Jacqueline Feldscher
One-on-One with Richard DalBello
The process of moving the nation’s space traffic management mission from DoD to the Commerce Department has been slow—but Richard DalBello told Payload that’s very much on purpose. “There was an idea present when we started that somehow this would be simple,” DalBello, head of the Office of Space Commerce, said. “This is tremendously complicated….…
A Q+A With Maxar’s Chris Johnson
Maxar is getting ready to start pumping out 300 series buses for the Space Development Agency’s tracking mission, but a company exec says he sees a long future for the spacecraft with both commercial and national security customers beyond the military constellation. “There are a lot of studies and demo-type contracts within the LEO sphere…
Hiding In Plain Sight
The UAP craze that enveloped DC this summer has officially gone mainstream. At last week’s Republican presidential primary debate, Chris Christie fielded a question about whether he would be honest about the existence of aliens if he’s elected to the nation’s highest office. “The job of the president of the United States is to level…
Moonlighter’s Second Act To Test Cyber Tech In Orbit
The Moonlighter satellite successfully completed its first act as a “hacking sandbox” during a competition to discover cyber vulnerabilities in orbit—but the spacecraft’s mission is far from over, officials said. Moonlighter 101: The spacecraft, which is a joint project from the Aerospace Corporation, Space Systems Command, and the Air Force Research Laboratory, launched in June…
Bill Nelson is Spreading NASA’s Message Abroad
What do Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Argentine President Alberto Fernández have in common? They all met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson this summer. Nelson is embracing—and elevating—his role as the nation’s space diplomat, and his long history on Capitol Hill means he doesn’t clam up when…
Epsilon3 Unveils Three New Products
Space software company Epsilon3 is rolling out a suite of three additional products to help customers better manage their missions from clean room to orbit, the company’s COO told Payload. The backstory: The CA-based startup, which was founded in 2021, builds software that aims to make the complex operations and workflows typically associated with space…
The Space Command Saga Continues
The Alabama delegation has a clear message for those celebrating last week’s decision to keep US Space Command in Colorado: don’t pop the champagne cork just yet. Next chapter: For some lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the Biden administration’s decision to reject DoD’s original decision to move the command to Huntsville, AL marks the loss of…
Lawmakers Propose Recognition for Mercury 13
Astronauts like Sally Ride and Judith Resnik made history by shattering the glass ceiling to space, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers says it’s time to recognize the group of women who made the first cracks. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Young Kim (R-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), the four co-chairs of the…
Space Command HQ Will Stay in Colorado
Space Command HQ will remain in Colorado Springs, CO, reversing a controversial Trump administration decision to move the combatant command to Huntsville, AL. President Joe Biden notified the Defense Department of his decision on Monday, department spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement, noting that having the headquarters in Colorado will ensure “peak…
Moon History For Sale At Sotheby’s Space Auction
Space enthusiasts bought a slice of history Thursday, shelling out a combined ~$680,000 at Sotheby’s annual space exploration auction. The online auction sold more than 60 pieces of historical memorabilia, signed photos, and items that had flown to space. Big ticket: The top seller was an Apollo 13 flight plan signed and inscribed by capsule…
Alabama, Colorado Brawl Over Space Command’s Home
The fight over where US Space Command will put down roots has become a central part of the debate on this year’s NDAA, and the longer the industry awaits a final decision, the more charged the spat becomes. How we got here: A quick recap if you’ve somehow avoided this years-long saga. In January 2021,…
House Approves FAA Reauthorization Bill
Lawmakers are trying to make sure the growing pace of commercial space launches can peacefully coexist with commercial air travel. The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which addresses the fight over shared airspace, passed the House on Thursday by a 351-69 vote, sending the bill to be considered by the Senate.…
NASA Touts Small Business Investment
NASA is a *star* student of the Biden administration’s efforts to send more federal dollars to small businesses, earning an “A” for the sixth year in a row in a Small Business Administration scorecard released Tuesday. The gradebook: SBA releases a small business procurement scorecard each year that measures how close federal agencies are able…
