September 16, 2026

More Money! Budget Impasse Imperils 1 in 10 Space Force Programs, New Chief Says (Source: Breaking Defense)
A stopgap budget measure passed by lawmakers earlier this month may have averted a government shut down, but the continuing resolution set to stretch until mid-December will still carry considerable consequences for the Space Force, according to its new top uniformed official. Gen. Douglas Schiess, chief of space operations, said roughly “90 percent” of the Space Force’s programs come from last year — meaning they can continue under a CR. But about 10 percent of the Space Force’s planned efforts can’t proceed without a new spending bill, or a special congressional carveout. (9/15)

The Space Race Must Not Become a Race Against the Ozone Layer (Source: The Statesman)
Space exploration has always represented humanity’s highest aspirations. From the first satellite to the Moon landings, from Mars missions to sophisticated Earth-observation satellites, our journey beyond the atmosphere has transformed our understanding of the universe and, equally importantly, our understanding of our own planet. But the expanding space economy can no longer ignore an uncomfortable question about the impact of space missions on our atmosphere.

A study by NOAA and The Aerospace Corporation a few years ago examined what could happen if rocket launches increase dramatically in the coming decades. Their findings suggest that a substantial expansion in kerosene-burning rocket use could alter stratospheric temperatures and atmospheric circulation and, importantly, reduce ozone concentrations. The concern is not that today’s rocket launches will destroy the ozone layer. Rather, the warning is about what could happen if launch activity continues to grow at an unprecedented rate without considering its atmospheric consequences. (9/16)

How SpaceX Bought 125,000 Acres of Louisiana's Coast (Source: Axios)
One of the key pieces of the puzzle leading to the announcement of SpaceX's $100 billion planned Starbase Louisiana is that the company scored 125,000 acres of the state's coastline for $100,000,000. The no-bid deal was only made possible by a relatively new state law. During the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers passed a bill later signed by Gov. Jeff Landry allowing Louisiana Economic Development to sell state property. That law has been used only twice, according to LED spokesperson Emma Wagner, to lure big economic development projects to the state: Meta and SpaceX. (9/15)

Trump Policies Speed European Campaign for Space Self-Reliance (Source: Bloomberg)
At the Space Security and Defense Summit in Paris, European officials and industry leaders called for stronger coordination, domestic capabilities and allied cooperation to protect space systems. Discussions covered Germany’s European Space Component Command, accelerating IRIS² and partnerships including Viasat–PGZ satellite-communications cooperation. Trump-era U.S. policy shifts and Ukraine's reliance on American systems are driving urgency for European autonomous space capabilities.

The EU will accelerates space self-reliance via IRIS², the €15.6B sovereign broadband satellite constellation led by SpaceRISE consortium. Governments will fund 60% of costs, while operators like Eutelsat and SES self-finance €4.75B in exchange for commercial revenue rights. The approach shifts risk to operators, who must prove commercial demand for co-funded low-orbit capacity beyond guaranteed government usage. (9/15)

SpaceX Signals Halt in Falcon 9 Launch Orders (Source: Space Intel Report)
SpaceX has told multiple prospective customers that it is no longer accepting new commercial Falcon 9 launch reservations, according to industry officials. The move appears to mark a gradual preparation for retiring the workhorse rocket in favor of the super-heavy Starship vehicle. (9/15)

Satellite Firms Pursue Ground-Based Deals for SpaceX-Style Cell Service (Source: Bloomberg)
Satellite companies are using discussions in Paris to pursue commercial agreements for satellite-based cellular connectivity, seeking to turn space infrastructure into direct-to-device services on Earth. The activity reflects growing interest in business models that could compete with or complement SpaceX’s satellite connectivity ambitions. (9/16)

Space Force Eyes Space Academy as Source of Civilian Talent (Source: Newsmax)
The Space Force could turn President Donald Trump's proposed U.S. Space Academy into a new source of highly skilled civilian employees while continuing to rely on the Air Force Academy to produce military officers, the service's top officer said. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess said the NASA-led academy could help address the Space Force's growing demand for workers with specialized technical expertise. (9/15)

Nevada Eyes Space Force Academy Bid, Pointing to NNSS and Proposed Spaceport Site (Source: KSNV)
NASA is quickly moving forward with plans to establish and build a Space Academy for the U.S. Space Force, similar to the existing military academies for the Air Force, Army and Navy. Each state will have an opportunity to submit an offer to become the Space Academy’s new home, based on certain criteria. So what does Nevada have to offer that might pique the interest of NASA? Perhaps more than we might think. For starters, Nevada is home to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), once known as the Nevada Test Site.

Rob Lauer, CEO of United Spaceports Corporation, says his private venture has a three-year jump on a space academy concept with plans to build a spaceport between Las Vegas and Pahrump, which would include flight training facilities, STEM programs, and someday, the ability to launch rockets and space planes into orbit. “I read the requirements from NASA, and one of them was 300 acres, and we have 240 acres,” Lauer said. “But we have 100,000 acres surrounding us of BLM land.” (9/15)

Moody Files STARS Act to Land Space Academy in Florida (Source: Florida Politics)
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody wants Florida to be ground zero for the Space Academy, and she’s launching a legislative push to make it happen. Moody announced that she’s submitting a bill in the Senate to bring the institution to Brevard County on Florida’s Space Coast. She has been mounting a campaign to bring the Academy to the Sunshine State. Moody’s legislation is titled the STARS Act, which is an acronym for Securing The Advancement of Rising Spacefarers Act. Editor's Note: This is a performative move. What non-Florida member would vote in favor of this bill? (9/15)

U.S. Space Academy Belongs in Huntsville, Alabama Lawmakers Say (Source: AL.com)
The Alabama congressional delegation is pitching North Alabama as the site of the newly announced U.S. Space Academy. Led by U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-AL, the delegation addressed a letter to the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Space Academy, outlining the Tennessee Valley’s legacy and commitment to U.S. space superiority, Strong’s office said Monday. (9/15)

Russia’s Starlink Rival “Rassvet” Fails to Reach Target Orbit 6 Months After Launch (Source: United 24)
Russia’s Rassvet-3 satellite constellation, intended to form the basis of a domestic alternative to Starlink, has yet to reach its planned operational orbit six months after the first group of satellites was launched. None of the satellites from the initial Rassvet-3 deployment has reached the planned altitude of 800 kilometers, preventing the constellation from beginning full-scale operations as originally envisioned. (9/15)

Planet's German Subsidiary to Provide Imagery to German Government (Source: Space News)
The German government will acquire dedicated Earth observation capacity from Planet's German subsidiary. Under the agreement, the German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy will coordinate and distribute high-resolution tasked imagery from Planet Lab Germany as well as related services. Germany is the first nation to adopt Planet's Constellation Services for civil government support. Through Constellation Services, Planet provides customers with dedicated capacity on Planet satellites with a path towards sovereign constellation ownership. (9/16)

Isar Aerospace Ready for Commercial Launch Operations (Source: Space News)
Isar Aerospace says it is ready to begin commercial Spectrum launches after a successful test flight earlier this month. Company officials said at a briefing Tuesday that the Sept. 5 launch, the second for the small launch vehicle, "achieved everything that we wanted" and will allow the company to begin commercial operations. The next Spectrum flight will carry smallsats from ESA's Boost! program, but Isar did not disclose a date for the mission. The company expects to perform four launches in 2027 and more than double that amount in 2028. Isar also announced it won a contract from launch services aggregator SEOPS for five Spectrum launches from 2028 to 2030. (9/16)

Isaacman Sees Lunar Race as National Security Imperative (Source: Space News)
NASA's return to the moon has national security implications, the agency's administrator says. In a speech at the Air Space & Cyber conference Tuesday, Jared Isaacman argued that the outcome of the intensifying lunar competition with China could shape alliances, technology standards and perceptions of U.S. power. He said NASA should collaborate with the Space Force, describing a division of labor in which NASA establishes a sustained American presence beyond Earth while the Space Force and Pentagon protect U.S. interests and work with the civilian agency on technologies and infrastructure useful to both. (9/16)

Viasat Expects to Build Equatys D2D Satellites (Source: Space News)
Viasat expects to announce a contract within weeks to build the first satellites for Equatys, a direct-to-device joint venture with Space42. A contract naming the U.S. satellite broadband operator as prime contractor will come shortly after Equatys clears remaining corporate regulatory approvals for the shared orbital infrastructure project, Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg said Tuesday.

While the two companies have spectrum filings for a combined 2,800 satellites, Equatys will start with fewer than 200 satellites that they plan to have in service by the end of 2029.  Viasat and Space42 earlier announced at the World Space Business Week conference that they will each commit $400 million of equity to Equatys, once the joint venture is formed. Space42 said it expects to invest an additional $200 million in a future equity funding round open to third-party investors. (9/16)

Space Force Acquisition Chief Focuses on Speed (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's new acquisition chief is focusing on using a recent acquisition overhaul to deliver satellites and other capabilities faster. Erich Hernandez-Baquero, in his first public remarks since taking office, said Tuesday that his priorities are making the Space Force's new portfolio acquisition structure work, ensuring separately developed systems function together and strengthening the workforce responsible for buying increasingly complex military space capabilities. At the center of the effort are nine newly established Portfolio Acquisition Executives, or PAEs, who have been given broader authority over entire mission areas. Hernandez-Baquero is also looking at how the government can encourage industry to build more capacity as military demand for launches and satellites grows. (9/16)

China Launches Twice on Tuesday with Zhuque-2E and Gravity-1 Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
Chinese rockets performed two launches within 24 hours. A Zhuque-2E rocket lifted off Tuesday from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone at the Jiuquan spaceport, putting into orbit 10 satellites. The satellites were described as a megaconstellation, but media reports did not identify the constellation. A Gravity-1 rocket lifted off Tuesday from a ship in waters offshore from Shanghai. It placed into orbit a set of Qianfan satellites and a technology demonstration satellite called EUHT. The launch set records for a China sea-based launch by reaching an altitude of 800 kilometers and carrying three tons of payload. (9/16)

Space Cargo Unlimited Contracts to Fly on SpaceX Starfall (Source: Space News)
Space Cargo Unlimited has signed a contract to fly payloads on SpaceX's Starfall reentry vehicle. The Luxembourg-based company said Tuesday it will fly a one-ton "space factory" on a Starfall spacecraft in 2028, launched on SpaceX's Starship. Starfall is SpaceX's vehicle designed for microgravity research and manufacturing, much larger than other commercial reentry vehicles. Space Cargo Unlimited says it plans to use the mission for customers ready to move from R&D to production, with smaller vehicles reserved for those still working on experimentation.  The company has also taken a stake in Novespace, the French company that operates an Airbus jet for parabolic aircraft flights that provide brief periods of microgravity. (9/16)

Broader Range of Military Users for Commercial Imagery (Source: Space News)
Commercial imagery and other forms of geospatial information are becoming available to a much broader range of military users. Companies say they are providing more services to national security customers, such as one, Danti, that supported Pentagon analysts and operators during the conflict with Iran. AI tools combine those collections with maritime tracking data, signals, weather information, news reports and other open sources, then identify what has changed and why it may be important. Some military customers are also using Danti to automate parts of intelligence production. (9/16)

Hydrosat's Osiris Constellation Aims to Provide Thermal Infrared Data (Source: Space News)
Hydrosat's next-generation Osiris constellation will provide thermal infrared observations for government and commercial customers. The company said at World Space Business Week that in addition to providing wide-area, high-resolution observations for Hydrosat's commercial data business, the Osiris constellation will include satellites deployed for government agencies focused on water and food security, critical infrastructure and natural security. the first two satellites are scheduled for launch in 2027. In addition to the thermal-infrared instrument, Osiris satellites will be equipped with a nine-band visible and near-infrared sensor to gather imagery with a resolution of 10 meters per pixel. (9/16)

Djibouti Signs Artemis Accords (Source: Space News)
Djibouti signed the Artemis Accords this week as the State Department provides new opportunities for signatories. Djibouti's ambassador to the U.S. signed the Accords on Monday at NASA Headquarters, becoming the 72nd country to do so. The signing comes days after the State Department announced the Space Catalyst Partnership, which will collaborate with companies that signed the Accords on foreign assistance projects, diplomatic outreach and fostering engagement on space-related issues. The partnership is starting with a rural connectivity project in Peru valued at $6.5 million. (9/16)

Former SES Executive is Interim Chief of Luxembourg Space Agency (Source: Delano)
A former SES executive is now the interim head of the Luxembourg Space Agency. The government appointed Ruy Pinto, former CTO and interim CEO of SES, as acting CEO of the agency. Pinto will serve in that role for six months with the possibility of an extension. Pinto replaces Marc Serres, who resigned for reasons neither he nor the agency disclosed. The agency’s deputy CEO left two months ago to take a job with Exobiosphere, a space biotech company. (9/16)

Mission Control Center Added to SaxaVord Proposals for Former RAF Site (Source: Shetland Times)
A mission control center and “associated support buildings” have been proposed on the former RAF camp in Haroldswick where 23 accommodation units are planned near the spaceport in Unst. The temporary, two-story unit would be built on the sports pitch at the old RAF Saxa Vord accommodation camp, new planning documents have revealed. (9/15)

ISRO Staff Step Up Privatization Protest (Source: Rediff)
The nine employee associations of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are planning to step up their campaign over the future of the space agency by issuing pamphlets to employees and the public, after failing to get satisfactory answers from the top management. They also want a Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) in vogue in ISRO. "We will be issuing pamphlets about our issues. The response of (ISRO Chairman Dr V) Narayanan is not satisfactory and it did not address the core issue raised by the nine associations in their letter," said a leader of an employee association. (9/15)

Venus Aerospace Opens New Test Stand at Houston Spaceport (Source: Community Impact)
Houston-based rocket propulsion company Venus Aerospace opened a new propulsion test stand at the Houston Spaceport on Sep. 10. The new test stand is part of "critical infrastructure to support the continued development and maturation of its rotating detonation rocket engine technology," according to the company. The $3.9 million test stand was funded through the Texas Space Commission's Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund, which is part of the state's investment in growing Texas' aerospace and space economy. (9/14)

Human Spaceflight Key Agenda Item For ESA Intermediate Ministerial (Source: Aviation Week)
When ministers for European Space Agency member states convene in Rome in December, the full scope of autonomous human spaceflight will be on the agenda, says ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. “We will prepare decisions on whether Europe would like to invest also in crewed transportation." (9/14)

U.S. Has Deployed Space-Control Weapons in Orbit, Air Force Secretary Says (Source: Space News)
U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on Monday revealed that the United States has deployed space-control weapons in orbit, while also disclosing new milestones for military satellite programs tied to missile defense and long-range targeting. “The United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action,” Meink said. The statement was unusually explicit for the Pentagon, which has increasingly discussed the need for weapons to defend U.S. satellites and counter adversary space capabilities but has disclosed few details about offensive or defensive systems operating in orbit. (9/14)

Moving Toward Sovereign Capabilities, But Not There Yet - U.S. Allies Commit $302 Million to Complete Funding for Space Force Communications Satellite (Source: Space News)
Ten U.S. allies have agreed to provide $302 million to cover launch, ground-system upgrades and operations for the U.S. Space Force’s next Wideband Global SATCOM satellite, completing a funding plan for the Boeing-built military communications spacecraft. The agreement expands a longstanding arrangement under which allied governments help finance the U.S.-owned WGS constellation in exchange for access to its communications capacity. Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom are participating in the latest agreement. Poland is the newest member of the multinational WGS partnership. (9/14)

Congress Delays Decision on $200 Billion Defense Funding Gap (Source: Washington Post)
Congress faces a $200 billion military funding gap, with major decisions delayed until after the midterm elections. President Trump is pushing for a [staggering] $1.5 trillion defense budget, but the House has only passed a [also staggering] $1.15 trillion version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which is stalled in the Senate. Republicans are attempting to add $350 billion through reconciliation, but unexpected costs from the U.S.-Iran war complicate efforts. (9/13)

FAA Wants America to Go Supersonic Again — FJET CEO Says the Billion-Dollar Bet Still Faces a Big Problem (Source: Benzinga)
"It is obvious that regulators want more data, which means they need more test flights," Tim Franta told Benzinga in an exclusive interview. The FAA still has another major piece to write. A separate proposal covering takeoff and landing noise is expected later this year, with the agency targeting completion of both standards by mid-2027. "It remains to be seen how regulators will measure and qualify different boom-mitigation approaches," Franta said, including possible weather, atmospheric and altitude restrictions.

That gap is why Grant Holve, director and lead analyst for commercial aerospace at Forecast International, sees a narrower immediate opportunity. "Testing and certification is the only plausible near-term application," Holve said in an interview. He expects the civil market over the next 10 to 15 years to remain "a niche sector with the potential for a few operators." Holve says investors should focus deeper in the development cycle. "Financing relative to certification progress is the single most critical aspect to evaluate," he said.

Franta sees the nearer opportunity one step earlier. He wants a U.S. supersonic and hypersonic test corridor through low-density airspace that could boost flight cadence while letting regulators test how high-speed aircraft coexist with subsonic traffic. Starfighters is positioning its Mach 2-plus F-104 fleet around precisely that demand through its ‘Wind Tunnel in the Sky’ testing platform. "Since February we have seen a consistent increase in interest from government and commercial organizations wanting access to the high-speed environment," Franta said. (9/10)

More Hotels and Roads? Here's How SpaceX Could Change the Economy in Louisiana (Source: The Advocate)
Every time a rocket launches at SpaceX’s south Texas site, about 20,000 people stay at hotels to watch it take off into space. In Vermilion Parish, where SpaceX is planning a $100 billion launch site near Pecan Island that could to start launching rockets in 2030, there are only three hotels of significance, with the largest being a three-story Best Western with fewer than 200 rooms.

Hotel construction will be among the visible changes to the area’s economy as the first rocket launch nears, said Gilberto Salinas, president and CEO of the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corp. Downtown Brownsville is about 20 miles from the south Texas SpaceX complex, known as known as Starbase.

Expect increases in jobs, education, tourism and local spending. In Brownsville, SpaceX contributed $13 billion to the regional economy over a two-year span, according to a report the company released last year. The city will host the third annual SpaceFest later this month as a nod to its newest industry. (9/12)

State Dept. Launches Space Catalyst Partnership (Source: Douglas Messier)
The Space Catalyst Partnership (SCP), the Department of State’s flagship initiative to deepen civil and commercial space cooperation between the United States and Artemis Accords signatory countries, was launched today in Lima, Peru. The SCP aims to create opportunities for foreign governments, industry, space agencies, and research organizations to benefit from the vibrant U.S. space ecosystem through commercial partnerships and scientific collaboration, while ensuring outer space is used safely, peacefully, and transparently to the benefit of mankind.

As part of the SCP, the Department is working with Congress to launch a $6.5 million rural connectivity project to offer satellite-based internet to rural schools, small businesses, community centers, and public institutions across Peru’s southern regions. This project is among the first SCP projects that, subject to the availability of funds, will assist priority countries’ efforts to integrate space-related technology and services into their economies. (9/15)

Airbus to Build First IRIS Satellites for Eutelsat (Source: Composites World)
Airbus Defence and Space has signed a contract with Eutelsat to design and build satellites for Europe's IRIS² constellation, with Thales Alenia Space providing payloads. The project, part of the EU's secure connectivity program, will deliver at least 66 satellites by 2029. (9/14)

Space Force Chief Says Iran War Shows Service’s Expanding Combat Role (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force played a direct combat role in the war with Iran, with guardians conducting electromagnetic warfare against an adversary in addition to providing satellite communications, navigation and missile warning to U.S. forces, the service’s top general said. His remarks portrayed the Iran conflict as a significant evolution in the six-year-old service’s combat role, with guardians moving beyond the satellite-based support that has traditionally defined military space operations to deliver combat effects directly against an adversary. (9/15)

Forget Lunar Metropolises: Water Limits Could Cap Moon's Population (Source: ABC)
According to new research, grand lunar ambitions may need to be tempered because of a shortage of lunar water and the challenge of generating enough power to sustain a large city. Martin Elvis and Jonathan McDowell investigated how large a lunar city could grow and how long it could be sustained based on the amount of water believed to be available on the Moon. They also looked at how challenging it would be to meet the power requirements.

"There's been so much talk and enthusiasm about a future in which the moon is a part of our civilization and abundantly populated, and science fiction shows with extensive cities on the moon and space traffic around it, and so we just wanted to, I guess, throw some cold water, literally, on some of that overoptimism," McDowell said. He believes there will eventually be settlements on the moon but "there are physics limits to how much of a lunar society you can end up having."

Elvis and McDowell, who used other researchers' lunar water estimates, point out that a billion tons of water ice is an optimistic projection. But even when using a billion tons as a baseline, which they say could fill Manhattan's Central Park to a depth of nearly 400 feet, they found it wasn't enough. "I was very surprised that if you don't do any recycling, then it's about two years for a city of a million people, which is ludicrously short. You couldn't even build the city in that time," said Elvis. (9/14)

Golden Dome Czar Sees AI Role To Speed Up Decision-Making (Source: Aviation Week)
As the Golden Dome’s command-and-control (C2) system takes form, senior U.S. military leaders see a key role for artificial intelligence (AI) to help human operators sift through the reams of data coming off of the multiple systems coming through that nascent network. (9/15)

Open Cosmos Raises €300M Funding Round (Source: Payload)
Open Cosmos has closed a €300M ($348.6M) funding round—the latest sign that the European VC landscape is heating up. The funding round for the European satellite-manufacturing company, announced today, was led by investors on the continent, including participation from Lightrock, ETF Partners, Institut Català de Finances (ICF), and Entrepreneurs First. (9/15)

Pratt licenses Hermeus to Build F100 Fighter Jet Engine (Source: Breaking Defense)
Engine maker Pratt & Whitney is licensing aircraft startup Hermeus to produce Pratt’s F100 fighter jet engine, the first such license for a fellow American firm. Jill Albertelli, the president of Pratt’s military engines business, described the agreement as a natural one to boost the industrial base in the face of growing powerplant demand for existing aircraft and for in-development programs like the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft project.

Hermeus has a particular interest in the F100: it powers the company’s high-speed Quarterhorse drone. In an interview with Breaking Defense, Hermeus CEO Zach Shore said the deal means the company would additionally be the first vertically integrated aircraft manufacturer under the Quarterhorse program. (9/15)