News
Daily coverage of the global space industry with an emphasis on business and political news.
Concerns grow about Space Force diverting funds from other military priorities
Retired Air Force officer Wesley Hallman: “We all want this to work. But does it have to be a separate service?"
NASA approves “load-and-go” fueling for SpaceX commercial crew launches
NASA announced Aug. 17 that it will allow SpaceX to use a fueling approach for its commercial crew missions that attracted prior scrutiny, pending a final series of tests.
NASA deputy administrator nominee seeks focus on managerial and acquisition issues
The space industry outsider nominated to become NASA deputy administrator said he would focus on acquisition reform and adapting NASA to a “new role” with commercial partners if confirmed by the Senate.
Proposed standard seeks to offer more launch flexibility for smallsats
A proposed standard announced at a conference last week seeks to provide the same launch flexibility for larger smallsats currently enjoyed by cubesats.
Defense inspector general finds key Air Force space programs vulnerable to cyber attacks, sabotage
An audit by the Defense Department’s inspector general office found security cracks in the supply chain of four critical military space programs.
UrtheCast, amid restructuring, acquires analytics firm from Land O’Lakes
Canadian remote sensing company UrtheCast says it has sufficient resources to cover the $20 million purchase of analytics firm Geosys from U.S. dairy giant Land O’Lakes.
Boeing to acquire Millennium Space Systems
Millennium Space Systems was founded in 2001 and has approximately 260 employees. It has developed satellites ranging from 50 kg to more than 6,000 kg.
SSL to develop antenna subsystems for U.S. Air Force
SSL, a company known for building communications satellites and spacecraft systems, will help the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center define its next generation of protected military communications, the Maxar Technologies company announced Aug. 16.
Descartes Labs forms imagery partnership with Airbus
Descartes Labs announced Aug. 15 a partnership with Airbus to feed high resolution global imagery into its geospatial data platform. The Sante Fe, New Mexico-based startup also completed beta testing of its cloud-based “data refinery,” and added weather data.
Space Force talk drawing attention to the need for international norms
International mistrust in space could become a bigger problem as the commercial space industry continues to grow and demand a peaceful environment to do business.
NASA says RS-25 engine test a success despite ending early
NASA says an Aug. 14 test of an engine for the Space Launch System was a success despite an unspecified “facility issue” that caused the test to end early.
Ariane 6 is nearing completion, but Europe’s work is far from over
ESA is pushing European industry to continue innovating and finding efficiencies even after Vega C’s introduction in 2019 and Ariane 6’s debut in 2020.
Pioneering Chang’e-4 lunar far side landing mission to launch in December
China will launch its Chang’e-4 lander and rover mission in December in what will be the first ever attempt at a soft landing on the far side of the moon, authorities said Aug. 15
Committee praises NASA’s planetary science program but raises some concerns
NASA has done a good job implementing the recommendations of its latest planetary science decadal survey despite past budget problems, but needs to improve some programs, a recent report concluded.
Lockheed Martin awarded $2.9 billion Air Force contract for three missile-warning satellites
The Air Force will use “rapid procurement authorities” in this program and is targeting the first next-generation OPIR launch in 2023.
SN Military.Space | Space Force a political football • The next big thing in space missile defense • How to make satellites ‘defendable’
The Pentagon's Joint Oversight Requirements Council will be briefed this fall on potential solutions to a major national security vulnerability: hypersonic weapons that fly into space at supersonic speeds and descend back down to Earth directly on top of targets.
