USAF and FAA Deny Varda Reentry and Recovery Permission
Varda’s first in-space manufacturing capsule can’t come back down to Earth. On Friday, TechCrunch reported that the US Air Force denied Varda Space Industries permission to use a Utah recovery range, and the FAA also denied a reentry license, leaving the company’s orbiting pharmaceutical factory waiting in orbit. “The request to use the Utah Test…
Stoke Completes Static Fire for its Reusable Second Stage Rocket, Looks to Hop
While all eyes remain on Starship, another rocket startup is quietly ticking off milestones in its pursuit of full reusability. Stoke Space completed a static fire of its fully reusable second-stage rocket earlier this week. The prototype—which looks more like a fiery Tin Man than a final product—also underwent avionics, power systems, navigation, heat shield,…
The DoD Releases a Plan for Protecting Space Assets
The Pentagon is ready and willing to target adversaries’ space assets if conflict spills over into the domain according to an unclassified policy report submitted yesterday to Congress. The report, entitled “Space Policy Review and Strategy on Protection of Satellites,” outlines the Pentagon’s preparations to defend its space assets from attack if war breaks out…
Kim Jong Un and Putin Meet at Spaceport, Discuss Rockets and Satellites
Kim Jong Un met with Russian president Vladimir Putin at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome space center yesterday, marking the first meeting between the leaders in four years. Against the backdrop of the Russian launch facility, the pair discussed providing support for Kim’s satellite program and the possibility of sending the first North Korean to space. After…
Astra Space Announces Reverse Stock Split
Astra Space announced a reverse stock split on Wednesday in a last ditch effort to prevent a delisting on the stock exchange. The company’s board of directors approved the stock split of Astra’s Class A and Class B common stock, both valued at $0.0001, at a ratio of one for 15, effective immediately. Coming back…
Exclusive: Spaceium and The Exploration Company Partner for In-Space Servicing
Spaceium, a startup building in-orbit pit stops for interplanetary missions, is teaming up with The Exploration Company on a demo mission to refuel a spacecraft in orbit. The two companies are betting on a future in-space servicing economy, and their missions and timelines mesh well. Spaceium is heads down designing and building a refueling, charging,…
Exclusive: A New Plan for Space to be Treated Like Other Infrastructure
AIAA will unveil a plan today that would help space organizations get access to a slew of federal economic development resources typically available to other infrastructure services such as airports, seaports, and highways. Project Clarity, which was drafted by AIAA’s Cislunar Ecosystem Task Force, will urge the government to say unequivocally that space projects shouldn’t…
A Busy Fall on Capitol Hill
As lawmakers settle back into DC following the August recess, Congress is facing a long list of space to-dos—but not a lot of time to tackle them. Members have a little over two weeks to tackle three major priorities with deadlines at the end of September: passing a fiscal 2024 funding bill, deciding whether to…
Exclusive: Prewitt Ridge Raises $4.1M Seed Round
Prewitt Ridge has closed a $4.1M seed round, which will allow the startup to expand its go-to-market team and build new integrations for its Verve requirements management software, CEO Steven Massey told Payload. The details: Squadra Ventures led the round, which also included participation from Stage Venture Partners, Aurelia Foundry, Wonder Ventures, Haystack, Acquia, techStars,…
Open Cosmos Raises $50M Series B
Open Cosmos, a UK company that builds and supports satellites working on climate change and humanitarian initiatives, has raised a $50M Series B to support the company’s push into an international market.
FAA Completes Starship Mishap Report Review, Launch License is Next
The FAA has completed its review of SpaceX’s Starship mishap report—a key milestone for Starship to hit the skies again for the first time since its April 20 integrated flight test that ended with a bang (literally). “The FAA has been provided with sufficient information and accepts the root causes and corrective actions described in…
Countering Growing Threats with Missile Warning and Tracking
With space emerging as a strategically important domain, the US is redoubling its efforts to establish a resilient missile detection and alert system to fortify the nation’s defenses. While the Pentagon has invested in space-based missile tracking technologies since the Cold War-era, the rise of novel and pressing threats has heightened the urgency. Intercontinental missiles…
