T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

The Space Development Agency has announced two new contracts for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Alpha totaling $1.3 billion to Northrop Grumman and York Space Systems. US Space Systems Command has launched its technology accelerator program at its newest Technology, Applications, and Process Lab (TAP). Three Chinese Taikonauts have returned to Earth after their five-month stay on the Tiangong spa...

Skyroot Aerospace raised $27.5 million dollars in a new round of funding led by Singapore's Temasek. UK-based Space Solar has announced an innovation partnership with Thales Alenia Space, to continue to collaborate on their commercial space-based solar power system. NASA says the first Boeing Starliner flight with astronauts to the International Space Station will happen no earlier than April, and...

Kathy O’Donnell is the leader of Space Solutions Architecture for AWS Aerospace and Satellite. In this extended conversation, we dive into how AWS is supporting generative AI in the space domain. She walks us through some incredible case studies with AWS customers who are using generative AI and space technologies to improve life here on Earth. Learn more about generative AI use cases for space at...

The United States and Australia have signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement opening opportunity for US participation in space launches from Australia. Canada’s MDA has selected SpaceX to be the launch service provider for the space technology firm's next-generation satellite constellation for Earth observation known as CHORUS. Scientists from the Air Force Research Lab are leading the first non-...

Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane successfully completes its first mission flight operations review at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Rocket Lab receives FAA authorization to resume Electron launches from New Zealand after a launch failure in September. The US and Australia have announced an Innovation Alliance which will cover new areas of cooperation on science and critical and emerging techn...

The US Senate has confirmed Michael Whitaker as the new administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. UK Space Agency and Axiom Space announce a new partnership to bring a four person crew to orbit composed entirely of UK astronauts. Airbus and Northrop Grumman have formed a strategic partnership to compete for a part of the UK's military satellite communications program called SKYNET, and...

SpaceX plans the 29th CRS mission to transport scientific experiments to the International Space Station. SpaceX reaches 5,000 Starlink satellites in space. China and Belarus have signed a joint declaration on cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station program. Canopy Aerospace secures an $850,000 NASA SBIR Ignite Phase II contract, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and r...

York has been awarded a contract estimated to be valued over $615 million by the Space Development Agency to provide 62 data relay satellites for the SDA's planned Tranche 2 Transport Layer mesh network in LEO. The US Space Force says they're eyeing MEO for a missile tracking and warning constellation with awards for this constellation expected late 2024. India held a successful first test flight...

Learn about Lockheed Martin’s vision for the future of space with Dr. Nelson Pedreiro. Space 2050 invites discussion about the future of space in five areas: a “smart” world enabled by ubiquitous communications, extraplanetary operations, space logistics, mission operations command utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning, and space defense to strengthen 21st Century Security.  You c...

Varda Space enters an agreement with Southern Launch to land their orbital factory at the Koonibba Test Range in Australia. The US Space Force says it has finalized a plan for its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve. Pakistan signs a cooperation agreement with China to partner on a research station on the Moon's south pole, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favori...

A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that shows evidence that the space junk we've been burning up on reentry is leaving behind detectable levels of heavy metals in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Australian and Chinese satellites experience a near collision in orbit. US Subcommittee on Space and Science hears expert testimonies on the importance of streamlined authorizatio...

Canada's Government announces an investment of over $729 million to support the next generation of Earth observation satellites. Two of the payloads transported to orbit on the October 9th Vega VV23 flight have failed to deploy. Three German space companies have announced a new partnership to launch a joint end-to-end service called EVA for microgravity life science research and in-orbit product d...

The Space Development Agency is awarding SpiderOak a new research agreement, tasking them to look into integrating the company’s OrbitSecure software suite into the Space Force's Rapid Resilient Command and Control effort. Space Investment company SpaceCapital has released their third quarter findings showing space economy investments rose 17% YoY, totaling $3.0B across 103 companies. Blue Origin...

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) releases its paper on “Risk Associated with Reentry Disposal of Satellites from Proposed Large Constellations in LEO”. A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites into space lifted off from Florida’s Space Coast just eight hours and 42 minutes after a Falcon Heavy launched the Psyche mission. India’s Space Research Organization chairman S So...

On October 14, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. This eclipse will be visible for millions of people, but what causes an annular eclipse and how does it differ from a total eclipse? We ask Dr. Chas Miller from New Mexico State University’s Astronomy Department. You can connect with Chas on LinkedIn and learn more about the eclipse here. Remember to leave us a 5...

Psyche lifts off from Florida to study a metal-rich asteroid with the same name. NASA is preparing to award a sole-sourced services contract, known as the Exploration Production and Operations Contract to Deep Space Transport, LLC, a newly formed joint venture of The Boeing Company and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation for Artemis V. Maersk has announced that it will be adding SpaceX’s Starlink...

The US Space Force pauses the use of generative AI technology. Investigation continues into the malfunctioning ViaSat-3 Americas satellite which is performing at less than 10 percent capacity. NASA Scientists explain why they haven’t opened the main TAGSAM capsule on the OSIRIS-REx, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for...

NASA scientists find evidence of carbon and water in the Bennu Asteroid sample. The Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, (IN-SPACe), is forecasting India's space economy to reach $44 billion by 2033. Relativity Space has signed a multi-year, multi-launch Launch Services Agreement with Intelsat, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss...

A coolant leak has been found on Roscosmos' Nauka module aboard the International Space Station. PLD Space launched its recoverable Miura-1 rocket early on Saturday from a site in southwest Spain. The European Space Agency launched the 23rd Vega mission carrying payloads to sun-synchronous orbit including the Earth observing THEOS- 2 satellite and the meteorological satellite, Triton, and more. Re...

It’s Indigenous People’s Day in the US and what better way to celebrate than to speak to the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. John Herrington 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, which launched to the International Space Station on November 23, 2002. Yo...

Dr. John J. Klein is a senior fellow and strategist with Delta Solutions and Strategies, and instructs space policy and strategy courses in the Washington, D.C. area at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels. He writes on space policy, strategy, and deterrence. John has released the book “Fight for the Final Frontier: Irregular Warfare in Space” available now from all good retailers. Yo...

Stoke Space has raised $100 million dollars in a Series B investment drive. The US Space Force has released a request for proposals for the next phase of national security launches. British climate tech company SatV, has released the First Light imagery from its thermal imaging satellite, HOTSAT-1, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an epis...

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk outlines an ambitious launch timeline for the Starship at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Azerbaijan. China and Russia present plans for future space stations at the IAC. A new partnership between Voyager Space and Northrop Grumman's will see the Cygnus spacecraft provide cargo resupply services for the Starlab space station, and more.  Remember to leave us a...

Axiom Space is working with fashion giant Prada on NASA's next generation lunar spacesuits for Artemis III. Booz Allen Hamilton awarded a $630-million contract with the US Space Force to support systems engineering and integration of next-generation space-based missile warning, environmental monitoring, and surveillance, reconnaissance, and tracking. Comtech Telecommunications to provide Enterpris...

Dish Network fined $150,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for bad space debris management. Commercial space stations appear to be in trouble. The US Air Force Research Laboratory selects Lockheed Martin, Intuitive Machines and Westinghouse Government Services for the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power effort known as JETSON, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-sta...