October 3, 2026

NASA Directive Might Increase the Odds of Contaminating Mars (Source: Scientific American)
A new NASA directive seeks to loosen “planetary protection” rules meant to avoid the contamination other worlds with microbial life from Earth. The policy shift arrived via a message to NASA personnel that was obtained and shared yesterday by the independent watchdog sites NASA Watch and Astrobiology.com.

In it, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman writes that procedures for avoiding contamination “must reflect our current scientific knowledge” and argues that this knowledge has shifted since the current rules were established decades ago. The directive “ensures we can use our incredible data to lower costs on our missions,” says Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This process will also help increase commercial capabilities—getting more missions into space by streamlining space exploration.” (10/2)

SES and Sky Extend Direct-to-Home Satellite Capacity Agreement Across UK and Ireland (Source: SatNews)
On Wednesday, SES announced a multi-year extension of its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite capacity agreement with European media and connectivity provider Sky. The renewal extends the long-standing commercial relationship between the two entities into the next decade, ensuring continuous video transmission and broadcast distribution services across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. (10/2)

Over 150 'New Start' DoD Programs Face Delay Under a CR (Source: Breaking Defense)
The federal government rang in a new fiscal year on Thursday, and, as has been the norm for years, the government will now be operating under a continuing resolution (CR). And if there’s one thing military leaders like to remind everyone about, at every opportunity, it’s that a CR means the Pentagon cannot begin funding new programs, also known as “new starts,” at a time when the department is pursuing novel technologies.

Breaking Defense reached out to the Pentagon and the services to ask for details on new starts that will be impacted by the CR, but a list was not provided by press time. New starts are listed as such in the fiscal 2027 budget request, and a search under that phrase of both procurement and research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) budget documents turned up over 150 results.

“The Pentagon — the senior leadership, OSD [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] —  keeps insisting they’re going to get $350 billion dollars in reconciliation. They will not, and they keep insisting they’re going to get more than $100 billion in a supplemental. I think that is very unlikely as long as the war continues,” says Sen. Chris Coons (D-CT). “And so there is likely to be somewhere between a $500 [billion] and $700 billion gap between what the Pentagon is planning on and continuing to insist on, and what they will actually get in appropriations.” (10/1)

HyImpulse Secures Scottish Launch License (Source: DPA)
A German rocket company has been granted a launch licence by UK regulators, as it plans to blast off from a spaceport in the Shetland Islands, off the coast of northern Scotland, early next year. HyImpulse, which builds commercial rockets, received its UK launch operator licence on Thursday from the Civil Aviation Authority. It is hoped HyImpulse will now be able to launch its SR75 suborbital vehicle in spring 2027. (10/1)

UAE Unveils Probe for its Most Ambitious Asteroid Mission (Source: Flight Global)
The United Arab Emirates has publicly revealed the probe for its MRB Explorer asteroid mission, describing the project as a significant turning point in the country’s effort to become a leading spacefaring nation. The unveiling marks a prominent step in the UAE’s expanding space ambitions. (10/2)

Satlyt Raises $8M Seed to Expand Its Virtual ODC Network (Source: Payload)
While investors pour billions of dollars into orbital-data-center (ODC) concepts that require new feats of engineering, Satlyt’s virtual ODC network is already flying above us—and growing rapidly. The startup—with joint headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and Sunnyvale, CA—unveiled a $8M seed round today to expand its team and its virtual ODC network. (10/1)

NASA Squeezed Treasury, Vibe Coded, and Broke the Mold in Bid to Save Swift (Source: Ars Technica)
An attempt to save NASA’s $500 million Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from dropping out of orbit fell short, but the behind-the-scenes machinations required just to make a rescue possible deserve recognition, government and commercial space officials said in a recounting of the mission. The rescue mission was developed by Katalyst Space Technologies, working under a $30 million contract awarded by NASA.

NASA and Katalyst officials are reviewing lessons learned from the mission to better prepare for the next time they need to rapidly call up a satellite rescue mission. First and foremost: Don’t wait until the last minute, said Shawn Domagal-Goldman. Katalyst quickly put out orders to suppliers for all the parts required to assemble the Link spacecraft. In some cases, Katalyst found its suppliers couldn’t deliver in time, so it decided to build parts itself. Engineers also had to decide what to test on the spacecraft before handing it over to the launch provider, Northrop Grumman.

NASA’s strategy was to tell Katalyst what to do, but not how to do it. “On paper, it was five requirements,” said Kieran Wilson, principal investigator for the Link mission at Katalyst. “In practice, it boiled down to do no harm and boost Swift. It was not specified how that was going to happen. That allowed us, in turn, to put engineering judgment ahead of exhaustive process, which allowed us to move much more quickly.” (10/1)

Norwegian Government Proposes Paying for Second Andøya Launch Pad (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Norwegian government plans to invest almost NOK 650 million (almost €60 million) to build a second orbital launch pad at Andøya Spaceport. The state will own the pad and lease it to Andøya Space, the commercial operator of the orbital launch facility. (10/1)

Skyrora Shifts Orbital Launch Timeline to 2030 (Source: Payload)
First-mover advantage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—at least, that’s the thought process for UK launch startup Skyrora. The company announced this week that it completed a 45-second hotfire test of a scaled-down version of the engine that will power the first stage of Skyrora’s orbital Skylark XL rocket. The test will inform the company’s development of the larger 70 kN engine, and Skyrora will use the data to make upgrades on the engine interface, firing operations, and tank design, according to COO Jack-James Marlow.

While Skyrora is working toward a potential second flight of its suborbital Skylark L2 vehicle next year, Marlow told Payload Skyrora is “tentatively aiming for 2030 for orbital launch.” Its a big jump from last year’s projection, when Skyrora told Payload it could optimistically attempt an orbital flight as early as Q4 2026. (10/2)

Google Launches Satellite Carrying AI Chips to Test Artificial Intelligence in Space (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Google has launched a satellite carrying several of the company’s AI chips, beginning an effort to determine whether advanced computing can operate in orbit. The mission will test the performance and practicality of running AI hardware in the space environment. (10/2)

Canada Rocket Company to Build $30 Million Methalox Engine Test Facility in Ontario (Source: NSF)
Canada Rocket Company plans to develop Canada’s first large-scale rocket engine test facility at London International Airport. The $30 million complex will support static-fire testing of the company’s methalox engines as it works toward a reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. (10/1)

Inside Isaacman’s Washington Plays (Source: Politico)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s latest moves to build political cachet in the GOP — while unusual — could benefit an agency that lacks a Cabinet-level voice. The administrator attended a high-profile luncheon this week at the White House with the country’s most notable tech executives. And new regulatory filings show he’s donated millions to Trump’s super PAC this summer, MAGA Inc. — $1 million in June and $2 million in August — plus another half-a-million earlier this year to the Senate GOP super PAC.

Those moves, while atypical for a sitting head of the space agency, could benefit NASA. The push comes as Isaacman seeks top-level buy-in for key space programs — including a moon landing and a lunar outpost. But the spending could spell trouble if Democrats retake a chamber next year. (10/2)