Top Stories

Iridium is revising its financial forecasts because of competition from SpaceX in direct-to-device (D2D) services. The company said in earnings released Thursday that it expects 3% service revenue growth for 2025, down from 3-5% previously and well below its earlier 5-7% range. It has also withdrawn a target of reaching $1 billion in revenue by 2030. Iridium CEO Matt Desch said in an earnings call that SpaceX's push into D2D services with its deal to acquire Echostar spectrum "will likely be disruptive to the status quo" and create new competition for Iridium. He said the company remains committed to making its satellite constellation compatible with 5G standards used by mass-market devices, enabling them to access messaging and alert services outside cellular coverage starting next year. [SpaceNews]

Two Chinese launch companies are getting closer to initial public offerings (IPOs). Galactic Energy officially launched its listing guidance this week, one of the first steps toward an IPO. Space Pioneer submitted its application for listing guidance earlier this month. Galactic Energy operates the Ceres-1 rocket and is nearing the first launch of its larger Ceres-2 rocket, while Space Pioneer is preparing for the first launch of the medium-lift Tianlong-3. Two other launch companies, Landspace and CAS Space, made their moves toward a listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's tech-focused STAR Market in July and August respectively. [SpaceNews]

ESA is putting the finishing touches on a package of programs it will present to member states for funding at next month's ministerial conference. At a briefing Thursday, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said that there are still a few loose ends to resolve on the package, valued at about 22 billion euros ($25.6 billion) over three years. ESA has removed one mission, an Earth science spacecraft called TRUTHS, because of what Aschbacher called "affordability reasons." The British government reportedly withdrew its support for the mission recently. ESA is also dealing with funding uncertainty externally, with NASA yet to get a budget for fiscal year 2026, and internally, given upheavals in the French government. Aschbacher also said at the briefing that ESA will examine the impacts of the planned joint venture of the space businesses of Airbus, Leonardo and Thales, but was not worried about a potential loss of competition. [SpaceNews]

Indian startup SatLeo Labs is preparing to launch its first thermal-imaging payload early next year. The company has built its first experimental payload, called Thermal Access Platform for Analytics and Solution, or Tapas, slated for launch early next year. By the end of 2026 the company plans to launch the first of 12 operational smallsats with mid- and long-wave infrared imaging payloads. [SpaceNews]

The spat between NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is wearing thin at the White House. Duffy on Monday said he would reopen the Artemis 3 lunar lander contract to competition, complaining that SpaceX was behind, prompting a broadside of insults in response from Musk. Senior White House officials said they were "furious" at Duffy for instigating the dispute and also for pushing to incorporate NASA into the Transportation Department, allowing him to continue to run it as Secretary of Transportation. The White House said Thursday there was no update on selecting a NASA administrator nominee, with any selection to be announced directly by President Trump. [NOTUS]

Other News

China launched a classified GEO satellite Thursday. A Long March 5 lifted off at 10:30 a.m. Eastern from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center. Chinese officials announced after the launch that the payload was Communications Technology Experimental Satellite-20, or TJS-20, which they said will be used primarily to carry out multi-band and high-speed communication technology validation tests. The TJS satellites are seen by Western analysts as potentially carrying out classified missions including signals intelligence, early warning missions, technology tests and satellite inspection activities. [SpaceNews]

SpaceX launched a Spanish communications satellite on a rare expendable Falcon 9 flight. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Thursday, placing the SpainSat NG 2 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. The launch was the 22nd and final flight of this Falcon 9 booster, which SpaceX expended because of the performance needed to place the 6,100-kilogram satellite into its transfer orbit. The satellite is the second of a pair of satellites that will provide secure communications for the Spanish military. [Orlando Sentinel]

India is planning two launches of its largest rocket before the end of the year. One launch of the LMV-3, also known as GSLV Mark 3, is scheduled for Nov. 2, carrying the CMS-03 communications satellite to support India's navy. The second, planned before the end of the year, will carry the BlueBird-6 satellite for AST SpaceMobile, the first in a new line of satellites by the company to provide direct-to-device services. [Republic]

Cyprus is joining ESA as an associate member. ESA said Thursday that Cyprus signed an agreement to become an associate member, allowing it to participate in and provide funding for optional ESA programs. Cyprus will be eligible to subscribe to ESA programs at next month's ministerial conference. Cyprus joins Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as ESA associate members, a step below full membership. [ESA]

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And It's Probably Not Northlift

"We have these multinational cooperations. One of them is called Starlift and the other one is called Northlink. It's kind of tricky in terms of what you can mix that up with."

– Julie Biem, space officer in NATO's Defence Industry, Innovation and Armaments division, discussing NATO space projects during a session at the Summit for Space Sustainability on Thursday.

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