Plus: SES closes its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of Intelsat.
| Welcome to our roundup of top SpaceNews stories, delivered every Friday! This week, the Senate confirmed Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein to head the Golden Dome initiative, House Democrats accused NASA of impounding funds, SES closed its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of Intelsat and more.
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| | | | | OUR TOP STORY
| | By Sandra Erwin The Senate on July 17 confirmed U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein to lead President Donald Trump's signature Golden Dome missile defense initiative.
Guetlein's confirmation, which came two months after Trump nominated him, marks a key milestone for the administration's ambitious plan to create an orbital missile defense shield that would protect the entire continental United States from ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missile threats.
| | | | | | | CIVIL
| | In a July 16 letter to Sean Duffy, NASA's new acting administrator, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), ranking members of the House Science Committee and its space subcommittee respectively, claimed the agency was taking illegal steps to impound funds already appropriated and implementing elements of a fiscal year 2026 budget proposal that appropriators in both houses of Congress appear likely to reject.
The House Appropriations Committee released July 14 its commerce, justice and science (CJS) spending bill for fiscal year 2026 ahead of a markup by the CJS subcommittee July 15. A markup by the full committee has not yet been scheduled. The bill includes $24.838 billion for NASA, nearly the same as the $24.875 billion the agency received in fiscal year 2025, itself the same as 2024 because of the use of a full-year continuing resolution.
The House Armed Services Committee in a 55-2 vote advanced its draft of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act with key policy provisions that formalize Pentagon procurement of commercial satellite imagery and back the Trump administration's Golden Dome missile defense program despite Democratic skepticism.
| | LAUNCH
| | Blue Origin announced in a social media post July 17 that NASA's Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, or ESCAPADE, mission will be the primary payload on the NG-2 launch, the second flight of New Glenn after its inaugural launch in January.
In a document released July 16 titled "USSF Principles for Space Access Resourcing Decisions," the Space Force reaffirms its support of the commercial industry to help maintain U.S. space access and industrial capacity but cautions that government resources are finite and will be prioritized so that national security concerns take priority. | | | | | | | COMMERCIAL
| | SES is preparing to drastically expand its medium Earth orbit network after closing its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of United States-based rival Intelsat July 17, building on a deal that forged an unmatched geostationary satellite fleet. Their combination gives Luxembourg-based SES a fleet of around 90 satellites in geostationary orbit, with six more on the way.
Firefly announced late July 11 it filed a formal registration statement, known as a Form S-1, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about its intent to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. The company is planning to go public on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol FLY. | | | | | | | OPINION
| | By Anders Fogh Rasmussen
The space domain is changing faster than most realize. We are at the dawn of a new space economy — one that presents significant opportunities for people around the world. But that promise is today at serious risk. That is why we — as space leaders, experts, astronauts and former policymakers — have formed the Global Space Council.
Our message is simple: Governments must develop a new sustainable, rules-based order for space before it is too late.
| | By Omkar Nikam and Tanushri Joshi
By Mihail Várdai
| | SpaceNews is committed to publishing our community's diverse perspectives. Whether you're an academic, executive, engineer or even just a concerned citizen of the cosmos, send your arguments and viewpoints to opinion@spacenews.com to be considered for publication online or in our next magazine. The perspectives shared in these op-eds are solely those of the authors.
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