October 14, 2025

China's Space Pioneer Raises $350 Million for Rocket Development (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch company Space Pioneer has raised $350 million, the latest in a series of major funding rounds for space startups in the country. The company announced funding worth nearly 2.5 billion yuan ($351 million). The funds will mainly be used for mass production preparation of rockets and engines, as well as for the “development of new-generation engines and launch vehicles,” according to the statement.

The company has flown its Tianlong-2 rocket once, in 2023, and is close to an orbital test flight on the potentially reusable and much larger Tianlong-3. The statement on new-generation engines and launch vehicles suggests, however, that the company is planning a newer, more capable launcher. The funding is the latest in a series of massive rounds of investment into commercial space in China in recent weeks that included launch company Galactic Energy and satellite operator Geespace. (10/14)

SpaceX Succeeds in Latest Starship Test (Source: Space News)
SpaceX successfully completed the final flight of the current version of its Starship vehicle Monday. The rocket lifted off from Starbase, Texas, at 7:23 p.m. Eastern on the Flight 11 mission, a suborbital test flight similar to the previous launch in late August. SpaceX said it completed all the major test milestones on the 66-minute suborbital flight. This is the last launch of version 2 of Starship as SpaceX works on a more capable version 3 with major upgrades to the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage. The company expects to begin orbital missions with the new version, including Starlink satellite deployments and Artemis lunar lander missions. (10/14)

Much of GEO Satellite Operators Transmissions are Not Encrypted (Source: WIRED)
A surprising amount of communications on geostationary orbit satellites are unencrypted, researchers have revealed. Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the University of Maryland used basic equipment to listen on transmissions from GEO satellites, discovering that many of the signals are unencrypted. Those communications included backhaul cellular communications for T-Mobile and in-flight Wi-Fi services, as well as communications used for critical infrastructure providers. Some companies, having been informed of the lack of encryption, have since moved to encrypt those communications, but others have yet to act. (10/14)

China Launches Experimental Satellite on Long March 2D (Source: Space News)
China launched an experimental satellite on Monday. A Long March 2D lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed the Shiyan-31 satellite into orbit. The launch came as a surprise to many observers, as Chinese officials had not issued airspace notices of a launch ahead of time. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the satellite will be used to verify new optical imaging technology but provided no other details. (10/14)

SpaceX Launches Kuiper Satellites From Florida in Monday Mission (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Falcon 9 launched a set of Project Kuiper satellites Monday night after days of weather delays. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, placing 24 Project Kuiper satellites into orbit for Amazon. The KF-03 mission was scheduled for last week but delayed by poor weather linked to a tropical storm offshore. This was the third and final launch of Kuiper satellites by Falcon 9, with Amazon planning to use the Ariane 6, Atlas 5, New Glenn and Vulcan Centaur for the remaining satellites in its broadband constellation. (10/14)

Momentus and Solstar Space announced a three-year agreement Monday for various services offered by the two companies. Earlier this year, Momentus and Solstar announced plans to provide customers of the Vigoride space tug with on-demand connectivity through Solstar’s Deke Space Communicator. The new agreement, with a value as much as $15 million, will combine Solstar’s communications expertise with Momentus products and services related to launch, logistics, payload deployment and on-orbit services. (10/14)

Promising to be a Good Neighbor (Source: Space Review)
As SpaceX continues Starship launches from Texas, the company is making plans to launch the vehicle from two sites in Florida to enable much higher launch rates. Jeff Foust reports that involves addressing concerns from other launch companies and the general public about the effects of those launches. Click here. (10/14)
 
This Spacecraft Will Self-Destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2… (Source: Space Review)
During the Cold War, US reconnaissance satellites and their film return capsules did not include self-destruct devices if they reentered off-course. Dwayne Day recounts incidents where intelligence officials may have wished they had. Click here. (10/14)
 
The Golden Dome Framework for Rethinking the Triad (Source: Space Review)
The proposed Golden Dome missile defense system is still in its earliest design stages but will likely feature major space-based elements. Justin Fu argues that it could also alter how the US approaches nuclear deterrence. Click here. (10/14)
 
The Other Space Race: Why the World is Obsessed with Sending Objects Into Orbit (Source: Space Review)
People have sent a wide range of unusual objects into space in recent years, from a car to a model of a Buddhist temple. Tony Milligan examines what motivates those efforts. Click here. (10/14)

Safran Federal Systems Unveils Inertial Navigation System for GPS-Denied Environments (Source: Safran)
Safran Federal Systems today announced the U.S. launch of the Blacknaute Inertial Navigation System, a next-generation solution engineered to deliver precision navigation in GPS-denied and Electronic Warfare-contested environments. The system is designed to support current platforms and other emerging DoD platforms requiring resilient positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). (10/14)

Viasat Gets Contract for Space Force Satcom Program (Source: SatNews)
Viasat has been awarded a prime contract by the US Space Force's Space Systems Command for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. As one of five companies selected, Viasat's role is to help develop a resilient, anti-jam satellite communications constellation in geostationary orbit. The contract positions Viasat to potentially serve as an end-to-end satellite maker for advanced military communications. (10/12)   
 
Switzerland Plans $1B Investment to Bolster Military Space (Source: Aviation Week)
Switzerland aims to enhance its military space capabilities with a $1.1 billion investment over 12 years, focusing on space situational awareness, communications and counter-space measures. The initiative includes the establishment of a space competence center by 2026 and collaboration with the European Space Agency. (10/13)

Congress Investigating Starlink Over Myanmar Scam Centers (Source: Guardian)
A powerful bipartisan committee in the US Congress says it has begun an investigation into the involvement of Starlink in providing internet access to Myanmar scam centers, blamed for swindling billions from victims across the world. The move comes as it was revealed that large numbers of Starlink dishes began appearing on scam-center roofs in Myanmar around the time of a crackdown in February that was supposed to eradicate the centers. (10/14)

Is LEO Getting Too Crowded? New Study Rings an Alarm Bell (Source: Space.com)
Hundreds of satellites may soon be flying in orbital regions that are already too packed to allow safe and long-term operations, a new study suggests. The study found that, while in 2019 only 0.2% of satellites in Earth orbit were forced to perform more than 10 collision-avoidance maneuvers per month, that percentage had risen sevenfold by early 2025, to 1.4%. That number might still seem low, but it means that some 340 satellites spend a lot of time dodging debris and other spacecraft.

Moreover, the satellite population is set to keep growing. While in 2019 about 13,700 objects (including space junk) zoomed around the planet in low Earth orbit (LEO), at altitudes below 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers), that number has since risen to 24,185 objects in 2025, an increase of 76%, according to the study. By the end of this decade, some 70,000 satellites may reside in LEO, according to industry growth predictions, representing a more than fivefold increase compared to the 2019 situation. (10/13)

Restoring American Space Dominance: Special Economic Zones (Source: FAI)
There are ways to get the space race back on track and even achieve victories such as a United States lunar base being built before a Chinese one. A prime example is that of special economic zones, innovative systems that allow for rapid industrial growth and quick expansion. These zones were the key to China’s unbelievably fast economic growth beginning in the 1980s. Many issues currently plaguing the United States’ industrial sector, such as regulatory overreach and processes involving lengthy environmental impact statements, could be sidestepped by adopting similar zones in America.

Southern states, policymakers, and space commercial companies wishing to propel the national space program forward could band together and form a Space Coast Compact, a special economic zone that makes use of the principles of interstate compacts. These states could set their own regulatory framework, one that encourages quick industrialization to speed up the national space program, ensuring American rockets and cargo are ready to land on the Moon before China does. This interstate compact could feature construction of space ports in several Southern states, massive factories for rockets and other space industry inputs that would bring high-paying jobs to the states involved, and the exponential growth that follows from having a technological hub.

Space companies would be able to launch more frequently without spending months waiting for federal investigations to end after minor incidents. The best and brightest engineers would relocate to live next to the other people working on the grand project of putting Americans in space, this time to stay. The possibilities of this type of interstate compact are endless, and its outcome would be entirely up to the states involved. (9/25)

Ghana Space Conference Pushes for Funding Beyond Policy Talk (Source: News Ghana)
Scientists and policymakers gathered at Ghana’s maiden National Space Conference have called on the government to back its space ambitions with actual money and institutional commitments, moving beyond policy documents into tangible investments. The message was clear: approving strategies doesn’t build satellites or train engineers. (10/13)

How Do Asteroids Spin in Space? The Answer Could Help Prevent a Catastrophic Earth Impact (Source:  Space.com)
Researchers used data from ESA's now-retired Gaia mission to study how an asteroid's spin depends on how often it's been hit by other space rocks. In another study, a team developed a method for identifying the safest regions on an asteroid to strike with a deflection mission, without accidentally steering it back toward Earth. Together, the findings offer a new way to understand the structure and behavior of these ancient bodies — knowledge that could prove critical to deflecting a dangerous asteroid if it were ever on a collision course with our planet. (10/13)

This Might be the Smallest Clump of Pure Dark Matter Ever Found (Source: Space.com)
A "dark object" detected as an anomalous notch in the arc of a gravitationally warped section of space, could be the smallest clump of pure dark matter yet found. If so, it would further validate the concept of cold dark matter and will help constrain the properties of dark matter particles as physicists and astronomers continue to hunt for what exactly the invisible substance is made from. (10/13)

A Black Hole Fell Into a Star – Then Ate its Way Out Again (Source: New Scientist)
A black hole that was eaten by a star seems to have gotten revenge by consuming the star from the inside, producing a gamma-ray burst spotted about 9 billion light-years from Earth. The burst, called GRB 250702B, was first spotted by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in July. Such bursts are bright flashes caused by jets fired out from energetic events, such as massive stars collapsing into black holes or neutron stars merging, and they usually last no more than a few minutes. (10/13)

No Bottle Rockets in the Kitchen, and Other Lessons from Kennedy Space Center Field Trips (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
During a recent field trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the on-site expert offered some sage advice when asked about the relative safety of rocketry venues. “I don’t recommend launching bottle rockets in mom’s kitchen,” said KSC lead educator Phil Bradley, who was demonstrating to a group of youngsters how to make a homemade rocket with a 2-liter bottle, baking soda and vinegar.

He and fellow educator Ben Hedgecock fielded other important inquiries from the three dozen Palm Bay Elementary School students such as, “Is that duct tape?” and “Are you the actor from ‘Wolverine’?” directed at the scruffier of the two educators and “Why can’t we do this inside?” “Why, because science needs its space,” Bradley replied. (10/14)

Rocket Lab Shares Soar 591% as Investors Weigh Valuation After NASA Contract Win (Source: Simply Wall Street)
If you’re looking at Rocket Lab’s stock chart this year, you’re probably double-checking your math right now. After all, a 591.1% gain over the last 12 months and a staggering 1,532.8% jump over three years are not numbers anyone shrugs off. In just the past month, shares have soared 36.8%, and if you’ve been holding since the start of the year, your return is a jaw-dropping 161.7%. Rocket Lab is not just riding a hot streak—it is practically in orbit. (10/9)

Solstar Space Signs $15 Million Global Agreement with Momentus (Source: Solstar)
Solstar Space announced a three-year reciprocal services agreement with Momentus to utilize the respective strengths, products and services of each company to deliver comprehensive low Earth orbit (LEO) space capabilities to address a broad range of commercial, government and space agency requirements. The three-year reciprocal services agreement provides a service value of up to $15 million for Solstar advanced space-based communications products and services and Momentus logistics, launch, payload deployment and on-orbit services. (10/13)

Could We Really Turn Mars Green? (Source: Universe Today)
A team of researchers led by Dr Erika DeBenedictis from Pioneer Labs argues it's time to take terraforming seriously as a research program, not because we should start tomorrow, but because recent breakthroughs in several fields have shifted the concept from impossible to merely very difficult. New technologies, from SpaceX's Starship potentially slashing launch costs by a factor of a thousand to advances in synthetic biology and climate modelling, have fundamentally changed the equation. The question is no longer whether terraforming is physically possible, but whether we should even pursue it and how we might approach such an incredible undertaking. (10/13)

SpaceX and xAI are Buying Tesla’s Unsold Cybertrucks (Source: Electrek)
Hundreds of Tesla Cybertrucks have been spotted being delivered Elon Musk’s private companies, SpaceX and xAI, as Tesla is having issues selling the electric pickup truck. Cybertruck turned out to be Tesla’s first real commercial flop. SpaceX has taken delivery of hundreds of Cybertrucks at Starbase of the last week and it is expected to take delivery of hundres, if not thousands more in the coming weeks.  (10/13)

Earth Has Entered a ‘New Reality’ as it Hits its First Climate Tipping Point (Source: CNN)
The planet is grappling with a “new reality” as it reaches the first in a series of catastrophic and potentially irreversible climate tipping points: the widespread death of coral reefs, according to a landmark report produced by 160 scientists across the world. As humans burn fossil fuels and ratchet up temperatures, it’s already driving more severe heat waves, floods, droughts, and wildfires. But there are even bigger impacts on the horizon. Climate change may also be pushing Earth’s crucial systems — from the Amazon rainforest to polar ice sheets — so far out of balance they collapse, sending catastrophic ripples across the planet. (10/13)

JPL Announces 550 Layoffs (Source: NASA Watch)
In a message from JPL Director Dave Gallagher, a JPL layoff of 500 people has been announced that is “not related to the current government shutdown”. ... “We are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success. As part of this effort, JPL is undergoing a realignment of its workforce, including a reduction in staff. This reduction — part of a reorganization that began in July and not related to the current government shutdown — will affect approximately 550 of our colleagues across technical, business, and support areas. Employees will be notified of their status on Tuesday, Oct. 14." (10/13)

Skynet-1A: Military Spacecraft Launched 56 Years Ago Has Been Moved By Persons Unknown (Source: IFL Science)
A military spacecraft launched 56 years ago was moved from its orbit – and nobody is quite sure who did it, or why. In 1969 the UK launched Skynet-1A, a military communications satellite placed in orbit above the east coast of Africa in order to relay information to British armed forces. It stopped working due to hardware issues around 18 months after it started operating, and the spacecraft was left to the laws of physics to orbit the Earth – it is now the oldest UK spacecraft still in space.

The spacecraft is not where it is supposed to be, according to what we know about orbits, now some 36,000 kilometers (22,369 miles) above the Americas. At some point in the intervening years, the satellite has likely been moved – but nobody appears to know when, who, or why. Tracking of the satellite has been patchy, particularly in the mid-1970s when the maneuver appears to have taken place, and any records of what happened appear to have been lost. (10/11)

SpaceX's Koenigsmann to Fly on Blue Origin New Shepard Mission (Source: Ars Technica)
Hans Koenigsmann is one of SpaceX's earliest, longest-tenured, and most-revered employees. When Elon Musk started the company in 2002, he was joined by two other "founding" employees, Tom Mueller in propulsion and Chris Thompson in structures. Koenigsmann was the next hire, brought on to develop avionics for the Falcon 1 rocket.

Because of this experience and his prominence during SpaceX's first crewed flights, Koenigsmann has become one of the most well-known German rocket scientists active today. And now he has announced he is going to space on a future New Shepard suborbital flight alongside his friend Michaela "Michi" Benthaus as early as next month. She's notable in her own right—a mountain biking accident in 2018 left her with a spinal cord injury, but she did not let this derail her from her dream. She will become the first wheelchair user to fly in space. (10/13)