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)