Plus: Isaacman's outline for NASA
By Jeff Foust
In today's edition: Intuitive Machines to buy the former Maxar Space Systems, a document outlines Isaacman's plans for NASA, the U.K. Parliament worries about Britain's place in the space economy and more.
If someone forwarded you this edition, sign up to receive it in your inbox every weekday. Have thoughts or feedback? You can hit reply to let me know.
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Top Stories
Intuitive Machines is acquiring satellite manufacturer Lanteris Space Systems, the former Maxar Space Systems. Intuitive Machines said it reached an agreement with Advent International, the private equity company that owns Lanteris, to purchase Lanteris for $800 million: $450 million in cash and $350 million in Intuitive Machines Class A stock. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. Intuitive Machines is best known as a developer of lunar landers, and is also working on lunar communications satellites and a crewed lunar rover. Lanteris, which changed its name from Maxar Space Systems last month, is a satellite manufacturer that once primarily focused on commercial GEO communications satellites but has diversified into smaller LEO satellites and other missions. Intuitive said the deal would turn it from "a lunar company to a multi-domain space prime." [SpaceNews]
A report by a U.K. Parliament committee warns the country must move quickly if it wants to be a leading space nation. The report released Monday by a committee of the House of Lords found the United Kingdom has broadly struggled to convert policy ambitions into tangible outcomes, citing a lack of clear priorities, coordination and long-term funding. It warned that the country's 5% share of the global space economy could erode without decisive leadership and delivery. It warned of dependence on SpaceX's Starlink services, requesting research on the potential impacts if those services were lost, while also seeking clarification from the government on goals for a sovereign launch capability. [SpaceNews]
A Chinese institute is testing an inflatable module that could be used for in-space manufacturing. The tests on a "core module" by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS) represent a breakthrough in combining rigid structures with flexible modules. Images of the flexible platform suggest a diameter of around 2 meters. IMCAS did not provide details like a planned launch date, intended orbits, the mass and volume of a platform and more. The size of the test article suggests this is a technology demonstrator, rather than a full size model, with significant work and progress needed before flight. [SpaceNews]
A policy document drafted by Jared Isaacman is making the rounds on Capitol Hill amid his possible renomination to lead NASA. The 62-page "Project Athena" document is said to outline Isaacman's vision for NASA, one that would radically reshape the agency. That includes relying more on commercial data purchases for science missions and no longer supporting climate science. It also calls for ending elements of Artemis such as SLS and Gateway, something the Trump administration proposed in its 2026 budget request. The document, which Isaacman wrote before his nomination to be NASA administrator was withdrawn, is being circulated now that the White House is considering renominating him. [Politico]
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Other News
Astroscale is gearing up for two key missions next year. The multinational company focused on satellite servicing has on the books one mission to grab a OneWeb broadband satellite to remove it from LEO, while another is scheduled to refuel two U.S. Space Force spacecraft in geostationary orbit. The company, based in Tokyo but with offices in several countries, said its international expansion was originally intended to attract more engineers, but now benefits the company as more countries seek sovereign capabilities. [SpaceNews]
German aerospace company OHB is buying the remaining part of MT Aerospace it did not already own. OHB said it acquired the 30% of MT Aerospace owned by Apollo Capital Partners. The value of the deal was not announced. MT Aerospace builds metal and composite structures for space and defense systems, and is one of the largest contractors for the Ariane 6. OHB said that by taking full ownership of MT Aerospace it can strengthen its position in the defense market. [European Spaceflight]
The chairman of ispace's U.S. subsidiary is stepping down. The lunar lander company announced last week that Ron Garan, chairman of ispace-U.S., had "concluded his tenure" in the position. He will be replaced by Takeshi Hakamada, ispace CEO, while Elizabeth Kryst continues to serve as CEO of ispace-U.S. Garan, a former astronaut, was at ispace-U.S. for two and a half years, first as CEO before becoming chairman early this year. [ispace]
Astronomers have detected the brightest flare ever associated with a black hole. Astronomers said this week they linked the flare, detected in 2018 by a telescope at Palomar Observatory, with a supermassive black hole 10 billion light-years away. The flare, 10 trillion times as bright as the sun, likely was created when a star was ripped apart by the immense gravity of the black hole. [AP]
Correction: Yesterday's newsletter incorrectly stated the destination of China's Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. That spacecraft docked with the Tiangong space station.
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'I Hate Launch Day'
| "Even though we've done 73, I'm still very nervous, don't sleep well the night before. And on launch day… I have never missed a launch… [I am] still very, very nervous."
| – Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, discussing the nervousness he feels ahead of every Electron launch. The company's next Electron launch is scheduled for Wednesday (U.S. time). [Newstalk ZB]
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