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)