Plus: The Pentagon asks for early 'Iron Dome' ideas
| | | A SpaceNews daily newsletter | | 02/13/2025 | | | | | NASA's acting administrator says the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will examine agency payments. Speaking to reporters after a speech Wednesday, Janet Petro said that DOGE, the organization spearheaded by Elon Musk, would come to the agency to look "at our payments and what money has gone out," but didn't elaborate on what DOGE would be looking for. She said "very strict conflict-of-interest policies" would prevent DOGE from using that information in a way that could benefit Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX. She added that hundreds of NASA employees had accepted a buyout offer from the Office of Personnel Management but did not have a more specific figure. Earlier in the day, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said his committee had not yet scheduled a confirmation hearing for Jared Isaacman, the White House's nominee to be NASA administrator, as the committee had not yet received completed paperwork for the nomination. [SpaceNews]
Spire Global is going to court to force Belgian analytics provider Kpler to complete a deal for its commercial ship-tracking business. Spire said in a regulatory filing it filed a complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery against Kpler after that company declined to close a $233.5 million purchase announced in November. Spire had planned to use the proceeds to clear approximately $100 million in outstanding debt, strengthening its financial position for investing across its weather, aviation and radio frequency geolocation data businesses, as well as hosted payload services. Kpler did not disclose why it has failed to complete the acquisition, which was set to close in the first quarter. [SpaceNews]
The Space Development Agency is looking for input on how to incorporate its satellite systems into a "Iron Dome for America" missile-defense program. The agency published a call to industry this week, seeking perspectives on integrating its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) of missile-tracking and communications satellites into a broader missile defense system. The agency plans to award one or more contracts for 60-day studies focused on several areas, including digital simulation modeling of the proposed architecture and the integration of the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor satellites into the PWSA's tracking layer. [SpaceNews]
Satellite manufacturing startup Apex has won a $45.9 million Space Force contract. The Space Systems Command contract, announced Wednesday, calls for an unspecified number of satellites to be delivered by 2032 to support missions across multiple orbits. The California-based company specializes in manufacturing standardized small satellite buses and this contract is its largest with the government to date. [SpaceNews]
Spanish propulsion startup Arkadia Space won a contract to provide thrusters for a launch vehicle being developed by French company MaiaSpace. Arkadia Space will supply 250-newton thrusters to be used on the reaction control system of MaiaSpace's planned reusable small launch vehicle. The first on-orbit testing of an Arkadia Space propulsion system is scheduled to launch in March on a D-Orbit ION vehicle flying on the SpaceX Transporter-13 rideshare mission. [SpaceNews]
| | | | | Blue Origin is targeting late spring for the second New Glenn launch. Company CEO Dave Limp said at the Commercial Space Conference Wednesday that the investigation into the failed booster landing on its first launch last month should not delay a second launch. Limp said a propulsion problem of some kind meant they weren't able "to get everything right" on the reentry burn of the booster, but he did not elaborate. Blue Origin is considering a couple of options for the payload for the second launch, and would be willing to fly a mass simulator if needed. He said the company also hopes to launch its Blue Moon Mark 1 robotic lunar lander before the end of the year, and argued that the technologies the company is developing for lunar missions can also be applied to Mars. [SpaceNews]
The Air Force Research Laboratory has extended an engine development contract with Sierra Space. The $16 million extension announced Wednesday follows the successful completion of the engine's integrated test campaign and builds upon a previous $22.6 million contract awarded in July 2023 to mature the design of the VR35K-A. The engine, capable of producing 35,000 pounds-force of thrust, is designed for use on upper stages for military and commercial applications. Sierra Space says the engine also has in-space propulsion applications, such as orbital maneuvering and lander descent systems. [SpaceNews]
A solar storm last year demonstrated that even smaller solar events are something to worry about. The Gannon storm in May was formed when dozens of solar flares sent at least five coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth. Those CMEs merged, space scientists said, creating a major event. Researchers estimate the Gannon storm caused at least $500 million in losses for farmers alone, as the storm disrupted navigation systems used in precision agriculture, delaying planting of crops. The storm also affected satellites through increased drag in low Earth orbit. [SpaceNews]
China has announced the names of a new lunar spacesuit and rover. The China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday that the spacesuit it is developing for future lunar missions will be called Wangyu, or "gazing into the cosmos," while a lunar rover intended for use by those astronauts will be called Tansuo, or "explore the unknown." The agency said it selected the names from 9,000 submissions by the public. [Xinhua]
Residents near SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas will vote in May on whether to incorporate as a city. Officials in Cameron County, where Starbase is located, said Wednesday they scheduled a vote for May 3 on a petition to incorporate Starbase as a city. SpaceX argued that the incorporation would streamline processes for building in the area. Most of the people living in the area that would be incorporated are SpaceX employees. [AP]
| | | | | | A Different Kind of Product Launch
| | | | "I was sitting in mission control and Jeff [Bezos] was next to me and I leaned over – the countdown was like T-2 minutes — and I just said, 'Launching Fire TVs is much easier. Can I go back to my old job?'"
– Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin and a former Amazon executive, recalling last month's New Glenn launch at the 27th Annual Commercial Space Conference on Wednesday.
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