T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

Blue Origin announces layoffs affecting roughly 10% or around 1,400 employees. India expands its Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and raises its budget to $2.32 billion. BlackSky has been contracted to develop India’s commercial Earth observation capabilities, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instag...

Redwire to develop the preliminary spacecraft design for an upcoming astrophysics mission for the European Space Agency (ESA). Redwire has been awarded a contract by Orion Space Solutions to deliver a Mako spacecraft to support the US Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) Tetra-6 mission. Sierra Space has been awarded a $16 million firm-fixed-price contract from AFRL to continue upper sta...

NASA selects SpaceX to provide the launch service for the Pandora mission, which will study at least 20 known exoplanets and their host stars. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selects two universities to demonstrate novel tech for building future large structures in space. China launches its first Long March 8A carrying communication satellites for the Guowang constellation, a...

MDA Space has been selected by Globalstar as the prime contractor for a next generation low Earth orbit constellation. Rocket Lab launched its 59th Electron mission, deploying five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things constellation operator Kinéis. ICEYE and SATIM are partnering on a new product combining AI and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operations to detect a...

Space ISAC and the Aerospace Corporation are partnering to open up access to test beds and proving grounds to members of Space ISAC. We caught up with Ron Birk, Principal Director of the Space Enterprise Evolution Directorate at The Aerospace Corporation, and Erin Miller, Executive Director at Space ISAC at SpaceCom to discuss the partnership.  You can find out more about the initiative here. Reme...

Spire Global has been awarded CAD$72 million to design and develop a dedicated satellite constellation to monitor all active wildfires in Canada from space. Commercial space station company Vast has pushed back the launch of its Haven-1 to 2026. Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract with India’s NIBE Space to supply high-resolution optical satellites, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star ra...

ATMOS has become the first European company to obtain a re-entry license for its PHOENIX capsule. Spanish defense company Indra agrees to buy 89.7% of satellite operator Hispasat for €725 million. Orbex has signed a new customer agreement with space logistics and transportation company, D-Orbit, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to foll...

Japan’s SKY Perfect JSAT confirms that it has contracted Planet Labs to build their low Earth orbit constellation. The US Air Force’s AFWERX has selected a proposal from Momentus to perform an in-space demonstration flight of multispectral sensors for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). SpaceX launches Maxar’s fifth and sixth WorldView Legion satellites, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-s...

Blue Origin successfully launches the 29th New Shepard Mission (NS29) flying 30 payloads to the Kármán Line. Viasat has been awarded a task order to provide satellite communications (SATCOM) for the US Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has selected two companies to share £16 million for new projects to boost UK benefits of satellite constellations, and more. Rem...

The US Space Agency has paused all analyst and assessment group meetings to review and ensure compliance with presidential actions. A six-person crew from Russia and Belarus have completed a 366-day analog astronaut mission. China completes in-orbit testing of a new power unit, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on Link...

Dr. Sian “Leo” Proctor was the keynote speaker at SpaceCom 2025. We caught up with the Inspiration4 astronaut to find out about her journey into space and how it inspires her art here on Earth. You can find out more about Dr. Proctor on her website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Crew Survey...

The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) provides members access to an international federated network of Testbeds and Proving Grounds. AstroForge selects an M-type asteroid named 2022 OB5 for its first mining mission. ISRO marks 100 launches with Wednesday’s liftoff of the GSLV-F15 rocket, carrying the NVS-02 satellite, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and revi...

Thales Alenia Space lands a €862mn contract to develop Europe’s first lunar cargo vehicle. The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission agree to partner on European Quantum Communication Infrastructure. The first of the two Airbus-built SpainSat satellites, SpainSat NG-I, successfully launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating a...

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Thales Alenia Space (TAS) to build the Venus-bound Envision spacecraft. Scotland’s Government invests £20 million in UK launch company Orbex. Planet signs a deal with the European Space Agency to join the Copernicus Contributing Missions, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on...

Executive order issued by President Trump to establish the “Iron Dome for America.” European Union calls for a "European Space Shield". US Space Force is rumored to be reducing their 2026 budget for in-space mobility. The Aerospace Corporation and Google are collaborating on space weather forecasting. And more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure t...

JAXA and IT company NEC have performed the world's fastest optical communication between satellites in geostationary orbit. Blue Origin’s New Shepard to launch on Tuesday, January 28 for the 29th mission which will aim to mimic lunar gravity. Israel has reached an agreement with NASA to include the first Israeli female astronaut in a future space mission, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star ra...

Our guest today is John Neal, Executive Director of the Space Industry Council at the US Chamber of Commerce. John walks us through how his many career pivots have put him in the best position to support space companies on Capitol Hill. You can connect with John on LinkedIn, and learn more about the US Chamber of Commerce on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your fa...

NASA selects nine companies to study supporting long-term lunar exploration. The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has tasked the Space Professionals Partnership (SPPL) to investigate Post Mission Disposal Options in the Cislunar environment. Estonia to host the European Space Agency’s new cybersecurity testing ground, and more.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. B...

NASA’s acting Administrator removes DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) programs from the US Space Agency. The UK’s Blue Abyss has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center to accelerate advancements in commercial space training, research, and infrastructure development. Eutelsat and NIGCOMSAT to launch satellite services in Nigeria, and more. Remember to le...

Bill Nelson steps down as NASA Administrator as US President Donald Trump begins his second term. Rocket Lab schedules its first launch of 2025 with a dedicated mission for Kineis. Karman Space and Defense has filed a registration statement for a proposed initial public offering, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on Li...

US President Trump takes office vowing to ‘pursue our manifest destiny into the stars’ and aims to plant a US flag on Mars. Taikonauts on the Tiangong Space Station conducted the world’s first in-orbit demonstration of artificial photosynthesis technology, producing oxygen, as well as the ingredients necessary for rocket fuel. China launches its first commercial rocket of 2025, and more. Remember...

Welcome to the T-Minus Overview Radio Show. In this program we’ll feature some of the conversations from our daily podcast with the people who are forging the path in the new space era, from industry leaders, technology experts and pioneers, to educators, policy makers, research organizations, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow...

You can learn more about AWS in Orbit at space.n2k.com/aws. Our guests today are Giacomo Gatto, Partner at McKinsey & Company, London and Joy Fasnacht, Principal Solutions Architect at AWS for Aerospace and Satellite. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Selected Reading AWS Aerospace and Satellite Audien...

SpaceX’s Starship experiences a rapid unscheduled disassembly during the seventh testflight. China launches three  satellites including one for Pakistan. The US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announces its vendors for the $200 million Luno B commercial data contract, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn lifts off to orbit for its inaugural flight. India completes its SpaDeX in-space docking mission. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has received a UK launch license, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Dr. Harold Hess, CEO and Co-Founder of E...