Suds and Soil: Two Brewing Experiments to Launch to ISS
Many good ideas are hatched over a beer. One is heading to space this afternoon.
Jacqueline Feldscher
The Push For a Sustainable Lunar Economy
“There needs to be more transparency on how the world is thinking about lunar sustainability,” said Charity Weeden, a former NASA policy chief whose views do not represent the agency. “It’s critical not to mess up, because you don’t necessarily get a second chance.”
Smithsonian Opens New ‘Futures in Space’ Hall
Monuments to the commercial space age are getting a new home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, just around the corner from historic relics of government-driven space success, like the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule that carried John Glenn to orbit.
ILRS Member Senegal Joins Artemis Accords
“Senegal chooses to join the great human adventure that has always driven us to explore the unknown,” Maram Kairé, the director general of the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies, said at a ceremony at NASA HQ in DC. “This signature marks a meaningful step in our space diplomacy and in our ambition to contribute to the peaceful exploration of outer space.”
Global Space Economy Tops $600B For The First Time
The global space economy grew nearly 8% in 2024 to $613B, according to a report released Tuesday by the Space Foundation.
FCC Considers Cutting Regs as Trump Celebrates US Space Potential
Last week, the FCC took a big step towards one of the Trump administration’s key goals in space: eliminating bureaucracy that bogs down innovation in the private sector.
Lawmakers Want DoD Briefings on Nuke Propulsion, VLEO, Commercial PNT
Buried in the hundreds of amendments approved by the committee, lawmakers asked for a number of reports or briefings on many space topics.
Rep. Stevens’ Bill Would Invest in US Rare Earths Supply Chain
The commercial space economy runs on rare Earth minerals, but the rare Earths in space today have one thing in common: the vast majority come from China.
GAO Examines ISAM’s User Uptake Challenges
The government could require future satellites to be ready for servicing or in-space refueling missions as a way to help the fledgling ISAM industry, according to a GAO report released Thursday.
Hypersonics and Heritage with Rep. Vince Fong
Fong, who joined Congress in June 2024 after a special election, chatted with Payload about how commercial space can support US space ambitions, the administration’s NASA budget request, and the long history of space and aeronautics achievement in his district.
York Takes Legal Action Against DoD’s SBIR Award to Apex
What’s the purpose of a SBIR award? That’s the question at the heart of a lawsuit York Space Systems has filed against the military, over a contract awarded to fellow satellite builder Apex Space.
CU Boulder Establishes Space Policy Professorship
A new professorship at the University of Colorado Boulder aims to bridge the gap between space engineering, business, and law, by emphasizing the importance of space governance to the whole industry.