Commercial Space

House lawmakers are calling on the FAA to preserve airspace safety and efficiency as it develops a regulation to simplify launch and re-entry requirements for commercial space operators.

The Government Accountability (GAO) office defended the U.S. Air Force’s National Security Space Launch procurement in three areas outlined in a protest filed by Blue Origin.

A prototype upper-stage for SpaceX’s Mars-class Starship launch vehicle was destroyed during a maximum pressurization test Nov. 20 at the company’s Boca Chica Beach, Texas, complex.

A NASA strategy to partner with the U.S. commercial sector to resupply the International Space Station (ISS) could enrich a growing global space economy if the agency and its international partners can stay the course to the Moon and Mars, its top strategist told SpaceCom 2019 on Nov 20.

The Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider (DC-ANSP), responsible for managing air traffic from the Caribbean island of Curacao, has started using space-based surveillance data from Aireon to track aircraft.

U.S. DOD Secretary Mark Esper is urging the FCC head to reject Ligado Networks’ license modification request to allow sat frequencies near the GPS band to be used for terrestrial 5G networks.

Japan’s AstroScale named Gene Fujii as chief engineer and Mike Lindsay as chief technology officer, adding the respective OrbComm and OneWeb veterans to its management team as the orbital debris removal startup tries to solidify its business plans.

The European Union is poised to increase its space budget and create a dedicated Directorate-General for Defense Industry and Space for the European Commission.

Inmarsat is gearing up for the Nov. 22 launch of its GX5 satellite, planned to bring a major capacity increase to serve commercial and business aircraft flying in Europe and the Middle East.

OHB is proceeding with its plan to design and operate a launcher for placing satellites up to 440 lb. in low Earth orbit.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Nov. 18 sustained a protest by Blue Origin of the U.S. Air Force’s National Security Space Launch procurement.

Despite losing out to Blue Origin to provide engines for ULA’s Vulcan rocket, Aerojet sees a future for the AR1.

Despite cultural and funding differences, SpaceX and Boeing are neck-in-neck in development of commercial space taxis for NASA.

Entrepreneur eyes an AAA-type service in space.

Virgin Galactic sees service starting next year and a fleet of five spaceships within five years. Meanwhile, investors and future customers continue to line up.

Heritage aerospace primes Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman agree to work under startup Blue Origin in quest to get NASA to the Moon in 2024.

It is time to balance the needs of the aviation community with those of the burgeoning space industry.

October 2019 may go down in history as a New Space turning point: the first publicly traded human spaceflight company and the first space holding company.

The key to the cost reduction will be an efficient production setup and use of hybrid solid-liquid propulsion.

NASA shows off Orion crew survival suit, prototype for lunar spacewalks.

Boeing and SpaceX face final key tests as they enter the home stretch in delayed development of NASA’s Commercial Crew program.

Space BD and Mitsui are launching cubesats from the International Space Station’s Japanese Experiment Module Kibo.

The engine is intended to be flown at least 50 times, but no more than three years are allowed for development.

Among many Chinese private space companies, a launcher-maker is getting propulsion from a private engine company.

The 164-ft. steel Starship Mark 1 is readied for atmospheric testing.