The State of EO 2025
“I think the rubber is really going to meet the road,” Umbra COO Todd Master told Payload. “A lot of interesting tech got put into space. The question now is what of that data actually is needed by customers—that customers are willing to pay for?”
Airbus to Build ExoMars Landing Platform
ESA has tapped Airbus to build a landing platform for Europe’s beleaguered ExoMars rover as the delayed mission hopes to reach Mars in 2030.
Isar Aerospace’s First Rocket Crashes After Brief Flight
Isar Aerospace has broken the European launch barrier.
Defense Nominees Call for Closer Ties with Industry
Defense acquisitions are too slow to keep up with the needs of the moment, and the administration’s new defense appointees are planning to do something about it.
Booz Allen Preps for the Golden Dome
The president wants a Golden Dome missile defense system, and the space industry is standing ready to get him one.
Starlink Faces an Uphill Battle in Italy
Starlink’s potential five-year €1.6B ($1.72B) deal to provide the Italian government with secure telecom capabilities is in jeopardy.
Space Force Chief ‘Hopeful’ About Budget Prospects
“I’m very hopeful that the case the Space Force marks means a lot of that money will come back into our budget,” he said, adding that the Trump administration’s “Golden Dome” missile defense proposal could actually lead to national security space programs getting more resources.
New Small Launchers are in Decline
Outside of the established companies, investment in small US launchers has slowed to a crawl, forcing dozens of companies to go dormant, or pivot to defense.
Gravitics to Demo Orbital Carrier for DoD
Gravitics expects to demonstrate Orbital Carrier’s ability to operate in space and deploy assets on orbit as early as next year.
Airbus Buys First Batch of Astroscale Satellite Removal Docking Plates
The purchase marks the first large-scale order for Astroscale, which has flown two test missions demoing close-proximity operations and rendezvous and docking tech in LEO.
Former Astronauts Rally Behind Jared Isaacman
“Our nation is at a turning point where we face international competition from China, we have the opportunity to promote international cooperation with our partner nations, and we are witnessing radical change in the commercial space sector,” the 28 astronauts wrote in the letter, which was shared last weekend. “We believe that Jared Isaacman is uniquely qualified to lead NASA at this critical juncture.”
Startups Tap Sun, Nukes To Keep Lunar Rovers Kicking
Two US companies have proved that industry can land on the Moon. Now, startups are tackling the next challenge: keeping those missions running for years instead of weeks.
