InternationalLunar

China Notches Fourth Successful Lunar Landing

China successfully soft landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the Moon over the weekend—the third lunar landing in what is shaping up to be a very busy year on Earth’s satellite.

Policy

FCC Chair Pushes For Stricter Debris Rules

The head of the FCC is calling on the agency to change its regulations to further limit how much debris is created in orbit.

Polaris

Lawmakers Agree To Investigate Russian ASAT Intel Leak

The rare public back-and-forth between Congress and the White House that led to the reveal of Russia’s nuclear ASAT plans is getting a review under an amendment to the NDAA introduced by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).

MilitaryPolicy

NSSA: Space Force Budget ‘Insufficient’ And ‘Shortsighted’

The Pentagon’s declining budget request for the Space Force puts the US at risk of ceding leadership in space to China, according to a letter released Thursday by the National Security Space Association.

Policy

NASA Stresses Responsible Use of AI In Town Hall

NASA leadership touted the benefits of using AI in a town hall meeting on Wednesday, but emphasized that the new tech will be used in a responsible way that won’t replace the space agency’s skilled workforce.

Polaris

Space Authorization, Approps Bills Before Congress This Week

It’s a big week on Capitol Hill this week for considering fiscal 2025 funding and priorities in the space realm.

Military

DoD Partners with Starfish Space to Buy Its Own Otter 

The Defense Department is looking for more maneuverability in orbit and tapped none otter than Starfish Space to take on the task. 

StartupsVC/PE

Software Startup Rollup Emerges From Stealth

A new startup, Rollup, is emerging from stealth today with $5.6M in funding and a plan to streamline the development of complex hardware. 

PolarisQ&A

An Exit Interview with DoD Space Policy Chief John Plumb

As the Pentagon’s space policy chief John Plumb prepares to leave office, his departing message is simple: don’t destroy space.

MilitaryPolicy

NDAA 2025: Guard Transfers, CASR, and Commercial Ops

The House’s draft of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act would move forward with a hotly-contested plan to transfer space-focused Air National Guard members to the Space Force. 

InternationalPolicy

International Partnerships Complicate Space Registry, State Says

The US needs to communicate better with both the private sector and international partners about objects in orbit as space becomes more global, a State Department official said Thursday.

EOStartups

Exclusive: Pixxel, Enabled Intelligence Team Up

Pixxel and Enabled Intelligence are announcing a new partnership under which the data labeling startup will annotate the space company’s hyperspectral imagery. 

Polaris

Russia Defends Veto of Nuclear Weapon Ban in Orbit at UN

Russia went toe to toe with the rest of the world on Monday at the UN General Assembly, where officials overwhelmingly condemned Moscow’s veto last month of a measure reaffirming that nuclear weapons would not be placed in orbit.