T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

The US Government Accountability Office says that Artemis III’s launch is likely to slip to 2027. Angola becomes the latest nation to sign the Artemis Accords. The US and foreign partners hit North Korea’s Kimsuky Cyberespionage Unit with new sanctions following the latest rocket launch by Pyongyang, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an ep...

NASA’s Administrator Bill Nelson to attend the 28th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates. The European Space Agency says Ariane 6 will launch in late June or early July, 2024. The US House Science, Space and Technology Committee passes the Commercial Space Space Act of 2023 or HR 6131, sending the bill to the House floor for a vote, and more. Remember t...

Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) faced a significant cyber threat, though specifics about the timing and methods remain undisclosed. The U.S. Army has integrated space and cyber operations into its new multi-domain operations doctrine. The US and Saudi Arabia have begun negotiating a Framework Agreement for Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peacef...

Firefly Aerospace has completed the first hot fire test for its Miranda engine that will power the first stage of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle the companies are developing together. US Space Systems Command’s Space Sensing Resilient Missile Warning, Missile Tracking, Missile Defense program office successfully completed the Critical Design Review for its EPOCH 1 spa...

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is visiting India and UAE to discuss space cooperation. Kratos Defense and Security Services has been awarded an $579 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from Space Systems Command to provide satellite communications support to the U.S. Space Force and Space Systems Command. Axiom Space has announced that it is going all-in on Amazon Web Services...

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Charles F. Bolden Jr. to be the 12th NASA Administrator, making him only the second astronaut to hold that position. While heading NASA, Bolden oversaw the transition from the Space Shuttle system to a new era of exploration, fully focused on the International Space Station (ISS) and aeronautics technology development. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating...

John Herrington was the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. He is a member of the Chickasaw Nation, a retired US Navy Aviator and former NASA Astronaut. Herrington was selected as a mission specialist for STS-113. Today marks 21 years since his spaceflight to the International Space Station on November 23, 2002. You can connect with John on LinkedIn. Remember to leave...

Lunar tech startup Venturi Astrolab of California announced its new lineup of customers for its upcoming lunar rover mission. Researchers at The Naval Research Lab have discovered solar-wind hydrogen in lunar samples. The UK’ Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund has awarded more than £47 million for 12 space research and development infrastructure projects, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star ra...

The UK Space Conference opens with announcements from the UK Space Agency and Open Cosmos, MDA, and Skyrora and Spirit Aerospace. Thales Alenia Space to provide an S-Band Tracking, Telemetry and Command Transponder for Turkey’s AYAP-1 lunar spacecraft. Rocket Lab expands its production into the former Lockheed Martin Vertical Launch Building in Middle River, Maryland, and more. Remember to leave u...

SpaceX deals with another mishap investigation after an anomaly causes an explosion and the use of the flight termination system during Starship’s second test flight. Ursa Major unveils a new solid rocket motor called Lynx. Austria based Blackshark.ai closes an oversubscribed Series A funding round, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an epi...

Buffy Wajvoda is the Global Leader for Space Solutions Architecture at AWS Aerospace and Satellite. In this extended conversation, we dive into how AWS is supporting cybersecurity in the space domain. You can learn more at AWS re:Invent. AWS in Orbit is a podcast collaboration between N2K and AWS to offer listeners an in-depth look at the transformative intersection of cloud computing, space techn...

NASA holds the farthest-ever demonstration of optical communications, beaming a near-infrared laser encoded with test data from nearly 10 million miles away. Sierra Space lays off hundreds of members of staff. MDA announces a new Non-Geostationary Orbit satellite constellation, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our...

SpaceX receives a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration for the Starship Super Heavy. NASA announces that Jim Free will succeed Bob Cabana as the agency’s new Associate Administrator. US Lawmakers postpone the vote on The Commercial Space Act of 2023, H.R. 6131, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for ou...

The US Administration proposes a split to new space authority between the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation. The Secure World Foundation has released a statement urging nations to commit to not conducting destructive anti-satellite (ASAT) testing. Ars Technica reports that ULA has narrowed the field of potential buyers to a private equity fund, Blue Origin, and an unnamed...

The US launches a National Spectrum Strategy to advance the nation’s wireless leadership. The European Union Council approves the first EU Space Strategy for Security and Defense. HyImpulse Technologies confirms the launch window of the SR75 from Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up f...

Q3 reports show investments in startups favor cyber, defense, and space, but funding has dipped across the board. SpaceX poised for another Starship launch for later this week pending an FAA license.. The Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) has released its Code of Conduct on Space Sustainability, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Mis...

In lieu of our normal programming, we wanted to take today to honor our veterans- from our own team at N2K, to those that have made massive contributions to the aerospace industry in the US. Throughout this program you will hear stories from military veterans and spouses about how their time in service to their country shaped their careers in the aerospace industry. Remember to leave us a 5-star r...

Rocket Lab updates investors on Q3 results and sets a return to launch window for its Electron vehicle. Astra founders offer to take the company private at a value of about $30 million. The European Space Agency signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus and Voyager outlining their collaboration for the Starlab space station in the post-International Space Station era, and more. Remember to l...

Virgin Galactic makes cuts to its workforce. Firefly Aerospace has announced a new agreement with Australia's Fleet Space Technologies to deliver and operate Fleet’s Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration, and Research on the far side of the Moon. The UK Space Agency has provided £3.5 million to Rocket Factory Augsburg’s UK subsidiary, RFA UK, as part of the European Space Agenc...

Ministers representing ESA Member States, Associate States and Cooperating States adopted the world’s first zero debris charter. ESA shares first images from Euclid. Space Forge awarded £499,000 as part of a collaborative project with Northrop Grumman under the Ministry Of Defense’s Defence Technology Exploitation Programme, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorit...

Astra has defaulted on its recent debt agreement. SpaceX breaks their own re-flight record with the 18th flight for a Falcon 9 booster. Italy, France and Germany reach a deal over future launches of the delayed Ariane 6 and Avio's smaller Vega-C rockets at the ESA Space Summit, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our...

SaxaVord Spaceport is weeks away from hosting its first launch. T-Minus spoke to CEO Frank Strang to find out what it takes to build a spaceport, where the idea came from and what we can expect in the future.  You can connect with Frank on LinkedIn and learn more about SaxaVord on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up...

The ORBITS act unanimously passes in the US Senate and moves on to the House. US Congress has introduced a bipartisan amendment to title 51, US States code, to update government oversight of commercial space activities and other purposes. Sidus Space has been awarded an Indefinite-Delivery/ Indefinite-Quantity or IDIQ, contract to provide services to a US owned company in support of their commerci...

The Netherlands and Iceland join the Artemis Accords. Finnish Earth observation company Kuva Space has successfully raised €16.6M in a latest funding round. The US Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate has awarded Intuitive Machines a Joint Energy Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear Power (JETSON) Low-power Mission Application contract worth $9.49 million, and more. Remember t...

US Space Systems Command has assigned new launches to SpaceX and ULA for fiscal year 2024. The Federal Aviation Administration concludes its SpaceX Super Heavy safety review. HawkEye360 has been awarded a $12.25 million contract by the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our w...