From the Magazine
Op-ed | In space, no one is powerful enough to boldly go alone
Space matters in Europe and it is a top political priority. But the European Union’s efforts to achieve autonomy in space don’t mean we act in isolation.
Op-ed | Back to ‘back to the moon’
If one replaces the 2024 retirement of ISS with the 2010 retirement of space shuttle, you pretty much have the “back to the moon” space policy of the George W. Bush administration.
Why Sierra Nevada’s owners are betting big on Dream Chaser
Sierra Nevada Corp.’s largest investment to date is in Dream Chaser, the spaceplane NASA selected in the initial rounds of its campaign to encourage companies to build private space taxis to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Q&A: Air Force Gen. John Hyten says U.S. space strategy, budget moving ‘down the right path’
U.S. Air Force Gen. John Hyten offered his take on the president’s budget, Pentagon acquisition reforms and the ongoing debate over how the military should be organized to fight in space.
Chinese space program insights emerge from National People’s Congress
The involvement of dozens of space sector officials in the high-profile 18-day long rubber-stamp political gathering also provided a rare opportunity for updates on various aspects of China’s space program and an outline of its reliably nebulous scheduling.
Air Force: It’s time to pull the plug on JSTARS; Congress: Not so fast
The argument the Air Force makes in its 2019 budget request for not buying new aircraft to replace the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or JSTARS, is rather straightforward. It can’t survive modern air defenses.
On National Security | Space Force fans, be careful what you wish for
Ever since the topic of a “Space Force” was brought up by President Trump, congressional hawks can’t stop talking about it.
Iridium Next enters the homestretch
As Iridium finishes its new constellation, it’s facing a changing competitive landscape.
Op-ed | Moon Direct: How to build a moonbase in four years
The recent amazing success of the Falcon Heavy launch offers America an unprecedented opportunity to break the stagnation that has afflicted its human spaceflight program for decades. In short, the moon is now within reach.
Efforts underway to ease Florida’s Space Coast launch congestion
The recent launch boom on Florida’s Space Coast is creating some headaches for the companies involved, as well as for NASA and the U.S. Air Force.
Air Force is spending more on space, but modernization path still a big question
In its budget proposal for the coming year, the U.S. Air Force is trying to send the same message to foreign adversaries and critics at home: the service definitely is not underestimating threats the United States and its allies face in space.
On National Security | Missed opportunities in missile defense
The hand-wringing continues at the Pentagon over how to respond to Chinese and Russian missile advances.
What would it take for SoftBank to invest in SpaceX?
Broadband megaconstellations are expensive propositions, with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation expected to cost $10 billion or more, and OneWeb expecting to spend $3 billion. The actual cost could ultimately be higher.
Op-ed | Balancing terrestrial & satellite 5G needs for international spectrum harmonization
The introduction of 5G services will bring users globally the ability to have true anytime, anywhere capabilities to support a myriad of user devices and applications never imagined.
St. Helena looks to unlikely patron to pay its subsea cable bill: the satellite industry
Inhabitants of the tiny tropical island pay through the nose for internet service that mainlanders would have considered painfully slow during the pre-Netflix era.
LEO and MEO broadband constellations mega source of consternation
The world’s biggest, best established satellite operators talk of broadband as an enormously lucrative opportunity. But in truth, nothing is causing them more frustration.
