low that the sunlight they reflect outshines many stars from our perspective on Earth. And while the sight of a Starlink satellite train might thrill skywatchers, it's a true nightmare to astronomers worldwide. (6/10)

A Cutting-Edge Alternative to Optical Solar Reflectors (Source: Space Policy Online)
Deposition Sciences, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, produces the Sunshade thermal control material, which is designed to provide reliable performance in extreme space environments. Sunshade Tape can serve as a Flexible Optical Solar Rejector (FOSR) for spacecraft and satellite applications. While traditional Optical Solar Reflectors (OSR) are made from bonded glass and feature exceptional optical properties, they come with elevated installation and repair costs. Sunshade Tape offers an alternative. (6/12)

Why This 'Teenage Vampire' White Dwarf Has Scientists so Excited (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have discovered the "missing link" connecting the death of sunlike stars to the birth of white dwarf stellar remnants, in the form of a "teenage vampire" white dwarf. The white dwarf in question, designated Gaia22ayj and located around 8,150 light-years from Earth, is ravenously feeding on stellar plasma from a companion star. (6/12)

Muon Space Raises $90 Million to Scale Satellite Production and Acquire Propulsion Startup (Source: Space Policy Online)
Four-year-old small satellite maker Muon Space announced $89.5 million in new funding June 12 to scale production and acquire propulsion startup Starlight Engines, bringing a potential supply chain bottleneck in-house to support its rapid expansion.

The announcement brings the venture’s total Series B funding to $146 million, after securing $56.7 million last year. Muon has grown its team by 50% since December to 150 employees and is “actively hiring for a large number of roles,” according to CEO Jonny Dyer, to support new facilities capable of producing 500 satellites per year in the 100–500+ kilogram class. (6/12)

Reusable Rocket Test Showcases China's Coming Space Supremacy (Source: Sustainability Times)
Space Epoch, a Beijing-based space startup, has successfully completed a test launch of its Yanxinghe-1 rocket booster, a significant step towards achieving orbital capabilities. The launch took place at the Oriental Spaceport in the Shandong province and lasted 125 seconds. The rocket reached an altitude of approximately 8,200 feet before executing a controlled descent and performing a soft landing in the ocean. Despite the booster sinking after touchdown, the operation was deemed a success, demonstrating critical technological advancements. (6/12)

NSF Budget Could Doom DKIST Telescope (Source: Space.com)
The NSF budget proposal could end operations of a new, powerful telescope for studying the sun. Speaking at the American Astronomical Society conference this week, the director of the National Solar Observatory said the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for the NSF would cut funding for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) by more than 50%, a level that makes it impossible to continue operations. DKIST only began science observations in 2022, using the world's largest telescope for observing the sun. Scientists had hailed the high-resolution images DKIST has provided to better understand solar activity. (6/13)

Logos Space Services Raises $50 Million (Source: Space News)
Logos Space Services raised $50 million to advance its plans for a broadband constellation. The company said Thursday it raised the Series A round from US Innovative Technologies, an investment firm backing technologies for both civilian and military uses. Logos is planning a constellation of more than 4,000 satellites providing broadband services in higher frequency bands than other systems, using tightly focused beams at elevated angles to minimize signal disruption and resist jamming. The funds will help Logos advance toward critical design decisions, partner selection and prototype development ahead of a goal of launching its first operational satellite in late 2027. (6/13)

France's Look Up Raises $57 Million (Source: Space News)
French space situational awareness company Look Up raised nearly 50 million euros ($57.6 million) to develop more tracking radars. The company said its Series A round includes a mix of private investment, loans and a 15-million-euro award from the European Union. The company, which has one radar in France for tracking objects in low Earth orbit, plans to build two more in French Polynesia, and will also expand services for satellite operators. Look Up was founded by a former general who led French Space Command and the former head of space surveillance at the French space agency CNES. (6/13)

China's CAS Completes Kinetica-2 Hotfire Test (Source: Space News)
Chinese company CAS Space completed hotfire tests of the first stage of its Kinetica-2 rocket. The successful test this week is a major step toward the rocket's first flight, expected later this year. The rocket is designed to carry up to 12,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or around 7,800 kilograms to a 500-kilometer-altitude sun-synchronous orbit. That first launch will carry Qingzhou-1, a commercial cargo spacecraft being developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (6/13)

SpaceX Launches California Launch While Expansion Plans Bloom at Vandenberg (Source: Noozhawk)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 Thursday during a hearing about increasing such launches from California. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 9:54 p.m. Eastern from Vandenberg Space Force Base and placed 26 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch took place during a public hearing in the nearby town of Lompoc about environmental reviews for increasing the number of Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg and allowing SpaceX to use another pad there, SLC-6, for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. (6/13)

Trump/Musk Fallout Could Limit SpaceX Role in Golden Dome (Source: Reuters)
The falling out between Elon Musk and President Trump could reduce SpaceX's role in the Golden Dome missile defense system. The White House had reportedly been planning to select a team that features SpaceX, along with Palantir and Anduril, to build key elements of Golden Dome, although there has been no formal procurement yet for that missile defense system. After Musk and Trump feuded last week, though, the White House is reportedly rethinking those plans and may focus more on ground-based elements that don't require SpaceX. (6/13)

Appropriations Committee Proposes Hybrid Factories (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lawmakers have proposed in a House Appropriations Committee report that the Defense Department create a Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network of dual-use factories to quickly scale weapons production in response to China's manufacturing capabilities. The network would utilize AI and additive manufacturing to produce both commercial goods and weapons without capital expenditure during transitions, with over $131 million suggested for initial funding. (6/12)

Webb Telescope Photographs ‘Strange’ Cold Planet Around Nearby Star (Source: Forbes)
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first direct image of an exoplanet — a planet orbiting a star other than the sun — despite it being extremely cold. The planet, called 14 Herculis c, could give scientists a new perspective on how planetary systems across the Milky Way galaxy evolve.

 As exoplanets go, 14 Herculis c is huge — about seven times the mass of Jupiter. It’s about 60 light-years from the solar system. 14 Herculis c is one of the coldest exoplanets ever directly imaged by a telescope. Most directly imaged exoplanets are extremely hot, but 14 Herculis is just 26 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 3 degrees Celsius). (6/12)

Alabama Lost Massive $4.7 Billion Project, Almost 15,000 Jobs to North Carolina (Source: AL.com)
A California-based aviation startup chose a city in central North Carolina over Huntsville for a mammoth $4.7 billion aircraft assembly plant. JetZero has picked Greensboro as the site for its first commercial airplane manufacturing facility. The project is expected to create more than 14,560 jobs by 2063. The jobs will have an average wage of $89,340, according to the company.

Executives with the company said it considered 17 states before picking North Carolina. Huntsville was reportedly one of the finalists for the project, according to Business North Carolina. JetZero is seeking $1.157 billion in state incentives tied to meeting its job and investment targets, along with $784.7 million in local incentives. (6/12)

Cedar Rapids Faces More Layoffs as Collins Aerospace Realigns Resources (Source: KGAN)
Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids laid off several workers Thursday morning. While the company would not release the specific amount of employees terminated. (6/12)

FCC's Push to Let SpaceX Use EchoStar's Spectrum Gets Weird and Ugly (Source: PC Magazine)
The Federal Communication Commission’s move to potentially open EchoStar’s 2GHz spectrum to SpaceX is facing growing backlash, including from an outgoing commissioner. Days after his surprising retirement announcement, Nathan Simington slammed the FCC’s review into EchoStar’s control of its spectrum licenses, calling it a “dangerous mistake.”

"The FCC threatens such severe sanctions that they put EchoStar’s financial viability in question and threaten to kill the company,” Simington wrote in a piece on RealClearPolicy. The editorial is notable since Simington is Republican who has voted along along party lines with FCC Chair Brendan Carr, also a Republican (and fan of SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk). (6/11)

SDA Faces Supply Chain Problems for Satellite Constellation (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency's satellite constellation is still facing supply chain problems. A GAO report released Wednesday found that the companies working on the SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) are suffering continued shortages in a key area: optical communications terminals. The Transport Layer Tranche 1 alone requires more than 500 of these terminals, but as of January, only 20 had been delivered.

The agency noted that SDA has provided additional funding to terminal manufacturers to scale up production. The launch of Tranche 1 satellites has slipped from fall 2024 to summer 2025. The GAO also does not appear to be satisfied that SDA is doing enough to demonstrate it has a "minimum viable product" before deploying the next tranche, part of a debate between the GAO and SDA on the level of testing needed. (6/11)

Fulbright Board Resigns, Accusing Trump of Politicizing the Program (Source: Politico)
Board members of the Fulbright Scholarship Program announced their resignation Wednesday, protesting what they call the Trump administration’s politicization of the program, as the White House continues to find itself locked in a battle with universities around the nation. In a memo released on Wednesday, board members said they voted “overwhelmingly” to resign in light of the actions of political appointees at the State Department, which manages the program.

The program awards nearly 8,000 scholarships to academics each year, according to its website. The board said the administration usurped the program’s authority when the State Department denied some of those awards for a “substantial number of individuals” for the 2025-2026 academic year, overriding the board’s decision to admit academics studying subjects including biology, engineering, medical sciences, music and history. (6/11)

Oklahoma's OSIDA to Purchase Dawn Aerospace Spaceplane (Source: Space News)
Dawn Aerospace has signed the first deal for its Aurora Mark 2 suborbital spaceplane. The New Zealand company said it closed a deal with the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority for a spaceplane, an agreement that also includes one year of operations from the Oklahoma Air and Space Port, starting as soon as 2027. Dawn announced in May it would start selling Aurora, an uncrewed vehicle that can take small payloads to an altitude of 100 kilometers. The company said it expects strong interest in Aurora for microgravity research, technology validation and other applications. (6/11)

BAE Partners with Hanwha on Satellite Constellation (Source: Space News)
BAE Systems has partnered with South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Systems on technology for an intelligence satellite constellation. The companies said this week they will explore combining Hanwha's SAR expertise with BAE's ultra-wideband radio frequency (RF) technology for the multi-sensor network called Azalea. The collaboration follows a similar agreement BAE announced with Finnish SAR operator Iceye in 2022, when it unveiled plans for Azalea and a target to launch its first four-satellite cluster with SpaceX in 2024. Those satellites are now expected to launch this year. (6/11)

Japan Readies HTV-X Cargo Spacecraft (Source: Yomiuri Shimbun)
Japan is gearing up for the first launch of a new cargo spacecraft. The Japanese space agency JAXA showed off this week the first HTV-X spacecraft, scheduled to launch later this year on an H3 rocket. HTV-X is an upgraded version of the HTV spacecraft to transport cargo to the International Space Station. JAXA expects to perform five HTV-X missions through 2029. (6/11)

Europe's Solar Orbiter Images Sun's South Polar Region (Source: BBC)
A European spacecraft has taken the first images of the south polar regions of the sun. ESA released Wednesday images of the south pole of the sun from the Solar Orbiter spacecraft, whose inclined orbit allows it to see the sun's poles. Scientists hope that being able to observe the poles will allow them to better understand the sun's magnetic field as well as solar storms. (6/11)

Starlink Satellites are Leaking Radio Signals that May Ruin Astronomy (Source: New Scientist)
SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are leaking radio waves to such an extent that it could threaten our ability to study and understand the early universe, say astronomers.

Interference from the thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit, where they provide a global internet service, has been a continuing concern for astronomers, who say that the radio emissions from the craft could affect sensitive telescopes that observe distant, and faint, radio sources. SpaceX has worked with astronomers to try to prevent this interference, by switching off their internet-transmitting beams when they fly over key telescopes, but it turns out that this isn’t enough. (6/9)