July 8, 2025

SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From Florida (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites Tuesday morning. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 4:21 a.m. Eastern and put 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was the first Falcon 9 mission in six days after the July Fourth holiday. (7/8)

SpaceX Picked to Launch Globalstar Satellites (Source: Globalstar)
Globalstar has procured another Falcon 9 launch for a set of replacement satellites. The company said Monday it acquired the launch for the remainder of the 17 next-generation satellites being built by MDA and Rocket Lab. Globalstar had previously purchased a Falcon 9 for the first eight satellites, expected to launch later this year. The new Falcon 9 launch is projected for 2026. (7/8)

Chinese Cargo Craft Undocks From TSS (Source: Xinhua)
A Chinese cargo spacecraft undocked from the Tiangong space station Tuesday. The Tianzhou-8 spacecraft undocked from the station at 3:09 a.m. Eastern and will destructively reenter. The spacecraft had been at the station since mid-November. A new Tianzhou cargo spacecraft is expected to launch to the station later this year. (7/8)

Dark Dwarfs Lurking at the Center of Our Galaxy Might Hint at the Nature of Dark Matter (Source: JCAP)
"If brown dwarfs are located in regions where dark matter is particularly abundant—such as the centre of our galaxy—they can transform into something else. “These objects collect the dark matter that helps them become a dark dwarf. The more dark matter you have around, the more you can capture,” Sakstein explains. “And, the more dark matter ends up inside the star, the more energy will be produced through its annihilation." (7/7)

Industry Groups Urge Restoration of Commerce TraCSS Funding (Source: Space News)
Several industry groups are asking Congress to restore funding for the Commerce Department’s space traffic coordination system. Seven groups representing more than 450 companies signed letters sent Monday to leaders of House and Senate appropriations subcommittees, asking them to fund the Office of Space Commerce’s Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) at its 2025 level of $65 million. The White House’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 would cancel TraCSS.

The industry groups say they’re not sure why the administration wants to end TraCSS but are hopeful that Congress will step in and fund it. The Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up its commerce, justice and science spending bill on Thursday, while the House has postponed consideration of its version of that bill that was planned for this week because of overall changes in the House schedule. (7/8)

Maxar Gains $205 Million Contracts for Middle East and Africa Imagery Services (Source: Space News)
Maxar Intelligence says it has signed contracts worth nearly $205 million for government customers in the Middle East and Africa. The company announced Tuesday it closed three contracts valued at a combined $204.7 million with undisclosed government customers in those regions. Under the multi-year agreements, these governments will be part of Maxar’s Direct Access Program, a premium service that allows vetted customers to directly control and task the company’s high-resolution Earth observation satellites from their own secure ground stations. The deals, among Maxar’s largest outside the United States, reflect a rising global demand for space-based intelligence. (7/8)

Muon Hires New Management Team (Source: Space News)
Satellite manufacturer Muon Space has hired a new slate of executives. The new management team includes Paula Trimble, most recently policy chief and director of legislative affairs at the Space Development Agency, as its new vice president of government affairs and strategy. The company also hired former Google and Raytheon executive Carl Nardell as vice president of mission engineering and ex-Loft Orbital executive Gautier Brunet as vice president of product. Muon designs, builds and operates LEO satellites, including its Halo platform for Earth observation, environmental monitoring and national security missions. (7/8)

ESA Picks Five Launcher Startups (Source: Space News)
ESA has picked five companies as finalists for its European Launcher Challenge. ESA said Monday that it “preselected” Isar Aerospace, MaiaSpace, Orbex, PLD Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg for the competition, which will fund contracts for institutional satellite launches and work to upgrade launch vehicles. The funding is contingent on decisions ESA member states will make at a ministerial conference in November on funding for the program. ESA previously said it received 12 proposals for the competition, and picked the five companies based on technical and financial factors. (7/8)

China Considers Neptune Mission (Source: Space News)
Chinese scientists want to launch a mission to Neptune as soon as 2033. The mission, detailed in a newly published concept study, envisions a 15-year interplanetary cruise followed by orbital insertion and a gravity assist from Triton, Neptune’s largest moon, to adjust the spacecraft’s orbit. The spacecraft would carry 11 instruments and use radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs, for power. If approved, it could be the first orbiter mission to the “ice giant” planets of Uranus and Neptune given likely delays in a proposed NASA Uranus orbiter mission. (7/8)

NASA Is Rethinking Who Will Run JPL (Source: NASA Watch)
“The NASA Office of JPL Management and Oversight (NOJMO) is hereby requesting information from potential sources to operate and manage NASA’s Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the purpose of effectively meeting special research and development needs.” (7/7)

Criminal Enforcement Of Regulatory Executive Orders At NASA (Source: NASA Watch)
"NASA advises the public that by May 9, 2026, the Agency, in consultation with the Attorney General, will provide to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) a report containing: (1) a list of all criminal regulatory offenses \1\ enforceable by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) via a referral by NASA; and (2) for each such criminal regulatory offense, the range of potential criminal penalties for a violation..." (7/7)

Primordial Black Holes Could Have Accelerated Early Star Formation (Source: Phys.org)
The earliest stars were completely metal-free since the fusion process required to create the elements considered "metals" in stars (i.e. everything but hydrogen) would not have formed yet. We believe these stars formed in an area of space called a "minihalo," which was primarily composed of dark matter, so scientists have been searching for what those minihalos were actually made out of. Primordial black holes (PBHs) are one of the prime candidates, and could have either composed—or at least interacted with—these dark matter halos.

If small PBHs were plentiful in the early universe, they would speed up star formation by their cumulative gravitational pull, known as the Poisson effect. In effect, they operate in a similar way to massive PBHs—as a center of gravity for gas and dust to coalesce around. (7/7)

Huge Cost of My Trip, What I Saw – First Nigerian in Space, Owolabi Salis (Source: Punch Nigeria)
I actually went on a spiritual journey because this planet (earth) that we live on, I call it Planet 3, is suspended by the sun’s beam. I think that it is mysterious enough that we are living on a planet that is suspended and revolving around the sun at about 100,000 km per hour. I’ve done so much reading and research on astrology and astrophysics and I’m also a very important member of the Soul Maker Ministry.

So, some questions have been coming forward from my mind. Why are we really existing? A living being is about a soul and a body. The soul builds the body. If you conceive today and you abort the pregnancy, there will be no development of the body. (7/5)

Vague Language in Big Bill Allows Movement of Shuttle Discovery to Texas (Source: Space.com)
The vague language, written in such a way to skirt Senate restrictions on reconciliation bills, was aimed at achieving the "Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act" introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn in April. The bill allocates $85 million to move Discovery from the its display home of the past 13 years, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, to Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. "No less than $5 million" is earmarked for the transportation of the winged orbiter, with the remainder going towards the "construction of a facility to house the space vehicle." (7/4)

Titan Could Have An Alien Biosphere – But It Might Be Dog-Sized (Source: Science Alert)
Titan, Saturn's largest moon, could harbor life in its hidden underground ocean – yet Titan's entire aquatic biosphere may weigh no more than a miniature poodle, according to new research. In disappointing news for alien hunters, the cycle of energy and nutrients in Titan's hypothetical biosphere may barely be enough to satisfy a single fermenting cell per liter of the moon's deep ocean, says evolutionary biologist Antonin Affholder. (7/7)

Earth is Going to Spin Much Faster Over the Next Few Months (Source: Live Science)
Earth is expected to spin more quickly in the coming weeks, making some of our days unusually short. On July 9, July 22 and Aug. 5, the position of the moon is expected to affect Earth's rotation so that each day is between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than normal. (7/7)

Bioplastic Habitats Could Sustain Algae Growth for Space Colonization (Source: Space Daily)
In a step toward sustainable extraterrestrial living, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have demonstrated that green algae can thrive in bioplastic shelters under Mars-like conditions. The findings point to a future in which space habitats can grow-and even regenerate-using biological materials.

The team, led by Robin Wordsworth, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering, grew Dunaliella tertiolecta algae inside 3D-printed chambers made of polylactic acid, a UV-resistant bioplastic. These growth chambers transmitted enough light for photosynthesis while protecting the algae from harsh radiation, all under simulated Martian conditions including atmospheric pressure of 600 Pascals-more than 100 times lower than on Earth-and a CO2-rich environment. (7/7)

NASA Shares SPHEREx Sky Survey Data Weekly to Enable Global Cosmic Research (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's SPHEREx space telescope, launched in March, has begun publicly releasing data from its infrared sky survey, offering scientists worldwide weekly access to its extensive cosmic observations. The mission is designed to map the entire sky twice a year over a two-year period, capturing images in 102 infrared wavelengths to support investigations ranging from the origins of the universe to the precursors of life.

Settled in low-Earth orbit, SPHEREx - short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer - enables researchers to detect the signatures of water and organic molecules within the Milky Way using spectroscopy. The same data also supports studies into the universe's expansion after the big bang and quantifies the accumulated light from galaxies across time. (7/7)

Planet Expands Defense Partnerships with Key AI Surveillance Contracts (Source: Space Daily)
Planet Labs has secured four significant contracts in the Defense and Intelligence sector, following its June 2025 earnings report. The new deals underscore rising demand for the company's AI-enhanced satellite data offerings that support critical government operations worldwide.

Among the latest wins, Planet signed a euro 240 million contract underwritten by Germany, which includes a multi-year renewal for PlanetScope data and AI-driven solutions valued annually in the eight figures. This milestone aligns with Planet's strategic shift toward delivering AI-based situational awareness tools for both domestic and international defense clients. (7/2)

Michelin-Star Chef Prepares ISS Meals for French Astronaut (Source: Space Daily)
When French astronaut Sophie Adenot arrives at the ISS in 2026, she will dine on French gastronomical classics such as lobster bisque, foie gras and onion soup prepared especially for her by a chef with 10 Michelin stars. Food delivered to the ISS must meet strict specifications. It cannot be crumbly or too heavy and must be able to be stored for two years, the ESA said in a statement. (7/2)

Former NASA Science Chiefs Unite to Oppose Trump Cuts (Source: Planetary Society)
In a joint statement, every living former head of NASA's Science Mission Directorate SMD — the agency's top science leadership position — has condemned the White House's proposed 47% cuts to NASA science activities in the White House’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal. This letter has been transmitted to the leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees. (7/7)

What Happened to Mars’ Water? (Source: SciTech Daily)
The deep canyons on Mars, shaped by ancient rivers, indicate that the planet was once warm enough to support flowing liquid water. But how did it transform into the cold, dry desert we see today? And what caused this dramatic shift? A new study offers a new explanation for this long-standing mystery. The research presents a model suggesting that Mars experienced temporary warm periods triggered by gradual increases in the sun’s brightness. However, due to the planet’s unique conditions, these warm phases were short-lived, and Mars consistently reverted to its dry, inhospitable state. Mars appears to follow a natural pattern that favors desert-like conditions over time. (7/6)

'Space Ice' is Less Like Water Than Previously Thought (Source: Phys.org)
"Space ice" contains tiny crystals and is not a completely disordered material like liquid water, as previously assumed, according to a new study. For decades, scientists have assumed it is amorphous (without a structure), with colder temperatures meaning it does not have enough energy to form crystals when it freezes.

In the new study, researchers have investigated the most common form of ice in the universe, low-density amorphous ice, which exists as the bulk material in comets, on icy moons and in clouds of dust where stars and planets form. They found that computer simulations of this ice best matched measurements from previous experiments if the ice was not fully amorphous but contained tiny crystals (about three nanometers wide, slightly wider than a single strand of DNA) embedded within its disordered structures. (7/7)

The Persistence of the Alien Invasion Film (Source: Space Review)
Movies and television shows about alien invasions of Earth continue to be produced today. Dwayne Day explores the persistence of this genre and recent examples that illustrate why it’s difficult to make quality versions of those dramas. Click here. (7/7)
 
Taiwan’s Satellites: A Lawfare Vulnerability and an Option to Cure and Enhance Deterrence Against the PRC (Source: Space Review)
In the second of a three-part series, Michael Listner examines how the way Taiwanese satellites are registered in a UN database could be evidence of “lawfare” by China that could be exploited in a future conflict. Click here. (7/7)
 
The Long Recovery From a Launcher Crisis (Source: Space Review)
A year ago, Europe celebrated the inaugural launch of the Ariane 6 and the end of a “launcher crisis.” Jeff Foust reports that the recovery from the crisis is ongoing as Ariane 6 is slow to ramp up launches and as Europe works to support new launch providers. Click here. (7/7)
 
The First Indian on the ISS (Source: Space Review)
Among the crew of the Ax-4 private astronaut mission currently at the International Space Station is an Indian astronaut, Shubhanshu Shukla. Ajey Lele discusses how his flight is a milestone for India’s evolving space program. Click here. (7/7)
 
Earth is Going to Spin Much Faster Over the Next Few Months (Source: Live Science)
Earth is expected to spin more quickly in the coming weeks, making some of our days unusually short. On July 9, July 22 and Aug. 5, the position of the moon is expected to affect Earth's rotation so that each day is between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than normal. (7/7)

Proposed NASA Budget Cuts Will Shutter Colorado Missions, Could Impact State Aerospace Economy (Source: KOAA)
The drastic budget reductions would lead to a number of programs and missions being slashed, including many based in Colorado like New Horizons and MAVEN. Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) has been exploring the climate history of Mars for more than a decade, according to KOAA sister station Denver7, which spoke to the CU scientists leading MAVEN.

New Horizons launched in 2006 and was the first spacecraft to explore Pluto up close with a flyby in 2015. It has since continued outward into space to the Kuiper Belt. (7/7)

Starlink: The Newest Asset for Rebel and Jihadist Groups in West Africa (Source: Lemonade)
From Mali to Chad, Starlink kits have increasingly become part of the equipment used by jihadist and rebel groups. Over the past two years, numerous videos and images have circulated on social media, showing the armed groups using the satellite internet system created by billionaire Elon Musk. (7/5)

Nigeria’s Space Mission Must be Strategic (Source: NAN)
An astrophysicist, Prof. Augustine Chukwude, says Nigeria’s ambition to send a human into space must be anchored on a long-term strategic plan aligned with scientific research and national development goals. In June 2024, the Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), based in Delaware USA to send a Nigerian to space.

Under the partnership, SERA was to reserve a seat, through an open ballot, for a Nigerian citizen on its upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital flight, fully sponsored by the agency. Chukwude said that while the prospect of having a Nigerian astronaut was exciting and symbolically important, it must be supported by a solid scientific and technological foundation. (7/7)