The Global Space Economy in 2024: What the Numbers Actually Reveal
The European Space Agency’s 2025 report shows the global space economy reaching a record €122 billion in public budgets for 2024, a 9 % increase driven largely by defence spending. Private capital surged to €7 billion, with Europe capturing a historic €1.5 billion – a 56 % jump that lifts its share of global private funding to 22 %. Launch activity accelerated, delivering 259 orbital missions and 2,877 satellites, while Starlink alone accounted for 70 % of total launch mass. Despite these gains, Europe’s upstream market share slipped to just 6 % of the global total.
Who Is Buying Space? Market Segmentation by Customer Type in the $613 Billion Space Economy
The Space Foundation’s 2025 Q2 report puts the global space economy at $613 billion, with the commercial sector accounting for roughly 78 % of that value. Defense and national‑security customers spend over $60 billion annually, driving much of the upstream supply chain. Fast‑growing...
Earth Observation Market Analysis 2026
Earth observation has transitioned from a niche, agency‑driven activity to a core operational layer across the modern economy. Global revenues for EO data and value‑added services grew to €3.4 billion in 2023 and are projected to reach nearly €6 billion by 2033....
How Ukraine and Iran (and Satellites) Are Rewriting Military Doctrine
The Ukraine war turned SpaceX’s Starlink from a civilian internet service into a core military communications network, exposing both strategic advantages and vulnerabilities when Russian forces repurposed the terminals. In response, SpaceX launched the hardened Starshield constellation, providing encrypted, jam‑resistant...
What Is Electronic Space Warfare, and Why Is It Important?
Electronic space warfare—jamming, spoofing, directed‑energy attacks, and cyber intrusion—has moved from theory to active combat. The U.S. Space Force publicly employed space‑based electronic warfare during Operation Epic Fury in February 2026, disrupting Iranian satellite communications and GPS signals. Twelve countries now field or...
Never‑Seen Gemini 8 Photos Donated to Neil Armstrong Museum
The widow of Army veteran photographer Ron McQueeney has donated a cache of never‑published Gemini 8 photographs to the Neil Armstrong Museum in Ohio. The images, taken during the mission’s emergency splashdown in 1966, provide fresh visual documentation of the first crewed...
Progress M-33 Orbit Confirmed; Electron Launch Data
Progress M-33 cataloged in a 263 x 279 km orbit, with third stage in 183 x 215 km. No orbit data yet for Friday's Electron launch.
Thales Alenia Space Previews Sovereign Constellations and LEO-PNT Milestones for SATShow 2026
Thales Alenia Space (TAS) unveiled its 2026 roadmap at SATShow, emphasizing high‑revisit Earth observation and Europe’s sovereign satellite constellations. The company confirmed its lead‑engineering role in the IRIS² program and highlighted the upcoming launch of the Celeste IOD‑2 CubeSat, a...
Blue Origin Files FCC Request for 51,600‑Satellite Project Sunrise Data‑Center Network
Blue Origin has submitted a filing to the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for Project Sunrise, a proposed constellation of more than 51,600 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites that would host data‑center workloads. The plan relies on the company’s upcoming TeraWave communications network...
SpaceX Offers Details on Orbital Data Center Satellites
SpaceX disclosed technical details for an ambitious orbital data center constellation, targeting up to one million satellites powered by high‑end AI processors. The initiative, called Terafab, aims to produce one terawatt of chips annually—about 50 times current advanced‑chip output—and will...
Jielong-3 Launch Deploys Ten New Navigation Satellites
LAUNCH at 1549 UTC of a Jielong-3 from the DFHT barge near Haiyan in the Yellow Sea placing 10 more Weili Kongjian (Centispace) navigation augmentation satellites in orbit
Jeff Bezos’ Space Company Unveils Plans for Orbital Anti-Asteroid Defense Weapons
Blue Origin announced a Near‑Earth Object (NEO) Hunter mission concept in partnership with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, aiming to test multiple asteroid‑deflection techniques such as ion‑beam propulsion and direct kinetic impact. The plan leverages the in‑development Blue Ring spacecraft, which...
High Fire Volume Systems: An Alternative to Space-Based Interceptors
Payload Space’s latest analysis highlights high‑fire‑volume missile defense systems as a viable alternative to costly space‑based interceptors. The piece argues that ground‑based rapid‑launch batteries can engage multiple threats simultaneously, reducing reliance on orbital platforms. It cites recent test data showing...
Russia Launches First Rocket From Repaired Baikonur Launch Pad
Russia successfully launched a Soyuz‑2.1a rocket carrying the Progress MS‑33 cargo spacecraft from a repaired launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 22, 2026. The launch restores the only Baikonur pad capable of handling Soyuz crew and cargo missions after it was...
Eutelsat Ends Capacity Lease On Two Russian Satellites
Eutelsat has terminated its 15‑year capacity lease on Russia’s Express‑AT1 and Express‑AT2 geostationary satellites. Express‑AT1 was declared lost after a technical failure, while Express‑AT2 faces operational limits due to Western sanctions linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The lease, which...
Progress MS-33 Antenna Failure Forces Manual TORU Docking
One of the rendezvous antennas aboard Progress MS-33 failed to deploy, likely prompting the use of the TORU manual-control by the ISS crew to guide the cargo ship to docking... https://t.co/snqlHtWeDl
Soyuz Launches Progress MS‑33 Cargo to the ISS
A Soyuz rocket lifts off from Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan, carrying the Progress MS-33 cargo ship to the International Space Station. Mission details, updates: https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer https://t.co/VKOSMpjPHC
SpaceX Eyes 2026 IPO as Analysts Probe Starship Launch Costs
SpaceX is positioning itself for a 2026 initial public offering, prompting valuation chatter on Wall Street. At the same time, independent analysts have published a detailed cost model for Starship launches, though the company has not confirmed any figures. The...
Soyuz‑Progress Launch Set From Restored Site 31
A Soyuz rocket with a Progress cargo ship is ready to lift off from the newly restored launch pad at Site 31 in one hour: https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer https://t.co/rFVE71MWiO
NASA's Zero‑Gravity Arms Master Delicate and Heavy Gripping
NASA’s Zero-Gravity #Robotic Arms Master Delicate, Heavy, and Irregular Grips by @tweetciiiim #Tech #TechForGood #EmergingTech https://t.co/MkbKbo4c5d
From Goddard’s Cabbage Patch to Artemis II.
In this episode, host Maria Varmazas chats with Jeff Carr, a veteran of NASA media and son of Apollo-era astronaut Capcom Jerry Carr, about the parallels between the Apollo 8 era of 1968 and today’s Artemis 2 mission. Jeff reflects on...
Two Unreported MDA Suborbital Launches Occurred in March
There were apparently two MDA suborbital target missile launches from Wallops on Mar 17 and 19 that weren't reported at the time: https://t.co/wDoCCKpEF4
Assessing Lunar Resource Availability for Mass Driver Construction
In relation to the mass driver idea on the moon, for anyone that has a deep understanding of materials needed for such a satellite, can most of it be sourced from the lunar surface? Interesting to know what percentage can...
Some European Launcher Challenge Funding Remains in Limbo
The European Space Agency (ESA) earmarked over €900 million for the European Launcher Challenge, but roughly €140 million remains unallocated, largely from the United Kingdom. A portion of the funding was tied to Orbex, which entered administration, removing €34.9 million from the pool....
Elon Musk Dreams of Epic Lunar Mass Driver
“I just want to live long enough to see the mass driver on the moon. Because that’s going to be incredibly epic.” — @ElonMusk tonight https://t.co/gnYf3oEXdP
Trillion‑Watt Compute Demands Push Tesla, Space
SpaceXAI + Tesla TERAFAB Project Goal is a trillion watts of compute/year Most must necessarily go to space, as US electricity is only 0.5TW
Hubble Captures Comet C/2025 K1 Splitting Into Four Fragments
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope recorded comet C/2025 K1 breaking apart into at least four fragments over three consecutive days, providing the clearest view yet of a comet’s breakup moments after perihelion. The observation, made possible by a last‑minute target change,...
Satellite Operators Can't Match Launch Providers' Internal Pricing Advantage
This is the wrong framing. The correct framing is "it's only reasonable to ask whether any satellite operators can compete with launch providers that build their own constellations and charge *prices* to third parties that are much higher than their...
Canada Cancels Small Lunar Rover that Was to Fly on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander in ’29
The Canadian Space Agency announced the cancellation of its planned lunar rover, which was to hitch a ride on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander in 2029. The rover, built by Canadensys, would have been Canada’s first surface vehicle on the...
Private Mission to Apophis Gets Another Customer, Two Student-Built Landers
Exlabs' ApophisExL mission, the first commercial deep‑space rideshare, has secured a second payload customer: Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology. The university team will launch two student‑built landers to touch down on asteroid Apophis during its April 13, 2029 close fly‑by....
Pentagon Report: Space Force ATLAS Program Falls Short of Decommissioning Targets
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation reported on March 16, 2026 that the Space Force’s Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) is not yet mature enough to retire the 1979‑era Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC). Although ATLAS achieved operational...
Sweden’s Esrange Spaceport Signs Launch Deal with Swedish Military
Sweden’s Esrange spaceport signed a roughly $22 million launch agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces, earmarking the facility for military and allied satellite missions. The contract is part of a broader $100 million government investment to expand Sweden’s space capabilities through 2032,...
JWST Probes Emerging Young Star Clusters in Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 628
An international team led by Helena Faustino Vieira used JWST’s NIRSpec to study emerging young star clusters (eYSCs) in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 628. The FEAST program targeted 14 eYSCs, detecting helium and hydrogen recombination lines, molecular hydrogen transitions, and strong...
Newly Discovered Photos Show Astronaut Neil Armstrong After the Gemini 8 Emergency
Never‑before‑seen photographs of Neil Armstrong and David Scott after the Gemini 8 emergency have been donated to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The images, captured by Army veteran Ron McQueeney, show the astronauts on a U.S. Navy recovery ship, waving to...
COTS Electronics Survive
Operators can use commercial off the shelf [COTS] electronics in satellites, with a mission life of 3-7 years. A radiation-hardened part can last 15 years. Many modern satellites use radiation tolerant parts. SpaceX, Planet Labs and Kuiper/LEO all...
Artemis 2 Returns to the Pad for April Launch Attempt
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission rolled back to Launch Complex 39B on March 20 and is now positioned for a launch window opening April 1. The rollout followed a February‑March fix of a helium‑line seal that caused upper‑stage blockage and hydrogen leaks during earlier wet‑dress...
Diary of the 12th Man on the Moon
Former Apollo 17 lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt has published a new chapter in his online “Diary of the 12th Man,” focusing on the origin of life. The section ties the geology of Taurus‑Littrow’s regolith to Earth’s water‑rich beginnings and references NASA’s...
Key Space Force C2 Upgrade Still Faces Issues: Pentagon Report
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation reported that the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) still cannot meet the minimum viable capability required to retire the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC). Although the Space Force approved...
March 20, 2026 Zimmerman/Batchelor Podcast
Robert Zimmerman’s new title *Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8* chronicles the historic 1968 mission that first took humans around the Moon. The book is now released in three formats—print, ebook, and audiobook—each with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a...
The $190 Million Military Contract That Makes Rocket Lab America’s Hypersonic Test Pilot
Rocket Lab secured a $190 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, the company’s largest launch deal to date. The agreement funds 20 HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) flights over four years, making the suborbital Electron variant the primary...
ITU Lacks Power; National Regulators Face Crowded LEO Orbit
The ITU is a UN treaty organization which has zero power to create or enforce rules. Regulators from specific countries (eg FCC) are tasked with enforcement. The treaties never contemplated tens of thousands of satellites in a small number of...
SpaceX and Tesla Launch TERAFAB: Terawatt‑scale Compute
Formal announcement of the TERAFAB project, which will be done jointly by @SpaceX and @Tesla, tonight around 8pm CT. Livestream on 𝕏. The goal is to produce over a TERAWATT of compute per year (logic, memory & packaging) with ~80% for...
NASA Moves Artemis II Rocket Back to Pad After Wind Delay, Targeting April 1 Launch
NASA rolled the 322‑foot Artemis II Space Launch System and Orion capsule from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B after a four‑hour wind delay, setting the stage for a launch window that opens on April 1. The move follows weeks of...
First Cargo Launch From Repaired Site 31 Tomorrow
A cargo mission to lift off from the repaired pad at Site 31 tomorrow for the first time (details, updates): https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer
Redundancy Wins: Embrace Failures in Space Systems
Almost everything in space involves tradeoffs because: physics. “Failures happen no matter what you do. That means the software and systems you use has to cope. That means replicate everything. Two pieces of crap are better than one.” Rob...
The Best Space Warfare Books Available on Amazon
Space warfare has moved from speculative fiction to a mature strategic discipline, a shift highlighted by a curated list of serious titles available on Amazon. The article identifies foundational works such as Bleddyn Bowen’s "War in Space" and John J....
Iran's Solid‑propellant SLVs Could Launch Sizable Payloads
While I can't rule out a low-payload stunt, Iran has several SLVs (including solid propellants) that could deliver a significant payload to these distances.
Optimus+PV: First Self‑Replicating Von Neumann Space Probe
Optimus+PV will be the first Von Neumann probe, a machine fully capable of replicating itself using raw materials found in space
Safety Margins, Not Altitude, Limit Low‑Earth Satellite Density
The barrier to how many satellites can be in a particular low Earth orbit is effectively the distance required to provide a "margin of safety" to avoid collisions. Filing with the ITU before others allows the system to claim a...
Starlink 2025 Revenue Forecast Vastly Overstated
This is way too high, but that's unsurprising since the starting point used for Starlink in 2025 ($14B+) is completely out of line with the known revenue for the year (<$12B)