Polaris

Report Proposes Fixes For The Aerospace Talent Gap

It’s time for the aerospace and defense sector to learn to do more with less.

Launch

Dawn’s Aurora Spaceplane Will Fly From Oklahoma

“There’s actually a lot of aerospace there [with] no space access at all. It’s a very underserved area,” Dawn Aerospace CEO Stefan Powell told Payload. “It’s kind of like the last link in the chain in making space access happen in the interior of the country.” 

Polaris

Two New Space Bills Introduced on Capitol Hill

The legislative wheels are turning, with senators introducing two new space-focused bills last week and one NASA bill set to get marked up in the House tomorrow.

InternationalMoon

ispace Crashes on the Moon in Second Attempt

Officials said the lander failed to slow down enough for landing, likely crashing into the lunar surface, but the root problem is unclear.

Policy

Dems Worry Golden Dome Will Launch Arms Race

“If we’re going to put something up in the sky for $500 billion and it just starts an arms race and then it doesn’t work because they can get around it, then that’s a massive waste of taxpayer dollars.”

MilitaryPolaris

Space Force Partners on Rocketry Challenge

“It represents exactly the kind of talent and passion we want to foster,” Maj. Bryan Davis, the Space Force’s chief of marketing, told Payload in an email.

LEOStartups

Apex Unveils Larger Satellite Bus, Dubbed Comet

“From cell phone towers in space for consumer technology [to] unique sensing missions, or as an interceptor platform for Golden Dome, Comet is the clear choice to accelerate the most ambitious space missions,” Apex CEO Ian Cinnamon said in a statement.  

EuropePolaris

UN Releases Space Debris Primer

Decades ago, the UN was already thinking about the risks and liability concerns raised by debris falling out of orbit. Now, as falling space debris becomes a more common occurrence, the UN’s Office for Outer Space Affairs is reminding nations that it has a process for dealing with it.

EuropeVC/PE

EnduroSat Raises €43M to Scale Production, Boost US Presence

Bulgarian space startup EnduroSat has raised €43M ($48.8M) to ramp up production of a new, bigger ESPA-class sat. 

EuropeVC/PE

Astrolight Raises €2.8M For Laser Comms Tech

Balnord led the round, which was announced on Thursday. It also included participation from the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, Coinvest Capital, 3NGLS, and Rita Sakus. 

InternationalMilitary

China Says Golden Dome Could Spark Space Arms Race

“The project will heighten the risk of turning the space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system.”

Military

Trump Selects Plan, Leader for Golden Dome

President Donald Trump has selected the architecture for a space based missile defense shield that is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of his term. 

Polaris

Kelly Rallies Senators for NASA Science Fight

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is leading a letter asking appropriators to provide $9B for NASA’s science mission directorate.