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.”
Jacqueline Feldscher
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.
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.
Otter Pup 2 Expected to Launch on Docking Mission in June
Starfish will launch its second Otter Pup demo mission next month—a key step to prove out the startup’s RPO tech in orbit ahead of a trio of missions in 2026.
Congress Examines NASA’s Planetary Protection Duty
NASA and academic officials will head to Capitol Hill this week to testify before Congress on what many Americans consider to be the agency’s top priority: making sure a giant asteroid whizzing through space doesn’t wipe out life on Earth.
DIU Awards 14 Companies Hybrid Space Architecture Contracts
The Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA), which was established in 2022, aims to bridge military and commercial space assets and to speed up how quickly troops can access data—while also maintaining critical cybersecurity requirements.
mPower Technology Raises $21M Series B
Space solar power startup mPower Technology closed a $21M Series B to help scale production of its solar modules.
FAA OKs More Starship Launches at Starbase
SpaceX received the environmental all-clear to ramp up Starship launch operations in Boca Chica, according to an FAA report released on Tuesday.
International Partners Wrestle With Skinny Budget Fallout
The effects of the White House’s top level budget proposal are starting to ripple around the world.
NASA’s FY26 Plan Would Cut Gateway, Phase Out SLS, Orion
The Trump administration’s proposed budget for NASA focuses on beating China back to the Moon and sending the first humans to Mars at the expense of every other part of the space agency’s budget.
Start Your Engines: The Lunar Rover Race Has Begun
Payload spoke with several companies building next-gen lunar rovers—including Astrolab, ispace, Intuitive Machines, and Lunar Outpost—about the biggest challenges and opportunities in this sector.
House Panel Advances Three Space Bills
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee approved three bills on Tuesday morning designed to increase astronaut safety, tap the private sector for scientific data, and maintain US leadership for the next generation of deep space exploration.