By Jeff Foust

In this today's edition: decision time approaches for a European space merger, imaging companies lobby Congress against NRO cuts, another ISS launch delay, and more.

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Top Stories

Three European companies who are studying a combination of their space businesses expect to decide in July whether to proceed. At a press conference Tuesday during the Paris Air Show, Roberto Cingolani, CEO of Leonardo, said discussions his company is having with Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space about combining their space businesses are approaching a "go/no-go" decision he expected by the end of July. That decision will incorporate antitrust concerns, due diligence regarding the companies' finances and "value creation" such a move would offer. The venture, the companies have argued, would create a "European champion" in satellites and related technologies better able to compete with American firms. Cingolani said that such a company would likely be modeled on MBDA, a European missile manufacturer created by merging business units at three companies. [SpaceNews]

The heads of leading U.S. satellite imaging firms are urging Congress to reject proposed budget cuts to commercial remote sensing programs. In a letter sent Monday to key lawmakers on several committees, the heads of Maxar Technologies, Planet, BlackSky, Iceye US, Capella Space and ground systems provider KSAT said proposed cuts to National Reconnaissance Office commercial imagery programs could undermine national security and reverse years of progress in integrating private-sector innovation into intelligence and defense operations. The Trump administration is considering a 30% cut, about $130 million, to the Electro-Optical Commercial Layer program in its 2026 budget proposal, and would also eliminate funding entirely for purchasing radar imagery. The NRO, which builds and operates the nation's spy satellites, has increasingly turned to commercial providers in recent years as private companies have launched hundreds of small imaging satellites that can provide high-frequency coverage. [SpaceNews]

A European company has designed a lunar rover that it hopes to offer to ESA and others. Venturi Space unveiled at the Paris Air Show this week Mona Luna, a robotic lunar rover weighing 750 kilograms and capable of driving as fast as 20 kilometers per hour. The rover uses all-European technologies, including wheels and batteries Venturi is providing to Astrolab, an American company developing lunar rovers for NASA and others. Venturi hopes to win support from ESA at the upcoming ministerial conference to develop the rover, which could be sent to the moon on Europe's Argonaut lunar lander. [SpaceNews]

The launch of a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station has slipped again. NASA and Axiom Space said Tuesday night they were now targeting a launch of the Ax-4 mission no earlier than Sunday, three days later than previously planned. NASA said the delay would give the agency more time to evaluate a "new pressure signature" in a Russian module last week that caused a previous postponement. NASA did not provide any other updates on the status of that review. [Axiom Space]

Other News

SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites early Wednesday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:55 a.m. Eastern, placing 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. The booster for this launch completed its fifth flight with a droneship landing. [Florida Today]

UP Aerospace has successfully flown a new suborbital rocket. The company launched its Spyder rocket from White Sands Missile Range on Monday, reaching the "threshold" of hypersonic speeds in the flight. UP Aerospace has flown its SpaceLoft sounding rockets from nearby Spaceport America for many years carrying NASA and commercial payloads, but Spyder is designed for higher performance, reaching Mach 10 and up to 300 kilometers altitude. The company is offering Spyder for hypersonic tests and other applications. A second Spyder launch is planned for early 2026. [UP Aerospace]

The FCC has regained a quorum with the confirmation of a new commissioner. The Senate voted 53-45, mostly on party lines, to confirm Olivia Trusty as an FCC commissioner on Tuesday. Her confirmation restores a quorum of three members on the five-person commission after two commissioners resigned earlier this month; Trusty, a Republican, gives the GOP a 2-1 advantage on the commission. The Satellite Industry Association said that it welcomed Trusty's confirmation, citing her "wealth of policy expertise" in space and related topics. [Fierce Network]

Vast is rolling out a virtual reality version of its Haven-1 space station. The VR application, available for devices like Apple Vision Pro and Meta headsets, allows the user to virtually explore the Haven-1 station and conduct simulated experiments. Drew Feustel, a former NASA astronaut who is now the lead astronaut at Vast, helped develop the app and serves as its narrator. [Vast]

Merger Math

"I like to say that one plus one plus one should be bigger than three, otherwise we don't do it."

– Roberto Cingolani, CEO of Leonardo, discussing the proposed combination of the space businesses at Airbus, Leonardo and Thales during a press conference at the Paris Air Show Tuesday.

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