Space Minds: How should Europe's militaries respond to space threats

Catch European correspondent Emma Gatti's panel from Small Sat Europe

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08/10/2026 READ IN BROWSER Subscribe now and read anywhere with the SpaceNews app: Unlimited reporting and analysis – plus the monthly digital magazine – from $25/month. Get access now. SPONSORED BY In this episode, SpaceNews’ Emma Gatti leads a panel of experts to discuss Europe’s defense posture and the reaction to space threats. This session was recorded in May at SpaceNews’ defense stage in Amsterdam at Small Sat Europe. Speaking on the panel are: Brigadier General Daniele Donati, Former Chief of the Space Policy Office, Italian Defense General Staff Dr. Regina Peldszus, Space Security Specialist, European External Action Service Antonin Hirsch, Co-founder and CTO, Skynopy Andrew Faiola, Commercial Director, Astroscale David Tellett, Programme Director, Magdrive Ltd FROM THE CONVERSATION Emma Gatti: "Are you actually building products that are specifically built with the idea that they're gonna operate in a threat environment? Because this is a shift in mentality. I would not have asked this question maybe five years ago, but I am asking this question now." Andrew Faiola: "The ability to maneuver in an agile way and a persistent way in space; rendezvous proximity operations, are seen as a dual-use technology in any case. So we see that, actually as a space sustainability company, part of sustainable space is that defense of a peaceful, safe environment. So we use the technologies and the capabilities that we're building to do a couple of different things." SPONSORED Arrow Electronics is a Fortune 500-ranked distributor of electronic components and enterprise computing products that helps thousands of leading manufacturers and service providers turn technology ideas into market-ready solutions. From concept and design through sourcing, integration, manufacturing, and lifecycle management, Arrow comes alongside innovators with deep engineering expertise, comprehensive supply chain services and one of the industry’s most extensive product portfolios. Whether helping enable next-generation aerospace and defense systems, AI-driven applications, industrial automation, robotics platforms or connected devices, Arrow helps its customers accelerate innovation, solve complex design challenges, and bring mission-critical technologies to market faster. Learn more. 📨 Don't miss what's next. Sign up for other SpaceNews newsletters: NEW SpaceNews Mission Brief: Orbital Data Centers: A series explaining the latest developments in the rapid race to conceive, finance, develop and launch the future of on-orbit computing. Europe Report: Tracking the policy landscape, investment climate and regional priorities driving Europe’s space ambitions. First Up: Every weekday morning, Jeff Foust delivers the day's most important industry headlines. Military Space: Veteran defense journalist Sandra Erwin with weekly news and insights for the military space professional. China Report: Biweekly news and analysis from correspondent Andrew Jones on business, politics and technology in the Chinese space industry. SpaceNews Mission Brief: Golden Dome: Explaining the Golden Dome initiative and what it means for the space industry. Editor’s Choice: Our most important recent stories you may have missed, with background and insights from editors, reporters and contributors. Opinions: A weekly digest of the latest commentary and analysis. SpaceNews This Week: The week’s top headlines and our conference coverage. Subscribe to SpaceNews This email has been sent to generalastronomy110.stnirp@blogger.com because you previously opted in to receive emails from SpaceNews. Unsubscribe here. Sign up for other SpaceNews newsletters.  SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews  |  Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions © 2026, SpaceNews, 100 Fillmore Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO 80206, United States

Breaking News: Long March 7A explodes shortly after launch

The Chinese rocket lost an unknown payload early in its mission

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08/10/2026 BREAKING NEWS Chinese Long March 7A rocket explodes shortly after liftoff China appears to have lost an unknown payload after a Long March 7A rocket exploded less than 90 seconds into flight, according to amateur footage. It is unknown if the explosion was caused by an anomaly or a triggering of the flight termination system. —Andrew Jones Read Now Subscribe to SpaceNews This email has been sent to generalastronomy110.stnirp@blogger.com because you previously opted in to receive breaking news alerts from SpaceNews. Unsubscribe here. Sign up for other SpaceNews newsletters.  SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews  |  Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions © 2026, SpaceNews, 100 Fillmore Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO 80206, United States

FCC Space Bureau chief steps down

Plus: Tank issue delays first RFA launch

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08/10/2026 READ IN BROWSER Submit a nomination for the 2026 Icon Awards: Tell us about the innovators, collaborators and leaders who have left their mark on the industry. Nominate an Icon today. SPONSORED BY By Jeff Foust In today's edition: FCC Space Bureau chief steps down, Northrop and Canada repurpose their Gateway contributions, tank issue delays first RFA launch, and more.  If someone forwarded you this edition, sign up to receive it directly in your inbox every weekday. Have thoughts or feedback? You can hit reply to let me know directly. 📲  Download the new SpaceNews mobile app SPONSORED Blue Canyon Technologies has shaped the small satellite industry for more than a decade. We helped pioneer the precision pointing, reliable spacecraft buses and efficient mission operations that made compact architectures possible. Today, our solutions support missions from low Earth orbit to cislunar space and beyond, holding a proven record of success across commercial, civil, and national security applications. We were here at the beginning, and we are still leading the way. From flight-proven components to our latest bus platforms and mission enablers, we continue to advance what small satellites can achieve. Top Stories The head of the FCC's Space Bureau is leaving the agency. The FCC announced Friday that Jay Schwarz would step down as chief of the bureau later this month. The FCC did not disclose why he was departing. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Jennifer Gilsenan, deputy chief of the bureau. Schwarz, named chief of the Space Bureau early last year, has spearheaded licensing and spectrum reforms for space systems at the commission. [SpaceNews] The Senate confirmed nominations for two top national security space officials Friday. The Senate confirmed Erich Hernandez-Baquero as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration and Roger Mason as director of the National Reconnaissance Office. Both were confirmed as part of a large group of civilian nominees on a 51-47 vote, which came a day after the Senate confirmed Gen. Douglas Schiess to be the next commanding general of the Space Force. Together, the confirmations install new leaders at three organizations responsible for defining military space requirements, acquiring Space Force systems and operating the nation's intelligence satellites. [SpaceNews] Northrop Grumman and the Canadian Space Agency are working to repurpose their contributions to the lunar Gateway to support NASA's new lunar base plans. Northrop said last week it would fly power and avionics systems it developed for the HALO module for three lander missions, called Lunar Infrastructure Demos. Those payloads will be flown on commercial landers through NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, with the first slated to fly in Phase One of NASA's Moon Base program that runs through 2029. NASA said it is working with Northrop to finalize contractual details of the new missions. CSA also announced last week that it would adapt technologies for the Gateway's Canadarm3 robotic arm for lunar surface operations. The agency said little about how those technologies might be reused, but MDA Space, prime contractor for Canadarm3, said in an earnings call Friday it welcomed the announcement and is working with CSA on details about those plans. [SpaceNews] Katalyst Space Technologies is making progress on restoring control of the spacecraft it launched to reboost a NASA observatory. The company said last week that it had slowed the spin rate of its Link spacecraft from 9 to 1.47 degrees per second using one of its electric thrusters. The company is working on a flight software update to restore full control of the spacecraft and allow it to continue its mission. Link launched in early July to grapple NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory and raise its orbit, but Link suffered problems in late July that put the spacecraft into a multi-axis spin. Katalyst now expects Link to rendezvous with Swift late this month. [SpaceNews] Lithuanian space laser communications company Astrolight has signed an agreement with Atmos Space Cargo to test its technologies in space. The companies announced a memorandum of understanding to demonstrate in-flight optical communications link between an Atmos reentry spacecraft and an orbiting satellite in 2027. Astrolight's ATLAS-X laser communication terminals would fly onboard Atmos's Phoenix reentry vehicle and an unidentified spacecraft, testing data links at speeds of up to 2.5 gigabits per second. [SpaceNews] Other News SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites Saturday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 12:35 p.m. Eastern, putting 24 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was the 50th this year by SpaceX from Vandenberg as the company emphasizes launches there over its Florida launch pads. [Spaceflight Now] The majority owner of German small launch vehicle company Rocket Factory Augsburg still expects a first launch this year despite a testing setback. RFA was planning to launch its RFA ONE rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands as soon as this week, but the company said in late July it needed to destack the rocket on the pad because of an issue with the rocket. During an earnings call last week, OHB, the German aerospace company that owns 65% of RFA, said the issue was with tanks on the rocket but did not disclose additional details. OHB said it expects the problem to be resolved soon, allowing for a launch attempt later this year. OHB also used the earnings call to endorse efforts to increase the Ariane 6 launch rate, noting that it is both a supplier for the rocket as well as a customer. [SpaceNews] SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is doubtful the company can recover its Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean. The company has been working since the Flight 13 mission July 24 to tow the Starship upper stage to land after the vehicle unexpectedly survived splashdown and remained intact. That has involved several vessels trying to tow the vehicle to Australia. SpaceX said Friday the recovery team was facing "challenging conditions and increasingly rough seas" trying to get the vehicle to port. "Unfortunately, ship recovery is not looking good right now," Musk later said, but noted the recovery efforts have provided data on the state of the ship's thermal protection system and engines. [Space.com] NASA is delaying an International Space Station spacewalk to study a problem with a spacesuit. NASA said Friday that a carbon dioxide sensor in the suit worn on Thursday's spacewalk by Anil Menon provided an "unexpected data reading" near the end of the spacewalk. The agency is reviewing the data to see if the suit needs to be replaced. To accommodate that work, NASA has delayed the second in a series of three spacewalks from Aug. 13 to Aug. 18. The third and final spacewalk in the sequence remains scheduled for Aug. 25. [NASA] A "big bang" has squeezed more life out of a decaying power source on Voyager 2. NASA said last week it completed a sequence it called the "big bang" that turned off some heaters and equipment while turning on others that consume less power. That effort went "remarkably smoothly," project leaders said, reducing the spacecraft's power consumption while still keeping critical components warm. That will allow the spacecraft to continue operations for at least another year despite reduced power from its radioisotope thermoelectric generator. The project is now planning a similar "big bang" for Voyager 1. [Scientific American] The Week Ahead Monday: Cape Canaveral, Fla.: Scheduled launch of a Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites at 12:20 p.m. Eastern. Tanegashima, Japan: Rescheduled launch of an H3 rocket with the Michibiki 7 navigation satellite at 3:23 p.m. Eastern. Online: AST SpaceMobile releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Online: Rocket Lab releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Jiuquan, China: Anticipated launch of a Zhuque-3 rocket on its second test flight at 7:45 p.m. Eastern. Tuesday: Online: Firefly Aerospace releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.: Scheduled launch of a Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites at 10 p.m. Eastern. Tuesday-Wednesday: Canberra, Australia: The 2026 Southern Space Conference will discuss Australian space industry and policy issues. Wednesday: Europe and Arctic Ocean: A total solar eclipse is visible in regions of western Europe and the Arctic. Online: Spire releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Online: Virgin Galactic releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Thursday: Online: AAC Clyde Space releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 a.m. Eastern. Online: Intuitive Machines releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Washington: The Space Nuclear Industry Symposium by the U.S Nuclear Industry Council will discuss space nuclear power efforts, including NASA's SR-1 Freedom mission. Online: Telesat releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Online: HawkEye 360 releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Friday: Online: Sidus Space releases its second quarter financial results and holds an earnings call at 5 p.m. Eastern. Saturday: Cape Canaveral, Fla.: Scheduled launch of a Falcon 9 carrying Globalstar satellites at 9:12 p.m. Eastern. Sunday: Wenchang, China: Anticipated launch of a Long March 12 with an undisclosed payload at 10 p.m. Eastern. FROM SPACENEWS Submit your nominations by this Friday, Aug. 14: Since 2017, the SpaceNews Icon Awards have celebrated the companies, teams and individuals driving breakthroughs across civil, commercial and military space. Nominate the innovators, collaborators, and change-makers whose work over the past year — or an entire career — has left a lasting mark on the industry. Submit your nomination today. 📨 Don't miss what's next. Sign up for other SpaceNews newsletters: NEW SpaceNews Mission Brief: Orbital Data Centers: A series explaining the latest developments in the rapid race to conceive, finance, develop and launch the future of on-orbit computing. Europe Report: Tracking the policy landscape, investment climate and regional priorities driving Europe’s space ambitions. Military Space: Veteran defense journalist Sandra Erwin with weekly news and insights for the military space professional. SpaceNews This Week: The week’s top headlines and our conference coverage. China Report: Biweekly news and analysis from correspondent Andrew Jones on business, politics and technology in the Chinese space industry. SpaceNews Mission Brief: Golden Dome: Explaining the Golden Dome initiative and what it means for the space industry. Editor’s Choice: Our most important recent stories you may have missed, with background and insights from editors, reporters and contributors. Opinions: A weekly digest of the latest commentary and analysis. Subscribe to SpaceNews This email has been sent to generalastronomy110.stnirp@blogger.com because you previously opted in to receive First Up from SpaceNews. Unsubscribe here. Sign up for other SpaceNews newsletters.  SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions SpaceNews.com  |  Advertise with SpaceNews  |  Contact us  |  Privacy policy  |  Terms and conditions © 2026, SpaceNews, 100 Fillmore Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO 80206, United States