T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

This Labor Day, we’re celebrating more than just a holiday. Join us in celebrating not just the work, but the people who make it possible — the labor behind the labor. We’re honoring the people who bring their creativity, dedication, and passion to every corner of N2K. The work you hear, read, and see from us doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of talented colleagues who pour themselves in...

National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) is a leading organization that manages rapid-acquisition consortia for the US Space Force, Navy, and other national security agencies. NSTXL Founder and President Tim Greeff offers a timely perspective on how public-private partnerships are transforming defense innovation, especially in space, by accelerating procurement timelines and opening the do...

Rocket Lab has opened its dedicated test, launch, and landing facility for its reusable rocket Neutron at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS). NASA has opened a new complex in the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center (JSC) for Orion. SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to research and develop satellite communication technology wit...

Redwire has been awarded a NASA single award contract to support operations on the International Space Station (ISS).  Firefly Aerospace has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance to resume Alpha rocket launches following the Flight 6 mishap. FAA headquarters staff will be moved into the US Transportation Department headquarters in Washington, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-s...

Starship’s tenth flight test lifted off from Starbase, Texas and every major objective was met. SpaceX releases a first look at a design for Space Launch Complex 37 where Starship plans to launch from Florida. Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, has invested in mPower Technology, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcas...

Aerospacelab has closed an extended Series B funding round totaling €94 million. SpaceX is due to launch an Earth observation-exclusive Falcon 9 mission, with 8 payloads from California. York Space Systems has completed its spacecraft for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA’s) Tranche 1 transport layer, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure...

Rocket Lab to boost investments in the US to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity and provide supply chain security for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors for national security space missions. Rocket Lab celebrated the 70th Electron mission this weekend. NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission docked with the International Space Station, and more. Remember to leave u...

As spaceports evolve into sophisticated hubs for space exploration, the integration of emerging technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and robust cybersecurity measures is becoming essential for operational success. We speak to Guadalupe Casuso, Vice President, Technology & Innovation / Digital Labs & Strategic Partnerships at Parsons.  You can join Guada and Maria on Au...

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched last night carrying the US Space Force’s X-37B space plane. SpaceX has moved its Super Heavy booster to the launch pad at Starbase ahead of Starship's tenth flight test. Japan has announced that they will launch a new uncrewed cargo spacecraft HTV-X to resupply the International Space Station in October, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in...

The Trump Administration seeks to cut air quality and ocean monitoring instruments from the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite constellation and reduce the number of satellites. NASA has released a Request for Information (RFI) to look for alternatives to the Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) mission. Japan’s Space Agency (JAXA) has selected Mitsubishi Electric to develop solar tec...

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) to become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) by April 2026. BlackSky has signed a seven-figure contract with HEO to provide fully-automated low-latency non-Earth imaging services for defense, intelligence and commercial use. Ursa Space Systems has announced a strategic investment from Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, and more. Remember...

SpinLaunch has raised $30 million in funding to accelerate the development and commercialization of Meridian Space. Space Kinetic Corp. has received an undisclosed amount of funding from CerraCap Ventures. X-Bow Systems and the US Army have announced a $13.9 million joint investment to strengthen the solid rocket motor supply chain for defense needs, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating...

According to internal company documents reviewed by The New York Times, SpaceX has most likely paid little to no federal income taxes since its founding in 2002. NASA and Google are collaborating to test an AI-powered medical assistant designed to support astronauts on long-duration missions. Voyager Technologies is investing in Latent AI, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review...

Sift is focused on solving the hardware/software problem in aerospace. Their mission and vision argue that hardware has been left behind. Sift argues that the industry still lacks the runtime observability tools to debug systems in real-time. Sift is filling that gap by providing a full-stack AI SaaS solution to hardware observability. We speak to Sift’s CEO Karthik Gollapudi. You can connect with...

The California Coastal Commission has voted against a plan to nearly double the number of Falcon 9 rocket launches SpaceX is permitted to conduct each year from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Air and Space Forces says that there are calls for nearly $2.3 billion in spending cuts hidden in the 2026 fiscal year budget. NASA has released a call for industry input for developing efficient power supply o...

US President Donald Trump signed the “Enabling Competition In The Commercial Space Industry” Executive Order (EO). Gilat Satellite Networks has been awarded a multimillion dollar contract by Israel’s Ministry of Defense for the delivery and integration of satellite communication systems (SATCOM) and services. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) has signed an agreement with SpaceX for an uncrewed missio...

A United Launch Alliance’s (ULA’s) Vulcan rocket launched from Cape Canaveral carrying the USSF-106 mission for the United States Space Force's (USSF’s) Space Systems Command (SSC). Arianespace’s Ariane 6 liftoff from the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) spaceport in French Guiana carrying EUMETSAT's Metop-SGA1 satellite. The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) has obtained its license to operate a...

Rocket Lab has completed the acquisition of the parent holding company of Geost. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), has selected a consortium led by PixxelSpace to build a commercial sovereign constellation of Earth observation satellites. The European Space Agency (ESA) is deliberating moves to become less dependent on NASA programs, and more. Remember to lea...

NASA’s SpaceX Crew 10 returns to Earth in a splash down off the coast of California. A Jielong-3 carrier rocket launched the Geely Constellation Group 04 satellites from the coastal waters off Shandong, China. ISRO announces that it will be launching another American satellite in the coming months, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to f...

In November 2024, Slingshot Aerospace was selected to develop the interface for the US Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). With the FY2026 budget still under discussion in the US, funding to support TraCSS is up in the air. Slingshot Aerospace has joined more than 450 companies, represented by seven leading space industry associations including the Commercial SSA Coalition, to support...

VisionSpace Technologies has demonstrated how easy it is to exploit software vulnerabilities on satellites, as well as the ground stations that control them. China has conducted its first test of a lunar lander that they plan to use to take humans to the Moon. Rocket Lab has completed the Systems Integration Review (SIR) for the US Space Force’s VICTUS HAZE mission, and more. Remember to leave us...

Firefly Aerospace announced the pricing of its upsized initial public offering (IPO), while MDA Space, BlackSky and Redwire reported Q2 financial updates. Intuitive Machines has signed a definitive agreement to acquire KinetX, Inc. NASA has selected six companies to produce studies focused on lower-cost ways to launch and deliver spacecraft of various sizes and forms to multiple, difficult-to-reac...

AST SpaceMobile plans to acquire global S-Band spectrum priority rights held under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Scout Space has completed its first suborbital Space Domain Awareness (SDA) test flight on Dawn Aerospace’s Aurora spaceplane. An Interlune payload will fly on Astrolab’s FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover on its upcoming mission to the Moon, and more. Rememb...

NASA’s Acting Administrator Sean Duffy is expected to expedite plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon. Innovative Rocket Technologies Inc. (iRocket) has entered into a $640 million multi-launch agreement with SpaceBelt KSA. SES Space & Defense has been awarded $89.6 Million to provide the US Army with Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM), and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star ra...

Japan is looking to establish international rules for the removal of human-made objects in space. Israel’s Space Agency and Innovation Authority is setting up a national R&D laboratory to kickstart spacebound technology development. Dhruva Space is set to launch its first commercial Space mission, LEAP-1, on a Falcon 9 rocket in Q3 of this year, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and r...