U.S. Space Force Awards SBI Contracts to Lockheed Martin and Firefly’s SciTec
The U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command awarded major Space-Based Interceptor contracts to Lockheed Martin and SciTec, a Firefly Aerospace subsidiary. The awards are part of a $3.2 billion OTA effort involving 12 firms and aim to field a layered missile‑defense shield by 2028.
Sweden Deploys First Military Reconnaissance Satellite, Boosting NATO ISR
Sweden’s armed forces placed their first operational reconnaissance satellite into low‑Earth orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, delivering high‑resolution imagery for NATO’s space‑based awareness. The launch, eight years ahead of the original 2030 schedule, begins a planned ten‑satellite constellation...
Musk Held 46.5% Economic, 99% Voting Stake in xAI
Interesting to see the latest SpaceX ownership filing indicating that Musk had a 46.5% economic stake and 99% voting stake in xAI before the merger
NRO Taps EarthDaily, Iceye, Pixxel to Expand Commercial Data Pipeline
The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office announced contracts with EarthDaily Analytics, Iceye and Pixxel under its Commercial Solutions Opening program to integrate commercial Earth observation data into intelligence missions. The agreements will progress through modeling, simulation and on‑orbit evaluation phases to...
Israeli Team Uses JWST to Spot Cosmic Rays Inside Barnard 68, Revealing Star‑Birth Mechanics
A Technion‑Israel Institute of Technology team led by Prof. Shmuel Bialy used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to directly detect cosmic‑ray particles inside the Barnard 68 nebula, 400 light‑years away. The breakthrough, published in Nature Astronomy, offers the first concrete...
FCC Updates Starlink Spectrum Rules, Targeting Up to Seven‑Fold Capacity Boost
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced on May 4, 2026 that it is revising its spectrum rules for SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, a change that could raise the system’s capacity by as much as seven‑fold. The policy shift is the latest...
Lockheed Martin, Firefly and Seagate Team Up for Sea‑Based National‑Security Launches
Lockheed Martin, Firefly Aerospace and Seagate have formed a three‑way partnership to deliver sea‑based launch services for U.S. national‑security payloads. The effort centers on Seagate’s Gateway semi‑submersible launch platform and Firefly’s Alpha rocket, with a target to field a permanent...
OroraTech Launches Greece’s First National Wildfire‑Monitoring Satellite Constellation
OroraTech placed four dedicated wildfire‑monitoring satellites into a 590‑km sun‑synchronous orbit on May 3, 2026, creating Greece’s first sovereign constellation for real‑time fire intelligence. The system, built for the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance and the Hellenic Space Center with...
Telesat Corp (TSAT) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Telesat Corp reported 2025 revenue of $418 million and adjusted EBITDA of $213 million, but posted a $530 million net loss as the GEO segment faced goodwill impairment and the LEO Lightspeed program incurred higher capitalized labor. The company announced a three‑month delay...
D2D
The article revisits the early failure of Iridium’s $5 billion satellite phone venture, attributing its collapse to regulatory pushback and high handset costs. It then outlines how falling launch prices, improved digital signal processing, and new business models have revived interest...
Starlink Gains Speed
Ookla’s latest Speedtest data shows Starlink now delivers median download speeds of 100 Mbps or higher in 49 states, up from 23 states a year earlier. The service also achieved median upload speeds of 22 Mbps in 22 states, crossing the FCC’s...
U.S. Space Force Awards $3.2 Billion for Space-Based Interceptor Layer
The U.S. Space Force announced up to $3.2 billion in OTA contracts to 12 firms for the Golden Dome Space‑Based Interceptor program, a proliferated low‑Earth‑orbit constellation aimed at neutralizing ballistic and hypersonic missiles during boost, mid‑course and glide phases. Simultaneously, the...
Starship and SLS Can Achieve 4K Orbit without Extra Hardware
Some interesting notes besides the amazing 4K streaming from orbit (YES PLEASE), the inclination and altitude mentioned tells us two things. 1. Starship could do this from Starbase, so it wouldn't require 39A pad to be operational. 2. SLS could do...
May 4, 2026 Quick Space Links
The post curates a set of recent space‑related links, including a video of a Soyuz‑2 fairing unintentionally returning from orbit, a 3D‑printing firm highlighting Sierra Space’s use of its printers for the Dream Chaser vehicle, and historical notes on the...
Trump's Proposed NASA Budget Is a 'Horrible Threat to Our Future' In Space, Planetary Society CEO Says
Planetary Society CEO Jennifer Vaughn warned that the Trump administration’s proposed 23% cut to NASA’s FY 2027 budget—dropping funding to roughly $18.8 billion—poses a "horrible threat" to U.S. space science. Vaughn, who succeeded Bill Nye earlier this year, said the cuts jeopardize...
STMicroelectronics Expects Its Space Business to Reach More than $3B Over Three Years
STMicroelectronics said its space division will generate more than $3 billion in cumulative revenue between 2026 and 2028, driven largely by low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) programs. Revenue from LEO chips rose 243% from $175 million in 2021 to an expected $600 million in 2025, giving...
U.S. Space Force Integrates Domain Awareness Capabilities Into Balikatan 2026
The U.S. Space Force Indo‑Pacific (SPACEPAC) deployed personnel and space‑based assets to the Philippines for Balikatan 2026, running from April 20 to May 8. The exercise focused on integrating space domain awareness, theater missile warning and satellite communications into the Philippine defense framework....
Coalition Urges FCC to Reverse Ligado-AST SpaceMobile L‑Band Approval
A coalition of aerospace, aviation and weather groups sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the FCC to rescind its 2020 approval of Ligado Networks' L‑band partnership with AST SpaceMobile. The letter cites Ligado's failure to meet a commercial‑service...
Future-Proofing Satellite Networks With ST Engineering iDirect Sales SVP Brian Jakins
Brian Jakins, senior vice‑president of sales at ST Engineering iDirect, discussed how satellite operators can future‑proof their networks amid rapid advances in 5G, non‑terrestrial networks, multi‑orbit architectures, and AI‑driven services. He highlighted the paradox of abundant technology choices creating decision...
FAA Will Begin Making Space Rockets Pay Tolls
The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will start charging a payload‑based toll on every U.S. commercial launch, set at $0.25 per pound of payload and capped at $30,000 per flight. The fee can rise to $1.50 per pound with...
Lockheed Martin Hits Core‑Mate Milestone for GPS IIIF Satellite SV11
Lockheed Martin announced that Space Vehicle 11 (SV11) has passed the core‑mate phase, the first GPS IIIF block to reach full assembly. The milestone accelerates the rollout of upgraded navigation capabilities for the U.S. Space Force, including a 60‑fold anti‑jamming boost.
Spire Global Loses $52.7M Canadian Wildfire Satellite Contract
Spire Global disclosed that the Canadian Public Works and Government Services ministry terminated a CAD 71.8 million ($52.7 million) contract to build a WildFireSat constellation. The loss equals about nine months of Spire's projected 2025 revenue, pushing back its path to profitability.
Firefly Aerospace’s SciTec Selected for Space-Based Missile Defense “Golden Dome”
Firefly Aerospace’s subsidiary SciTec has secured an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement to support the U.S. Space Force’s Golden Dome space‑based missile‑defense architecture. The contract makes SciTec one of 12 firms receiving a share of the $3.2 billion Space‑Based Interceptor (SBI)...
Space/Satellite Market
The global satellite market is expanding at a 16.9% CAGR, propelled by rapid deployment of low‑Earth‑orbit constellations for broadband, Earth observation and defense communications. Operators are investing heavily in inter‑satellite laser links, compact optical terminals and advanced propulsion to overcome...
SpaceX Starship Flight 12 Likely Late May After Generator Explosion and Deluge Damaged
SpaceX’s new Orbital Launch Pad 2 suffered a methalox gas‑generator explosion during a high‑volume deluge test, sending roof panels and debris airborne. The incident was confined to the generator and overhead cover, leaving the pad’s core structure and flame trench undamaged....
SpaceX’s Space Data Centers Face Massive Technical, Cost Barriers
SpaceX wants to put data centers in space. Watch an engineer break down the biggest technical hurdles and costly barriers it would face. https://t.co/QtaUsm5ztM via @WSJ
Space Weather Could Cost the Satellite Industry $40 Billion in a Single Storm. A 15-Person Startup Is Building the Forecast.
A single geomagnetic storm could cost the satellite industry $40 billion. Mission Space, a 15‑person startup, is building a 24‑sensor ZOHAR constellation to deliver high‑resolution, real‑time space‑weather data, launching its fourth payload on HEX20’s Maya‑V1 rideshare. The space‑weather forecasting market is...
STMicroelectronics Targets More than $3bn From Space, Riding the Satellite Constellation Boom
STMicroelectronics announced it expects its low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) semiconductor business to generate more than $3 billion in cumulative revenue between 2026 and 2028. The unit grew from $175 million in 2021 to about $600 million in 2025 and is projected to near $1 billion by...
NASA Welcomes Malta as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
NASA announced that Malta has become the 65th signatory to the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Kalkara. The agreement commits Malta to the accords’ principles of peaceful, transparent and responsible space exploration, aligning it with the United States and...
Amazon Leo’s Satellite Total Surpasses 300
Amazon’s Project Kuiper subsidiary, Amazon Leo, successfully launched 32 satellites on April 30, bringing its low‑Earth‑orbit constellation to a total of 302 satellites. The deployment used an Atlas V rocket from the Guiana Space Center, marking the second launch in a week...
Smallsat Sector to Deploy 16,900 Satellites Through 2035 as Market Reaches Industrial Maturity
Novaspace projects 16,900 small satellites under 500 kg will launch between 2026 and 2035, pushing small‑sat deployments to about 33% of all orbital launches. The surge is driven by sovereign constellations that serve defense, ISR and secure communications, moving the sector...
Mathematical Framework Solves Asteroid Route Planning Exactly for First Time
A research team led by Prof. Michael Römer at Bielefeld University has published an exact solution to the Asteroid Routing Problem, a space‑logistics challenge where travel times vary with celestial motion. Using decision diagrams and a specialized search that repeatedly solves...
Blue Origin Moon Lander Completes Testing at NASA Vacuum Chamber
Blue Origin has finished environmental testing of its Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander inside NASA’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber A at Johnson Space Center. Known as Endurance, MK1 is an uncrewed cargo vehicle funded through a reimbursable Space Act Agreement to...
Luma Ring Plans Lunar Solar Farms, Beaming Power to Earth
Shimizu’s Luma Ring proposes covering the moon’s equator with solar panels and transmitting energy to Earth via wireless microwave and laser systems. https://t.co/UDrTt5wCYy
Progress MS-35 Arrival Report with Bonus Cargo Interface Insights
I got distracted by Soyuz-5 celebrations, but the flight report on the Progress MS-35 arrival to the ISS is now completed, PLUS exclusive bonus content on the interfaces of cargo ships for our subscribers: https://t.co/01tbwAznxP https://t.co/bXAgUyZpsu
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Massimo Comparini, Leonardo Space Division
Leonardo is committing roughly €500 million (about $540 million) to launch a proprietary constellation of around 20 small satellites that will carry SAR, high‑resolution optical and communications payloads. The effort is led by Massimo Comparini, newly appointed Managing Director of Leonardo’s Space...
China Imposes Extensive Regulations on Its Pseudo-Commercial Space Industry
China has released a comprehensive "Commercial Spaceflight Standards System" that governs its burgeoning pseudo‑commercial space sector. The six‑area framework addresses market access, safety supervision, debris mitigation, certification, energy conservation, and occupational health. CNSA Administrator Shan Zhongde convened a round‑table with...
Global Smallsat Deployment Accelerates, with 16,900 Satellites Projected Through 2035
Novaspace’s 11th Prospects for the Small Satellite Market report projects 16,900 small satellites (under 500 kg) to be launched between 2026 and 2035, averaging about 230 tons of hardware per year. Smallsats will account for roughly one‑third of all launches yet only...
A Tiny World Beyond Neptune Has an Atmosphere that Shouldn't Exist
Japanese astronomers have detected a thin atmosphere around the 500‑km trans‑Neptunian object (612533) 2002 XV 93 using a stellar occultation on Jan. 10 2024. The atmospheric signal, confirmed by multiple sites, suggests a transient envelope that would vanish in less than 1,000 years without replenishment. No...
For NASA’s TESS, Stellar Eclipses Shed Light on Possible New Worlds
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is leveraging stellar eclipses—periodic dimming when one star passes in front of another—to refine its hunt for exoplanets. By analyzing eclipse timing variations and light‑curve nuances, researchers have identified several promising planet candidates that...
SpaceX Sends South Korean Imaging Satellite, 44 More Payloads to Orbit on Falcon 9
SpaceX successfully lifted off a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Station, delivering 45 payloads into low‑Earth orbit. The mission, designated CAS500‑2, carried South Korea’s Compact Advanced Satellite 500‑2, the second unit in KAI’s Phase 1 CAS500 Earth‑observation program, along with 44...
US-LatAm Space Cooperation Runs Through the Militaries
In April 2026 the U.S. Southern Command convened 15 Latin American nations at the Space Conference of the Americas in Florida, marking the first large‑scale, military‑led gathering on space security in the Western Hemisphere. General Francis Donovan framed space as the...
First Full Video of Soyuz‑5 Processing at Baikonur
The first video showing all key processing operations during the Soyuz-5 launch campaign in Baikonur: https://t.co/gSfpQV4rgq
How Rare Earths Sustain Space Habitats For Brave Astronauts
Space habitats rely on rare‑earth elements (REEs) to turn life‑support functions into lightweight, high‑efficiency systems. NdFeB and SmCo magnets power pumps, fans, and reaction wheels, while europium‑based phosphors provide LED lighting that mimics natural sunlight. The article traces REEs from...
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East African Countries to Launch Regional Satellite
Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda announced a joint effort to design and launch a regional communication and broadcasting satellite under the Northern Corridor Regional Communication and Broadcasting Satellite Initiative (NCRCBSI). The ministers met on the sidelines of the Connected...
DARPA Chief Says Agency Must Harness Commercial Space Boom
DARPA director Stephen Winchell announced a strategic shift to treat the agency’s space portfolio as a bridge to the booming commercial market, leveraging private‑sector advances in launch, satellite manufacturing, and on‑orbit services. The agency will use its flexible contracting and...
Lockheed Martin, Firefly, and Seagate Partner for Sea-Based National Security Launch
Lockheed Martin, Seagate Space, and Firefly Aerospace announced a three‑way partnership to develop sea‑based launch capabilities for national‑security missions. The collaboration centers on Seagate’s “Gateway” semi‑submersible launch platform, which received ABS Approval in Principle in December 2025, and Firefly’s Alpha rocket...
EU Satellite Data Shifts to Homegrown Sources by 2025
.@eusatcen, which provides satellite imagery-based security/defense reports to EU governments, is moving to center stage as @defis_eu & @esa prepare intelligence, surveillance & recon constellation. In 2011, only 8% of its data was from European sats. In 2025, it...
Crowded Space
The General Catalogue of Artificial Space Objects now lists roughly 35,000 items the size of a softball or larger in Earth orbit. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in payload launches, driven largely by broadband constellations such as SpaceX’s...
Solar Radio Bursts Reveal Hidden Magnetic Switchbacks Near the Sun
A team of solar physicists examined 24 interplanetary type III radio bursts recorded by NASA's Parker Solar Probe over a week, finding that half of the events deviate from a simple radial path by more than 0.57 solar radii. The study...