| Presented by |  | | SpaceNews journalists are reporting from the 40th Space Symposium, held in Colorado Springs, Co. We'll bring highlights to your inbox โ for full coverage, go to SpaceNews.com/symposium. | | | | | | | By Sandra Erwin, April 8, 2025 | | | | | Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, warned that the U.S. is in a fast-moving race to defend its orbital assets, driven by growing threats from China. Speaking April 8 at the annual Space Symposium, Whiting outlined the command's strategy to deter space-based aggression โ including preparing for the once-unthinkable war in space.
"Our opponents, most notably China, have accelerated the terrestrial and on-orbit space weapons, expanded their space-enabled kill chains, and are moving at breathtaking speed," Whiting told attendees.
He emphasized that while the U.S. does not seek conflict in space, it is preparing for it to prevent adversaries from gaining an upper hand. "There has never been a war in space, and we don't want a war to start in space or to extend into space, and war in space is not inevitable," Whiting said. Still, he added, "there is no longer any debate that space is a war fighting domain." Read More | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | Astroscale U.S. to refuel two Space Force spacecraft on 2026 mission By Jeff Foust Astroscale U.S. announced April 8 that its Astroscale U.S. Refueler spacecraft, also known as APS-R, will transfer hydrazine to two Space Force spacecraft in geostationary orbit as well as refuel itself using a propellant depot developed by Orbit Fab on a mission scheduled for 2026. | Redwire and ispace U.S. to collaborate on lunar missions
By Jeff Foust The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to jointly pursue lunar missions such as those though NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Ispace U.S., the American subsidiary of Tokyo-based ispace, is currently working on its APEX 1.0 lunar lander for Draper Laboratory that will go to the far side of the moon for a CLPS mission in 2026. Future landers will take advantage of Redwire technologies such as cameras and deployable systems, as well as Redwire assembly, integration and test facilities. | | NASA developing options for agency restructuring in 'unsettling' environment By Jeff Foust NASA is developing options for restructuring and potentially downsizing the agency. NASA is currently working on what Acting Administrator Janet Petro calls a "workforce optimization" plan, also known as the Agency RIF and Reorganization Plan, which will include options for restructuring NASA. | | Lunar lander operators cite growing demand beyond NASA By Debra Werner Through government-backed lunar missions, companies are identifying customers for future flights. For example, international space agencies, universities, companies and rideshare customers contributed about 10% of the money that helped Intuitive Machines reach the moon March 6 with its second lander. The other 90% came from NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. | | Industry eyes continuous satellite production to keep pace with demand By Jason Rainbow Skyrocketing demand for satellites may call for continuous production in order to avoid delays, though such a capability is still years away in the United States, according to a panel of prime contractors. | Space nuclear power poised for breakthroughs โ if NASA and DoD stay committed
By Sandra Erwin Space nuclear power generation and propulsion technologies are poised for a breakthrough that, after decades of development, could make deep space exploration faster and more efficient. But the technology will need consistent government investment to transition to operational systems, according to L3Harris executives. | GITAI creates US defense subsidiary to chase prime government contracts
By Jason Rainbow Space robotics firm GITAI has created a defense-focused subsidiary at its Torrance, California, headquarters to pursue prime contractor roles in U.S. government contracts. The company already designs and builds robotic arms, satellites and rovers entirely within the country under GITAI USA, after relocating headquarters from Japan in 2023, and has secured contracts from government agencies such as DARPA. | | GomSpace and Neuraspace partner to advance satellite collision avoidance By Jason Rainbow GomSpace, a Danish smallsat maker, announced plans to integrate space traffic management tools from Portugal's Neuraspace into its satellite operations platform to help avoid collisions in increasingly congested orbits. The partnership combines Neuraspace's artificial intelligence-driven satellite tracking capabilities with GomSpace's Hands-Off Operations Platform, designed to automate spacecraft management tasks from pre-launch preparations through to decommissioning. | SpaceX secures majority of NSSL Phase 3 fiscal year 2025 missions
By Sandra Erwin The U.S. Space Force's Systems Command has assigned the first nine National Security Space Launch missions under the Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts, with SpaceX capturing seven launches worth $845.8 million and United Launch Alliance securing two missions valued at $427.6 million. | Umbra to develop maritime surveillance satellites for U.S. military
By Sandra Erwin Umbra, a California-based manufacturer of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, has been tapped to develop next-generation sensor satellites aimed at enhancing maritime and open-ocean search capabilities for the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific, under a public-private agreement known as Strategic Funding Increase that could be valued at up to $60 million pending final contracting and co-investment commitments. | | To build new weather satellite instruments, L3Harris opts for automated manufacturing By Debra Werner L3Harris Technologies is preparing to modernize the development, production and testing of weather satellite instruments in a new 9,290-square-meter automated manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. | | Space Force to revamp training for a new era of space conflict By Sandra Erwin The U.S. Space Force is expanding its search for training and testing technologies and is now planning to put more than a half billion dollars toward the effort in a few years. The move comes as the service looks to close any gaps in the readiness of space operations and as concerns about Russia and China accelerate. | | Aitech unveils IQSat, a picosatellite for AI applications By Debra Werner Aitech Systems, a California company known for military and aerospace electronics, revealed plans for a picosatellite known as IQSat that will be used for artificial-intelligence applications. IQSat incorporates Intuidex Watchman for Space, an analytics platform with AI and machine-learning algorithms, for terrestrial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance or space-domain awareness. | | | | | | | Space Minds: The future for space looks bright โ and fragile | | | | | "This is the most exciting time in aerospace. The future is here. The future is now." | | "This is the most exciting time in aerospace. The future is here. The future is now." | | โ Clay Mowry, CEO, AIAA, in an interview Monday with Chief Content and Strategy Officer Mike Gruss at the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Listen to the latest episode on SpaceNews.com, YouTube and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and be sure to subscribe for updates all week with special guests at Symposium. | | | | | | |
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