October 10, 2026

From ‘Pinky Promises’ to Reality: SpaceX Admits 30 Launches a Day Will Block Louisiana Local Access (Source: The Lens)
Residents of Pecan Island — fishers and hunters, many of whom could trace their family’s presence here back generations -- met with SpaceX officials. Mark Soltys, chief engineer, began telling the crowd about SpaceX’s advances in aerospace technology. Craig Pitre, a retired welder sitting in the front row, said: “I don’t think too many of us are worried about the flagship rocket and recoverability. We are worried about the ecological damage. All this stuff goes out and it’s going to pollute the waters. I mean, is there going to be any accountability for anything? That’s mostly what we are concerned about.

For the next two hours, residents peppered SpaceX representatives with questions about the incoming impacts of the company’s planned spaceport. Will they be able to stay in their homes? Will it kill off the wildlife? Will it worsen flooding and endanger their lives? SpaceX reps repeatedly tried to reassure those present that the massive project would have no negative impact on their lives whatsoever. But they also were unable to answer many of the questions the residents posed. And in at least two instances, SpaceX reps were forced to backtrack, as locals held up the promises against the sheer, unprecedented scale of the planned rocket launches.

“Am I still going to be able to get down there to my property?” asked “Lil Mark” Broussard, about an hour into the meeting. “Yeah, we’re not going to deny access to property,” a SpaceX rep replied immediately. Broussard was referring to a strip of land between the shoreline and the southern border of SpaceX’s property. He runs horses and manages cattle on the land. But Soltys was soon forced to retract that promise. SpaceX renderings show launch pads in a row towering above the land where Broussard keeps his cattle. The meeting dissolved into worried crosstalk. (10/8)

4 Companies to Vie for NASA Space Station Funding (Source: Douglas Messier)
Four companies — Axiom Space, Blue Origin, Starlab Space and Vast Space — are expected to submit proposals to NASA for funding to develop commercial stations to replace ISS, which is set to be retired in 2030. NASA released a request for proposals for the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination Contract (CLDC) on Oct. 9. Complete proposals are due on Dec. 8; the space agency expects to make an award in spring 2027. NASA has provided limited funding for the Axiom, Blue Origin and Starlab space stations. The space agency has been providing technical support and access to testing facilities to Vast Space, which is developing privately-funded space stations. (10/10)

Payload Shapes for Starship Not Consistent with Many Military Requirements (Source: Politico)
The Space Force hopes SpaceX’s mega-rocket Starship will one day ferry key military satellites after the government stops using the company’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket.

But it’s unclear how military payloads will fit on the rocket — since it’s designed to launch flat-stacked satellites like Starlink. And SpaceX may not have the capacity, given the company’s ambitious plans to build out huge constellations and orbital data centers.

Detailed design: Starship essentially uses a Pez-style dispenser to push satellites out, ejecting them one by one through a small sliding door — a system that most military payloads aren’t compatible with. And with SpaceX poised to retire Falcon 9 in favor of the larger, more profitable Starship, and new rocket providers slow to get up and running, the government is in a tight spot. (10/9)

GMV Tests in Fuerteventura ESA Lunar Rover Software (Source: Democrata)
The Spanish technology group GMV has carried out tests on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura of a 'software' developed by ESA that makes it possible for rovers or astromobiles to move at greater speed. These trials were completed last Thursday in Lajares with the aim of validating an onboard autonomy framework formed by an advanced guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system, called Fastnav. (10/9)

Congressional Delegation Urges Musk to Expand Starlink Access for Ukraine (Source: NV)
A U.S. congressional delegation backed expanding Ukraine’s access to Starlink and urged Elon Musk to activate additional capabilities of the service for Ukrainian users. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) said during a briefing in Kyiv on Oct. 9 that he personally supports approaching Musk about expanding Starlink’s coverage and capabilities in Ukraine. Other members of the bipartisan delegation also supported the initiative. Crenshaw said Starlink and the recently passed sanctions bill introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham could serve as tools to increase pressure on Russia. (10/9)

White House on Trump Purchasing SpaceX Debt Before Space Order: ‘No Conflicts of Interest’ (Source: The Hill)
The White House said Friday there was no conflict of interest when President Trump’s accounts bought more than $1 million in SpaceX debt two days before he signed an executive order on space transportation policy. The president’s financial disclosure for August, published Thursday, shows Trump’s accounts purchased between $1 million and $5 million in senior unsecured notes from SpaceX on Aug. 18. (10/9)

SaxaVord Spaceport Earmarked by UK and German Governments for European Launches (Source: Shetland News)
The UK and German governments have identified SaxaVord Spaceport as a potential hub for Europe’s access to space. In a joint statement released following a meeting between prime minister Andy Burnham and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, the countries have agreed to deepen their strategic co-operation in space across their civil, commercial, security and defense interests. A memorandum of understanding between the two countries is set to be signed in early 2027. (10/9)

Canada, Norway Space Agencies Sign First MOU (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has signed its first memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA), an Arctic-focused partnership it highlighted on social media this week during the International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. (10/9)

Kapta Space Raises $24M from Bill Gates-Backed Fund and Defense Investors (Source: Geekwire)
Kapta Space, a Seattle startup building lower-cost, steerable radar sensors for satellites, has raised $24 million in a Series A funding round to scale production and meet growing demand for defense intelligence contracts. The investment brings total funding to $30 million. It also previously received a $1.8 million grant from the Department of Defense. (10/9)

China's Long March-12 Rocket Launches New Internet Satellite Group (Source: Xinhua)
China launched a Long March-12 carrier rocket on Saturday from a commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan, sending an internet satellite group into space. The rocket lifted off and successfully placed the payload, the 27th group of low-orbit internet satellites, into the preset orbit. (10/10)

Sovereign Skies, Secure India: Why Starlink Must Be Denied Entry (Source: News 18)
Starlink may expand connectivity in remote, mountainous, maritime, border and disaster-affected areas, but India should approach its use with strategic caution. Satellite broadband is not merely a commercial service: it is part of the national information infrastructure through which data, identities, economic activity, public administration and security communications may flow. (10/10)

SpaceX Spectrum Deal Unsettles Investors in AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile (Source: Axios)
SpaceX's plan to compete with the major cell phone service providers is coming into sharper focus — and raising investor concerns about the threat it poses to traditional telecom companies. Elon Musk has designs on turning SpaceX's Starlink satellite business into a major player in telecom — and he's using the company's massive market position to put his plan in motion. (10/9)

NASA Signs Space Nuclear Pact, Says Moon Base Is Ahead of Schedule (Source: Payload)
To paraphrase the White House, the US scientific enterprise is so back. On Thursday, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) hosted the “Science: A New Golden Age Summit,” following up on the July namesake report. The biggest space news came from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who signed an agreement to accelerate cooperation between the two agencies on space nuclear power and propulsion.

Isaacman framed SR-1 as the first step in an “Apollo-like endeavor,” with future missions adding better materials, thrusters, and autonomy on the way to a vehicle that can take astronauts to Mars and back. The MoU formalizes existing plans rather than launching new ones. SR-1 debuted at NASA’s Ignition in March, NASA and DOE signed a lunar reactor MoU in January, and Thursday’s agreement came with no new funding figures or cost estimates for nuclear efforts. Still, industry saw the MoU as an important step. (10/9)

Poland’s SpaceForest Completes Fourth PERUN Suborbital Rocket Flight (Source: Space News)
SpaceForest completed the fourth launch of its PERUN suborbital rocket, describing the flight as the vehicle’s most successful test to date. The launch marks another test milestone for the Polish rocket builder’s suborbital program; the available report provides no further flight results or schedule details. (10/9)

Italy Explores Orbital Platform to Generate Artificial Gravity (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Italian Space Agency is examining the possibility of building an orbital platform capable of generating artificial gravity. The concept would create an in-space research facility, though the available details do not specify its design, timeline, funding or intended research program. (10/9)

The Rideshare Era is Ending: Small-Launch Providers Need Anchor Customers as Small Satellites Seek 2029 Rides (Source: LA Tribune)
Small-satellite operators targeting a 2029 launch may already be struggling to secure a ride, while the lowest-cost rideshare option is no longer accepting bookings. The shift puts renewed focus on whether dedicated small-launch providers can attract anchor customers and establish viable demand. (10/9)