Jacqueline Feldscher
Space Policy in a Second Trump Term
The Trump administration’s top priority, according to Autry, is likely to be “kicking Artemis into high gear” and ensuring Artemis III—the first crewed mission to the lunar surface since Apollo—remains on track to avoid getting beaten by the Chinese.
D-Orbit USA Rolls Out Satellite Bus Plans
Italian space logistics startup D-Orbit launched a US branch on Wednesday that will transform the startup’s flight-proven orbital transfer vehicle into a satellite bus to better court American government customers.
House To Consider NASA Reauthorization Act
“It’s been far too long since the last comprehensive NASA authorization and we’re overdue for Congressional guidance and direction,” Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), the chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, told Payload in a statement, adding that his top priorities in the markup include the Moon to Mars pipeline, operations in LEO after the ISS, and balancing the science portfolio.
House Unveils $25.2B NASA Funding Proposal
The topline budget included in the draft bill from the House Appropriations Committee would give the agency $303.6M more than it received in fiscal 2024.
Report Highlights Space Force’s Long-Term Research Gap
The Space Force should boost its use of venture capital funding to have more influence over where private entities are focusing their science and tech investments, according to a RAND report.
Russia’s Luch 2 Expected to Approach Intelsat Bird
Based on the space situational awareness startup’s predictions, Luch 2 will pass near Intelsat 1002 today if it continues on its expected trajectory in GEO.
NOAA Gives HEO’s Holmes a Thumbs Up
It marks the first time NOAA has approved a hosted payload—a milestone that could open the door for other companies to seek approval from the agency for platforms that can hitch a ride aboard satellites manufactured by other entities.
Take Me Out To the (Space)Ball Game
At Thursday afternoon’s Washington Nationals baseball game, the outs were out of this world and the umpires struck back.
US Locks In India’s Ride To the ISS
The leaders announced plans for the joint ISS mission last year, but “securing a carrier” for the flight is a significant update, though they didn’t provide details on which spacecraft would send the astronauts to the orbiting lab.
House Approves NDAA With Cislunar, VLEO Proposals Added
The House passed the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill last week, but not before adding a few space-focused updates during debate on the floor.
Albedo Will Launch Clarity-1 In February
The satellite, dubbed Clarity-1, is already a hit with customers in sectors ranging from climate science to mining to energy grids who are booking time on the sat to add to or in some cases replace the imaging they’re doing now with planes and drones.
Preserving History On the Moon—and Beyond
Surrounded by the relics of space exploration, officials met at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center last week to discuss how to preserve the history of humankind’s farthest incursions into the cosmos 239,000 miles away.
Interstellar Lab Wants To Send Roses To The Moon
The biofarming startup recently announced Mission Little Prince, an ambitious plan to deliver a rose in bloom to the barren, gray lunar surface, and beam a picture back to Earth.
