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Friday, August 7, 2026

Breaking News: FCC Space Bureau deputy takes the reins

08/07/2026

BREAKING NEWS

FCC Space Bureau deputy takes the reins amid licensing overhaul

The Federal Communications Commission is turning to Space Bureau deputy chief Jennifer Gilsenan to keep its satellite regulatory overhaul moving as Jay Schwarz prepares to retire as its chief later this month. —By Jason Rainbow

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U.S. Senate confirms Schiess to lead Space Force

By Sandra Erwin

The U.S. Senate on Aug. 6 confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as the next chief of space operations, installing a career missile and space officer to lead the Space Force as it prepares for a sharp expansion in funding, personnel and military missions driven by growing competition with China.

Schiess, who has served as the Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025, succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service’s top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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CIVIL

Europe increases size and cost of IRIS² constellation

The European Commission announced Aug. 7 it completed negotiations with the SpaceRISE industrial consortium on the IRIS² constellation, a milestone known formally as Rendezvous 1, increasing the number of satellites as well as its cost.

NASA and Roscosmos continue seat barter agreement

NASA and Roscosmos have agreed to continue exchanging seats between Soyuz and Crew Dragon spacecraft, but that agreement does not yet extend to Starliner.

NASA, SpaceX studying how to prevent future upper stage lunar collisions

With a Falcon 9 upper stage crashing into the moon earlier this week, SpaceX says it is working with NASA on ways to prevent similar collisions in the future.

LAUNCH

New Glenn explosion linked to rocket engine valve

Blue Origin has traced the explosion of its New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test in May to a valve in the rocket’s BE-4 engine. The issue that could also affect United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur.

Redwire to fly dedicated Starfall mission for microgravity research

A Redwire subsidiary called Space Microgravity Development working on space biotech and pharmaceutical applications has signed an agreement to fly 32 microgravity research payloads on SpaceX’s Starfall reentry vehicle.

SpaceX to begin Starship orbital flights

SpaceX plans to start deploying upgraded Starlink satellites into orbit on the next flight of its Starship vehicle, scheduled for as soon as the end of the month. The company will also attempt to catch the upper stage back at the launch site.

COMMERCIAL

Capella, Iceye and Umbra win NRO radar-data contracts

The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded contracts to Capella Space, Iceye U.S. and Umbra to expand the U.S. government’s use of commercial synthetic aperture radar.

Hughes files for bankruptcy after GEO business loses ground to Starlink

EchoStar’s Hughes geostationary satellite broadband business has filed for bankruptcy in the United States after years of mounting competition from SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.

Rocketdyne reemerges as standalone space company

Rocketdyne is returning as an independent company as AE Industrial Partners completes its purchase of L3Harris Technologies’ space propulsion, power and electronics units, separating a 1,300-person space supplier from the missile businesses L3Harris plans to keep.

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