Maryland lawmakers vow to block NASA cuts, and Blue Origin's historic flight
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| | | A SpaceNews daily newsletter | | 04/15/2025 | | | | | Derek Tournear will return to lead the Space Force's Space Development Agency after a three-month administrative leave. The Department of the Air Force said Monday that Tournear will return to his position on Thursday, three months after he was removed from the post for an investigation into alleged procedural irregularities in procurements of Tranche 2 Transport Layer โ Gamma satellites. The investigation stemmed from a bid protest filed by satellite communications company Viasat, which raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the contract awards. The Air Force has not disclosed specific reasons for Tournear's reinstatement, but Tournear has maintained strong backing on Capitol Hill throughout the investigation. [SpaceNews]
Members of Maryland's congressional delegation say they believe they will be able to overturn proposed major cuts in NASA's science programs. Speaking outside the entrance to the Goddard Space Flight Center on Monday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) and Reps. Steny Hoyer (D) and Glenn Ivey (D) again criticized proposed cuts of nearly 50% in NASA's science budget in a draft fiscal year 2026 budget. They called the cut "harmful to the national security and other interests of the United States" and said they expected Republicans, who are in the majority in the House and Senate, to back efforts to block those cuts. [SpaceNews]
Efforts to develop antennas that are compatible with multi-orbit satellite systems show promise but also carry risks. To reduce the space and maintenance challenges posed by using separate terminals for geostationary, medium and low Earth orbit satellites, antenna makers are racing to shrink size, cut costs and integrate advanced capabilities into a single device. Such antennas offer greater resiliency and flexibility, but can be more expensive than multiple single antennas. Moreover, in war zones like Ukraine, they can be easier to target given the heat they generate. [SpaceNews]
Blue Origin successfully completed an all-woman New Shepard suborbital flight Monday. The New Shepard vehicle lifted off from the company's West Texas site at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, reaching a peak altitude of 106 kilometers before landing nearly 10 and a half minutes later. The NS-31 carried six women, including pop star Katy Perry, TV show host Gayle King and Lauren Sรกnchez, fiancรฉe of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. This was the first spaceflight with only women on board since Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight in 1963. The flight attracted significant attention but also some criticism, including from other celebrities, who considered the flight wasteful. [SpaceNews]
| | | | | NASA has taken another step in the assembly of the Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis 2 mission. The launch vehicle stage adapter was installed over the weekend on top of the core stage of the rocket. The adapter will connect the core stage with the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, which serves as the upper stage for the SLS. Artemis 2 is currently scheduled to launch no later than April 2026. [NASA]
Cuts at a small U.S. Geological Survey office could affect plans by NASA and others to land on Mars. The Astrogeology Science Center has lost 8 of its 53 employees to buyout offers and is under pressure to further reduce its staff by 20%. The center, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, has long worked with NASA to develop detailed maps of the moon, Mars and other solar system bodies needed to support future missions. The center has also provided assistance to SpaceX as it plans its own Mars missions. [New York Times]
American and South Korean officials discussed ideas for expanded space cooperation between the two countries Monday. At the fourth Civil Space Dialogue between the United States and South Korea, held in Washington, officials discussed potential roles for South Korea in Artemis as well as interoperability between GPS and a planned South Korean regional navigation system. Other topics of discussion included safe space operations and maritime domain awareness. [Yonhap]
Saudi Arabia is projecting significant growth in its national space economy. A new report by the country's Communications, Space, and Technology Commission estimated that the Saudi space market was $1.9 billion in 2024 but could grow to $5.6 billion in 2035. The overall "space economy" in the country, which includes value-added activities and adjacent industries, is expected to grow from $8.7 billion in 2024 to $31.6 billion in 2035. [Gulf Business]
| Presumably a Bummer for Him, Too
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"I had to come back. We're getting married. If I didn't come back, that would be a bummer for me."
โ Lauren Sรกnchez, engaged to Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, in an interview after returning from the NS-31 suborbital flight Monday.
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